Pioneers drop doubleheader to Flyers

Powell team heads to Douglas for wood bat tournament on Friday

Posted 7/11/19

It was a tough Tuesday twin-bill for the Powell Legion A baseball team, as they dropped both ends to the 406 Flyers by 14-9 and 14-1 scores.

The opener could have been worse, as the Flyers held …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

E-mail
Password
Log in

Pioneers drop doubleheader to Flyers

Powell team heads to Douglas for wood bat tournament on Friday

Posted

It was a tough Tuesday twin-bill for the Powell Legion A baseball team, as they dropped both ends to the 406 Flyers by 14-9 and 14-1 scores.

The opener could have been worse, as the Flyers held a 13-3 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth. But the Pioneers plated three runs in the sixth and three in the seventh, avoiding the 10-run rule and coming a timely hit or two away from tying the game.

The second game was all Flyers, as the Billings squad scored seven runs in the fourth and four in the fifth to put the game out of reach.

“Our inability to throw strikes has been killing us,” said Powell manager Joe Cates. “You can’t give up 13 free bases and expect to win a ball game. We did the same thing the second game, we walked a lot of guys. It puts the defense on their heels. We just didn’t play very well both games, and it all comes down to pitching.”

The Pioneers head to Douglas this weekend for the Bolln Memorial Wood Bat Tournament, with games scheduled against Douglas, Wheatland, Torrington and Cheyenne. Cates said the team will work the next few days on getting their pitching dialed in.

“We have to throw strikes. That’s all there is to it,” he said. “Everyone’s going to be pitching in this tournament, and everyone better be throwing strikes. If we can throw strikes, we have a chance to win. When we walk 10 guys, we take ourselves out of it.”

 

406 Flyers 14, Pioneers 9

Cameron Wentz got the start for the Pioneers in the opener of the day/night doubleheader. After getting the first batter to ground out, Wentz gave up a single and walked two to load the bases, but pitched himself out of the jam: He induced the Flyers’ Kayne Johnson to hit into a double play to close out the top of the first.

Things went south for Wentz from there, however, as Billings plated four runs in the top of the second and two in the top of the third. He lasted just two innings, giving up six runs (three earned) on three hits and walking five.

“[Wentz] pitched well in that win against Riverton, and I was hoping he would carry over some of that momentum,” Cates said. “He just didn’t have it this game.”

Powell scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the third to cut the lead to 6-2. After Kobe Ostermiller reached on an error, Colin Queen and Jesse Brown hit back-to-back singles, with Brown scoring Ostermiller and Queen.

The Flyers scored four more runs in the top of the fourth to push the lead to 10-2. Powell plated a run in the bottom of the fifth to make it 10-3, but the Flyers answered with three in the top of the sixth.

In danger of being 10-run-ruled, the Pioneers scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth to guarantee a complete game. With the bases loaded and one out, Noah Blough was hit by a pitch, making the game 13-4. Queen then doubled to score Ashton Brewer and Wentz, cutting the lead to 13-6.

The Flyers scored once more in the top of the seventh, and Powell answered with three more runs in the bottom of the frame. A single by Cameron Schmidt and walks by Garrett Stutzman and Ryley Meyer loaded the bases before Brewer scored Stutzman on a sacrifice fly.

For the second straight inning, Blough was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, bringing in another run. Ostermiller then walked to score Meyer, making the score 14-9. With the bases still loaded and two outs, Queen flied out to left to end the game.

The Pioneers pounded out nine hits in the contest, though Cates was displeased with the number of strikeouts — especially with ducks on the pond. Queen and Brown each had two hits and two RBIs, while Brewer, Meyer and Schmidt had one hit apiece.

“Colin Queen swung the bat well, Ashton Brewer swung the bat well, Kobe Ostermiller was swinging the bat great,” he said. “My 1-2 guys [Ostermiller and Queen] have been my most consistent guys. Jesse Brown swung the bat well. We have guys that can swing it, but we also have guys who aren’t taking the bat off their shoulder. We had nine strikeouts, seven looking, and at least four or five of those were with guys in scoring position.”

Landon Sessions and Noah Blough pitched in relief of Wentz, giving up a combined 14 runs (10 earned) on nine hits. Blough recorded the only strikeout of the game for the Pioneers.

 

406 Flyers 14, Pioneers 1

Powell’s pitching woes continued in the nightcap, with starter Meyer lasting just three innings. The right-hander gave up just three runs on two hits but walked six.

“Ryley [Meyer] didn’t throw well at all,” Cates said. “His pitch count was up to 63 or something like that after three innings. We’re just not throwing strikes.”

Leading 3-0 after three innings, the Flyers exploded for seven runs in the fourth and four in the fifth to put the game out of reach. Powell plated a run in the bottom of the fifth after a double by Schmidt and a single by Stutzman; Schmidt scored when Blough grounded into a double play.

Schmidt was 2-for-2 at the plate, while Queen, Brewer and Stutzman had a hit apiece.

Ostermiller, Brewer and Stutzman all pitched two-thirds of an inning in relief, giving up 11 runs (five earned) on six hits and walking seven.

Powell Pioneers

Comments