Glasgow Reds 2-2 in Season Opener

The Reds baseball team opened their 2023 season at the Doug Johnsrud Invitational in Watford City, N.D., this past week after canceling their home season-opener against Laurel June 3 due to field conditions.

Glasgow went 2-2 in Watford City with wins over the Williston Oilers and the Froid Bulls while dropping contests to Billings Upper Deck and Watford City. The Reds defeated Williston 8-4 in the opening round of the tournament June 8 before falling 10-2 the next day to Billings. Saturday, Glasgow shut out Froid 3-0. Glasgow closed out the tourney Sunday with a 9-1 loss to the host team.

The Reds took a lead over the Oilers in the first inning when Jack Kolstad scored on a passed ball. Glasgow increased their lead to 3-2 after two innings with scores from Dylan Plummer and JT Sprague. Neither team put up a run in the third inning before Glasgow outscored Williston 2-1 in the fourth and fifth innings. Sprague and Kolstad scored in the fourth while John Engstrom and Sprague crossed the plate in the fifth. Glasgow sealed the win in the seventh when Sprague scored again before the Reds finished the games forcing the Oilers back to the dugout with a three-up, three-down showing.

Beau Malnaa earned the win for Glasgow on the mound after giving up eight hits and four runs while striking out two over four and two-thirds innings. Rance Rhoads, in relief, earned the save with the last seven outs.

Mason Hunter went 3-for-4 at the plate to lead Glasgow who had 11 hits in the game. Kolstad went 3-for-3 at bat while Rance Rhoads connected on 2-of-4 attempts. Rhoads and Hunter both had two RBIs and Sprague sent one runner home. Sprague led in stolen bases with two while Hunter and Kolstad had one each.

Friday Glasgow fell to Billings after scoring only twice while giving up 10 runs to Upper Deck. Upper Deck held a 4-2 lead after five innings but pulled away in the bottom of the sixth with a six-run showing. Hunter scored on a Jordan Plummer line out in the third and Kolstad scored in the top of the fifth. Hunter, Engstrom and D. Plummer each had a hit for the Reds.

J. Plummer took the loss for Glasgow after giving up 10 runs and 11 hits with two strikeouts. D. Plummer gave up one hit in relief.

The Reds hit the diamond Friday against Froid playing much stronger. Rhoads gave up no hits in the 3-0 shut-out. He threw nine strikeouts over seven innings while giving up four hits.

Glasgow scored twice in the sixth and once in the seventh. Hunter scored on a Rhoads single and Rhoads scored on a J. Plummer ground ball in the sixth. Malnaa scored in the top of the seventh.

Sunday Glasgow closed out the tournament with a 9-1 loss against the home team Walleye in five innings. The Reds’ lone run came in the fourth when Hunter scored on a Rhoads’ ground out. Watford City scored once in each of the first and second innings, twice in the third, and sent five runners home in the bottom of the fifth.

Hunter took the loss on the mound, giving up five hits and four runs over four innings while throwing two strikeouts. Johnny Grimes came in as relief, giving up five runs and three hits.

Hunter and J. Plummer each had a hit in the game with Rhoads notching the only RBI. Malnaa stole two bases while Sprague stole one.

Glasgow has their home opener this Thursday, June 15, against the Glendive Blue Devils. The teams face off at 5 and 7 p.m. The Reds will be in Miles City Saturday, June 17, with games at 2 and 4 p.m. against the Mavericks. The two teams will hit the field again Sunday, June 18, in Glasgow for another doubleheader also scheduled for 2 and 4 p.m.