Chatman shines, Ogden Raptors batter first-place Idaho Falls to open road series
BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard-Examiner
An Ogden Raptors baseball hat sits on a dugout bench Saturday, June 14, 2025, at Lindquist Field in Ogden.The Ogden Raptors bounced back Tuesday after suffering their first three-game skid of the season, taking first-place Idaho Falls to task in a 10-2 decision to open a six-game series at Melaleuca Field.
Chase Chatman made his latest entry as an emerging ace in the Pioneer League with his best of five starts in his rookie professional season. The left-handed Floridian allowed two runs on five hits over seven innings, striking out six and walking three.
Chatman needed 86 pitches for his seven frames and won his third consecutive start, and second since moving into the No. 1 Tuesday starter spot after Bryson Van Sickle’s contract buyout by the Colorado Rockies. Chatman has an ERA of 3.00 in those three starts (six earned runs in 18 innings) while striking out 15 and walking eight.
He surrendered an RBI double to Idaho Falls (17-7) outfielder Tyler Wyatt in the second before the Raptors (12-13) showed up with run support in the fourth against Idaho Falls starter Connor Harrison. Second baseman True Fontenot started the scoring with an RBI double, right fielder Dylan Wilkinson singled in two, and centerfielder Kenny Oyama singled in one more to put the visitors up 4-1.
Fontenot continued his 3-for-5 night with a two-run double in the fifth for a 6-1 margin, left fielder Cole Jordan made it 7-1 with an RBI single in the sixth, and Oyama singled home Carmine Lane in the seventh for an 8-2 lead.
Fontenot singled to lead off the ninth and eventually scored on an Elliott Good bases-loaded walk, and Wilkinson capped the scoring going home on a wild pitch.
Chatman finished his night with a 1-2-3 seventh. Jestin Jones took over in the eight and walked three but allowed no hits and Chris Sargent caught his second stealing baserunner from behind the plate to keep Idaho Falls from scoring.
Nik Cardinal struck out two and retired the homestanding Chukars in order to end the game.
Ogden outhit Idaho Falls 17-5 and no Chukar had multiple hits. Sargent, Oyama and Connor Bagnieski each joined Fontenot in totaling three hits. Jordan went 2 for 6.
The two teams continue the series at 7:05 p.m. Wednesday.
Elsewhere in the Pioneer League, Grand Junction (9-15) got one over on Rocky Mountain (17-7), so Missoula’s 7-3 win over Billings (11-14) moved the Paddleheads (18-7) into first place for the first time this season.
