- Source: Glacier Range Riders
The Glacier Range Riders are an independent baseball team of the Pioneer League, an MLB Partner League, who began play in 2022. They are located in Kalispell, Montana, and play their home games at Glacier Bank Park.
The Range Riders are named for nearby Glacier National Park, established in 1910. The team chose to reveal their name on January 19 at 10:00 am to commemorate its founding.
History
With the contraction of Minor League Baseball in 2021, the Pioneer League was converted from an MLB-affiliated Rookie Advanced league to an independent baseball league and granted status as an MLB Partner League.
With the transition, the Pioneer League added the Boise Hawks, a former member of the Northwest League, for the 2021 season. To keep the league at eight teams, the Northern Colorado Owlz (formerly the Orem Owlz) sat out 2021. With the return of the Owlz for 2022, a tenth team was needed to balance the schedule, and on August 16, 2021, Ridge Run Baseball LLC was awarded an expansion team to begin play in 2022.
The announcement also revealed that a new ballpark would be constructed alongside U.S. Route 93 north of Kalispell. Glacier Bank Park, originally known as Flathead Field, seats 2,500 and features artificial turf.
The franchise debuted on May 23, 2022, against the Rocky Mountain Vibes, and they hosted their first home game on June 14 against the Billings Mustangs.
Roster
References
External links
Official website