Chukars Rally Past Ballers 5-3 in Championship Opener

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho – The Idaho Falls Chukars rallied from an early deficit and leaned on their bullpen to take Game One of the Pioneer Baseball League Championship Series presented by RedPocket, defeating the Oakland Ballers 5-3 on Tuesday night at Melaleuca Field.

Oakland jumped ahead quickly against Chukars starter Nathan Shinn. Oakland's Tremayne Cobb Jr. doubled to open the game and scored on a Cam Bufford sacrifice fly. The Ballers extended their lead in the second inning when Esai Santos lined an RBI single and T.J. McKenzie followed with a run-scoring hit to make it 3-0.

Idaho Falls began to chip away in the fifth. After a leadoff double by Simon Baumgardt, Jacob Jablonski singled him to third, and a wild pitch allowed Baumgardt to score the Chukars' first run. The momentum shifted in the sixth, when Trevor Rogers worked a walk and Johnny Pappas launched a two-run homer to right-center to tie the game. Moments later, Spencer Rich doubled home Rosengard to give Idaho Falls a 4-3 lead.

The Chukars added insurance in the eighth on back-to-back doubles by Rich and Baumgardt, stretching the lead to 5-3

Shinn struck out five over four innings before handing the ball to the bullpen. Julien Hernandez fanned three in a scoreless sixth, Ryan Faulks escaped a jam in the seventh, and Nicolo Pinazzi closed the door with 2.2 dominant innings, striking out five to earn the save.

Oakland managed just one baserunner over the final three innings as the Chukars' pitching staff combined for 15 strikeouts on the night.

With the win, Idaho Falls takes a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five series. Game Two is scheduled for Wednesday night in Idaho Falls, with first pitch at 7:05 p.m. MDT. Watch the Pioneer Baseball League Championship Series presented by RedPocket on FloBaseball.tv.