A near comeback and championship aspirations came up just short for the Powell Pioneers,  who lost the A West District Championship game to the Cody Cubs 7-5 on Wednesday afternoon.

The game started out tight, when both Powell (32-20-1 overall) and Cody (30-19-1 overall) were unable to find a run in the first inning.

After Powell continued the scoreless trend in the top half of the second inning, the Cubs broke open the game in the bottom half of the second.

Two walks and a single loaded the bases for Cody with one out to help set up a string of runs.

The Cubs drove in five runs in total in the inning, putting Powell in an early 5-0 deficit.

“Cody always has that one inning,” Pioneers Manager Jason Borders said. “I should have pulled Trey Stenerson a little sooner than I did.”

Ethan Welch got in scoring position for Powell in the third, after hitting a one out double to reach second base.

Welch stole third during Brock Johnson’s at bat on a wild pitch, and he was brought in on an error during Jhett Schwahn’s at bat — cutting the deficit to 5-1.

Cade Queen came in on the mound for the Pioneers, settling things down and retiring three of four batters.

Dalton Worstell reached first base with two outs in the top of the fourth inning on an error, and advanced after a Jacob Gibson single.

Worstell scored on an error by the right fielder, helping Powell continue to chip away at the deficit 5-2.

Unfortunately for the Pioneers, the Cubs extended their lead back out in the bottom half of the inning after two hit batters were driven in to make the lead back to 7-2.

Again the Pioneers did not quit, when singles by Welch and Johnson put two runners on with no outs in the top of the fifth inning.

Schwahn stepped up to the plate and hit a deep fly ball to left field — clearing the fence – for his first home run of the season to make the score 7-5.

“This team is scrappy. They’re fighters,” Borders said. “They just do not give up.  They never give up on themselves, and they do not panic.”

Neither team scored in the sixth inning, setting up a key top of the seventh inning for the Pioneers.

Johnson hit a single and Schwahn walked, bringing the leading run to the plate.

Queen laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners to second and third, but Stenerson struck out and Aidan Wantulok lined out to end the game 7-5.

The Pioneers postseason run will continue starting on Monday, as Powell is set to take on the east No. 3 seeded Cheyenne Hawks (30-16 overall).

After the championship game, the Pioneers have been placed onto the more difficult half of the bracket, as they are on the same side as the Hawks, who were regular season champions in the southeast and the east district tournament champions Casper (34-13-1 overall).

“I will put these guys up against anybody,” Borders said. “I know it’s cliche, but you gotta beat the best to be the best.”

The Pioneers will play at 10 a.m. on Monday in Cody.