Pioneers on solid 5-3 stretch as season begins winding down

The Powell Pioneers are finally giving head coach Jason Borders what he’s been searching for: consistency.

After a 25-1 meltdown against Cody’s varsity squad on June 23, Powell has responded by winning five of its last eight games, including a a doubleheader sweep of Cody’s B team on Monday at Cody. With District and State around the corner, the Pioneers are starting to find their bats at the plate and their gloves on the mound and in the field, a development Borders had been confident would eventually happen.

“It was good to come out and play the way we did. We played defense, we pitched and we hit the ball. I was extremely happy,” Borders said. “That’s the main thing at this time of the year. You’ve got to get some consistency, and we are I think.”

Powell now sits at 16-23 this season, but has grown as a unit as of late, and its recent run of success could be considered a reflection of that.

Powell 8, Cody B 5

A six-run second inning put the Pioneers ahead 7-0 and the Pioneers held on for a win in the back end of the doubleheader. Ezra Andreasen and Trey Ouellette tallied two hits each, and Grady Sanders (two), Carson Asher and Ty Dearcorn collected RBIs for the visitors.

Tyler Feller picked up the win after pitching four innings of relief after replacing starter Cory Heny. Feller gave up two hits, two earned runs (three total), four walks and struck out three.

Powell 7, Cody B 5

In the first game of their doubleheader with Cody, the Pioneers saw a 4-2 lead turn into a 5-4 deficit in the fourth inning, only to tie it in the fifth before taking the lead for good with two runs in the sixth.

After Andreasen scored on a single by Teagan Cordes, Asher added an insurance run with a single that plated Cordes. Powell finished with 14 hits, led by three each from Sanders and Andreasen.

Andreasen also picked up the win for Powell, going the distance while allowing 11 hits and four earned runs. He struck out three and didn’t issue a walk.

Jackson 14, Powell 7

A banged up Matt Brown was unable to corral Jackson on the mound Sunday at the Cody Wood Bat Tournament, as Powell fell behind 10-4 after 3 1/2 innings and never recovered in Cody.

Brown, who has been dealing with several injuries this season, including a bad back, lasted three innings. He allowed seven runs (two earned) on five hits while walking five and fanning five. Powell committed three errors on defense. 

Bryce Wright and Asher had two hits each for Powell while Feller drove in two runs.

Powell 12, Jackson 2 (5 inn.)

Powell took the first of its two games with Jackson in a blowout in the Cody Wood Bat Tournament on Saturday. Powell smacked 11 hits, and scored four runs in the top of the first frame before adding two in each of the next three.

Asher did his part on the mound, going six innings while allowing two earned runs on six hits with three walks and five strikeouts.

Andreasen paced the Pioneers with three hits, while Heny, Ouellette and Kaden Moore had two hits apiece. Heny and Zavier Wantulok drove in a pair of runs each.

“We’re starting to learn what we’re capable of doing,” Borders said of the strong outing. “If we can get a run an inning, with our pitching staff, we shouldn’t get beat.

“If we play defense like we’re capable, and swing it like we’re capable of, we’re a pretty tough baseball team.”

Grand Junction 2, Powell 1

In one of its more well-played games of the season, Powell took a talented Grand Junction (Colorado) team to the brink before losing in the bottom of the seventh inning Friday in their Cody Wood Bat Tournament opener.

A bases-loaded single from Grand Junction ended the game.

Dearcorn started for Powell and took the loss despite six strong innings in which he allowed two earned runs on five hits with a pair of walks and seven strikeouts. The Pioneers managed just two hits.

Despite the loss, Borders was impressed by the strong outing from Dearcorn, who had returned from a grueling wrestling camp in time to start for the Pioneers.

“Here’s a kid who just came back from wrestling camp stiff and tired, and gets beat 2-1,” Borders said. “For him to go out and throw that game, it was awesome.”

Powell 13, Riverton 1 (5 inn.)

After earning a dramatic walk-off victory over Cody’s varsity team on June 23, the Pioneers maintained that momentum with a blowout win over Riverton.

Powell scored seven runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to take the win by mercy rule.

“We carried on from the night before (against Cody),” Borders said of the big effort. “We came out with a lot of confidence and took it to them early. We played loose and had fun.”

Moore was the star of the game, hitting a two run home run in the fifth inning after pitching five frames of four-hit ball. He allowed one earned run, a walk and struck out four.

“Kaden threw a heck of a game,” Borders said. “Kaden is just going to get better and better, more confident and more confident and it’s going to be fun to watch.”

Heny had two hits, including a triple, and four RBIs. Sanders had two RBIs and Andreasen had two hits.

What’s next ...

The Pioneers will enjoy the Fourth of July weekend with a short break from baseball before returning to the diamond on July 7 for a doubleheader with the Cody varsity squad at Cody.