Scoring 20 runs was not enough for the Powell Pioneers to earn a win on Tuesday night, as the Upper Deck Expos out of Billings defeated the hosts 15-11 in eight innings and 13-9.

UPPER DECK EXPOS 15, POWELL 11 (F/8)

Hosting another quick set of games Tuesday night the Pioneers (7-12) welcomed in the Expos (6-3).

After a scoreless first the visitors struck first, as two singles followed by a sac bunt advanced runners to second and third.

A passed ball scored the first run, and an error allowed the second to cross and make it 2-0.

A ground out advanced that runner, before a double scored him and made it 3-0 after the second.

The Expos added to their lead in the third, as two walks and a single loaded the bases with two outs.

A wild pitch led into a secondary error, allowing two runs to score and make it a 5-0 game.

Two more came in the fourth, as an error and walk put two on, and an error on a pickoff attempt at second allowed the runners to advance.

A single scored both runs and made it 7-0.

Powell finally got on the board in the fourth, as Dominik Bieber led off with a single, and advanced to second on a passed ball. 

Bieber scored on a single by Kolby Gates, who rounded to second on the throw.

A dropped third strike allowed Rowan Diaz to reach, and Carter Fauskee was hit by a pitch to load the bases with no outs.

Talon Nuss walked to score one, as Powell cut the lead to 7-2.

The rally continued in the fifth, as Ben Ostermiller, Bieber and Gates all singled to load the bases with no outs.

Diaz walked to score one, and a suicide squeeze bunt by Fauskee scored one more to make it 7-4.

Abel Teten singled and scored a pair, while Nuss capped the rally with an RBI single to tie the game 7-7.

Runs continued to pour in in the sixth and the visitors recaptured the lead, as a walk got a runner on, but a pick off turned run down got him out.

An error on contact replaced that runner, and a walk put a second runner on.

A wild pitch advanced those runners into scoring position before a single scored both and made it 9-7.

Two more errors followed for the Pioneers, putting two runs on the board to make it 10-7.

A double added one more run as the visitors led 11-7.

Powell had one more opportunity to rally in the seventh, as Dakota Erickson reached on an error, and reached second on that same error.

Nuss walked with two outs, and Erickson eventually scored all the way from second on a wild pitch.

Jordan Loera walked, before Ostermiller hit a 3-run home run over the left field wall to tie the game at 11 and send it to extra innings.

“They have a lot of fight in them. They don’t quit,” manager Jason Borders said. “A lot of teams when they get behind they can’t dig out of it.”

A single, walk and error allowed the Expos to score a run, and the Pioneers saved a run catching a runner stealing home but two walks in a row loaded the bases.

A wild pitch scored a run before a walk reloaded the bases.

Another wild pitch and a steal of home added two more and the visitors led 15-11.

Powell got two runners on via walks in the bottom half of the inning with two outs, but couldn’t find an answer in the 15-11 loss.

The Pioneers outhit the Expos 11-10, but committed significantly more errors 10-2.

Ostermiller and Gates led with three hits each, as Ostermiller added three RBIs. Bieber also had multiple hits, while Nuss and Teten added two RBIs each.

Five pitchers combined for the Pioneers, as only one earned run was charged in the contest.

“I thought for the most part, even though it doesn’t look like it with the 10 errors, we played well. We didn’t give up, we fought back,” Borders said.

UPPER DECK EXPOS 13, POWELL 9

Scoring was slower early in the second game, but the visitors again struck first.

A single along with a steal put a runner on second, and a single brought him home to make it 1-0.

Powell escaped a bases loaded jam in the top of the third, before taking the lead in the bottom of the third.

Nuss singled to lead off and Ostermiller singled with one out.

A fly out allowed both runners to advance after tagging, and a single by Gates brought both in to make it 2-1.

Gates stole second and advanced to third on an error before August Teten singled to score him and make it 3-1.

A hit batter and two walks loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the fourth for the visitors, and a single scored a pair to make it 3-3.

Two more singles scored one each, and a hit batter kept the pressure on, and one more walk scored another as a five-run inning made it 6-3 Expos.

Powell got one back in the bottom half, as Fauskee walked and Diaz reached on a bunt to put two on and advance Fauskee to third.

Fauskee got picked off at third, but Diaz stole second before Nuss reached on a dropped third strike.

Diaz stole home, as Powell trailed 6-4.

Two walks put runners on in the fifth for the visitors, and a wild pitch advanced them, before a separate wild pitch scored one and put a runner on third.

A single scored the second run to make it 8-4.

That runner stole second and eventually third, before an error brought him home and made it 9-4.

Powell found offense in the bottom of the fifth, as Loera singled, before stealing second and advancing to third on a wild pitch.

Ostermiller walked, and then stole second to allow Loera to steal home.

Gates walked, and Ostermiller advanced on a pitching error to put runners on the corners.

Gates stole second and allowed Ostermiller to score on an error, as Gates rounded to third on the same error.

Fauskee walked, before a passed ball scored Gates and trimmed the lead to 9-7.

Three straight singles by Nuss, Loera and Ostermiller loaded the bases with one out, and Bieber was hit by a pitch to score one and make it 9-8.

Powell could not do more damage, before the Expos added runs through walks, a hit batter, and errors to extend the lead to 13-8.

The Pioneers got one back in the bottom of the seventh, as Fauskee walked and advanced on a ground out, and eventually scored on a separate ground out to make the final score 13-9.

Powell again outhit the visitors 9-8, and committed fewer errors 5-3.

“I think if we can clean that up [errors] we can be pretty good,” Borders said. “We’ve gotta clean up our pitching. I mean just throwing strikes, we can’t walk people. We can’t let them have free passes, it bites us in the end every time.”

Nuss, Loera and Ostermiller each recorded two hits, as Gates led with two RBIs.

Three pitchers combined for the game, walking 11 and striking out only three.

BUFFALO WILD WINGS TOURNEY

Powell now heads north into Montana this weekend, taking part in the Buffalo Wild Wings Tournament starting today (Thursday).

The Pioneers begin with the Billings Blue Jays (1-4) at 3 p.m. in the only contest they have that day. Powell then takes on Helena at 12:30 p.m. and Ft. Macleod (5-6) out of Canada at 5 p.m. on Friday.

The final pool play game will be at 3 p.m. on Saturday against the Billings Cardinals (3-4).

Games on Sunday will be dependent on results from the first three days.

“I think when we start playing these tournaments every weekend and conference in the middle you’ll see a different baseball team,” Borders said.