2022 Idaho Falls Chukars Season Summary
September 13, 2022 – Pioneer League (PL) – Idaho Falls Chukars News Release
IDAHO FALLS, ID – Another season of Idaho Falls Chukars baseball is in the books, after the Chukars took the final game of the regular season 8-4 over the playoff bound Billings Mustangs on Saturday afternoon. Logan Bender, Keagan McGinnis, and Jonathan Nunnally Jr twirled six hitless innings out of the bullpen to give the Chukars offense an opportunity to finish the year on a high note. An RBI double from Hunter Hudson and a two-run triple from Steve Barmakian plated three runs in the top of the ninth, providing the insurance needed to secure the win.
First Half
Idaho Falls got off to a good start in the first half of the season, going 5-1 against the Grand Junction Rockies and the Rocky Mountain Vibes. History was made against the Vibes on June 12, when Dusty Stroup and Hunter Hisky hit for the cycle in the Chukars’ 25-17 win. Stroup’s cycle included an inside-the-park home run, the first cycle of that variety in professional baseball since Leon Culberson of the Boston Red Sox completed the feat on July 3, 1943. The offense was hot during the Vibes series, outscoring Rocky Mountain 112-52 in the six game series.
However, Idaho Falls struggled against the defending Pioneer League champion Missoula Paddleheads, getting swept at home in three games after splitting a six-game set with the Ogden Raptors. Idaho Falls would also struggle at home against the Great Falls Voyagers, going 2-4. They would end in the first half on a positive note against the Boise Hawks, taking the seven game series 5-2. The series included the longest Chukars game played this season, a five hour and four minute affair in which the Chukars won 17-15. Overall the Chukars went 27-21 in the first half, leading the league in offense. The bullpen was solid, but the fielding was a concern for the Chukars as they led the league in errors.
Second Half
With a chance to make the playoffs, the Chukars got off to a good start in the second half, taking the season series against the Glacier Range Riders and opening the second half with a 5-1 record. This would be the only season series the Chukars would win against a Northern Division opponent. The rest of the second half was rough for the Chukars, as losses to Great Falls and the Billings Mustangs began to put their chances of making the postseason in question. Another rough series in Missoula against the Paddleheads, where the Chukars could only muster one win against the defending champions. Their playoff hopes came down to the final series in Billings, where the Chukars would have to go 5-1 against the Mustangs as Billings held the tiebreaker in divisional record.
Two losses to open the series ended the Chukars postseason aspirations. Idaho Falls would finish the second half with an opposite record of 21-27, fourth in the North Division overall.
There were records broken in this season. Stroup surpassed last year’s MVP Matt Feinstein and hit 24 homers this season to become the new all-time single season HR record holder. The Lee’s Summitt, MO product also holds Chukars records for most hits (145), and holds the record for most games played, alongside Hisky (94). Hisky also holds the record for most at-bats in a single season (394). On the pitching side, Jack Dicenso set the record for most starts (18) breaking the start mark set by 2008 Chukar Bryan Casey and Jake Binder. Dicenso also worked the most innings of any Chukar in history (88.0 IP). McGinnis also made history by making the most appaearances of any Chukar reliever, emerging from the pen 44 times this season.
Stay tuned to the Chukars social media for the 2023 Schedule. To renew your season tickets, please call the Chukars office at (208) 522-8363 for more details.
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