Idaho Falls Chukars beat Hawks 27-8 to climb standings

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – The Idaho Falls Chukars defeated the Hawks Friday night 27 to 8 behind a seven-run first inning. The win moved the Chukars ahead of the Hawks in the second-half standings. Idaho Falls is currently chasing Missoula for the final playoff spot in the league.

Sam Canton initiated the first-inning rally with a 3-run home run off of Boise pitcher John Cone. Parker Lester kept things rolling by hitting a ball through the gap for a base hit driving in Tyler Wyatt, bringing the score to 4-1 in favor of the Chukars. Ty Dooley followed with a hit into shallow center field that allowed both Lester and Justin Trimble to score, increasing the lead to 6-1.

Emilio Barrera continued the scoring in the opening frame with a base hit to center field. That play capped a seven-run first inning for Idaho Falls and brought the score to 7-1.

Wyatt, who entered the game with a 26-game hitting streak, extended his run to 27 straight games with a base hit in the first inning. In the second inning, he hit an opposite-field solo shot to increase the lead to 8-1. The solo homer was his 17th long ball of the season. He went 4-for-6 with 2 RBI in the win.

The Hawks' offense became more active later in the game, but the team could not match the scoring pace set by Idaho Falls. The victory allowed the Chukars to move ahead of the Hawks in the standings during the second half of the season.

The Chukars remain in contention for the postseason as they trail Missoula by 3 games for the final playoff spot with 26 games remaining on the schedule. Boise now sits a half game behind of Idaho Falls.