A long weekend in Billings at the Buffalo Wild Wings Tournament saw the Powell Pioneers finish fourth, as they defeated the Billings Blue Jays 14-2 Thursday, tied Helena 3-3 and defeated the Billings Royals 8-3 on Friday, before losing to the Billings Cardinals 17-14 and Lethbridge 15-0 on Saturday and Sunday.

POWELL 14, BLUE JAYS 2

Kicking off a busy weekend in Billings the Pioneers (9-14-1 overall, 2-2 Senior North) took on one of the hosts in the Blue Jays (3-6).

Powell started quickly, as Talon Nuss singled, Jordan Loera reached on an error and Ben Ostermiller walked to load the bases with no outs.

Dominik Bieber singled, scoring two but Ostermiller was out trying to reach third on the play.

Powell reloaded the bases with one out, but a bunt into a double play ended the Pioneer threat as they led 2-0.

Billings also loaded the bases with no outs in the first, but Powell didn’t allow a run.

Powell added to its lead in the second, as Carter Fauskee hit into an error, Nuss singled and Loera walked to load the bases with one out.

Fauskee scored on a wild pitch, and a fly out allowed Nuss to score after tagging up.

The Blue Jays got one back in the third behind a hit batter, a single and a steal of home to make it 4-1.

Powell responded in the fourth, as Nuss and Loera walked, before Ostermiller tripled to score both and make it 6-1.

Bieber singled, before Kolby Gates flew out and Ostermiller scored after tagging up to make it 7-1.

Powell added more in the fifth, as Nuss and Loera walked, and both advanced further on a passed ball.

Ostermiller singled and scored both to make it 9-1.

In the sixth the Pioneers fully broke away, as Caden Diaz and August Teten singled to put two on.

Abel Teten was hit by a pitch to load the bases with two outs, as Nuss singled to score one.

August scored on a passed ball, and Loera singled to score a pair and make it 13-1.

Ostermiller followed up with another triple to score him and make it 14-1.

Billings got one in the bottom of the sixth before the run rule ended the game 14-2.

Ostermiller went 3-4 at the plate, recording six RBIs, while Nuss added three hits and one RBI, and Bieber added two hits and two RBIs. Loera had two RBIs in a 1-2 day with three walks.

Diaz gave up one earned run, one hit, struck out six and walked two in two innings of work as Bieber went four innings in relief.

Powell outhit Billings 12-6, as the Blue Jays committed more errors 2-1.

POWELL 3, HELENA 3 (F/8)

Heading into Friday the Pioneers took on the Reps (11-9-1) in their first game of the day.

Powell struck first in the top of the second, as Gates singled and Rowan Diaz singled to put two on.

Those two advanced on a passed ball, before a sac bunt by Fauskee scored Gates and made it 1-0.

Helena got a run back in the fourth, as two errors and a single scored the tying run to make it 1-1.

Powell regained the lead in the fifth, as Abel singled, and Nuss walked.

Both advanced on a Loera ground out, before a wild pitch scored Abel to make it 2-1.

The Pioneers added a third in the sixth, as Caden singled, Gates bunted into a fielder’s choice that didn’t result in an out and Rowan singled to load the bases with no outs.

Gates was called out due to offensive interference, and a sac bunt by Fauskee saw Caden find his way home to give Powell a 3-1 lead.

A single, wild pitches and a hit batter helped get a runner in scoring position, and an error allowed a run to score for Helena.

A sac bunt advanced the tying run all the way to third, and a single with two outs tied the game.

One total baserunner found his way onto the base for either team in the seventh and eighth innings combined, as the game reached its time limit and ended in a 3-3 tie.

Ostermiller and Rowan led with two hits each, as Fauskee had the two RBIs for Powell.

Ostermiller went 4-2/3 on the mound, giving up three hits, six strikeouts and only three walks with no earned runs.

Loera gave up one hit and one earned in 1/3 inning of relief, and Nuss went three innings giving up one hit no earned with three strikeouts.

POWELL 8, ROYALS 3

The second game on Friday saw the Pioneers take on the Billings Royals (6-10).

Billings started the scoring, as two hit batters and two singles helped score three and make it a 3-0 game after the top of the first.

Powell got on the board in the second, as Fauskee walked, and advanced around to third on a balk and wild pitch.

Abel joined him on a walk, and advanced to second on a wild pitch.

Nuss singled to score one and make it 3-1.

Nuss stole second, before Loera singled and scored both to make it 3-3, advancing to second on the throw.

Loera stole third, and rounded home on an error by the catcher to score and make it 4-3.

Powell added to the lead in the fourth, as Abel walked and advanced to second on a wild pitch, before Loera singled and scored him to make it 5-3.

In the fifth, Ostermiller walked and advanced on a wild pitch and passed ball before scoring on a Bieber double to make it 6-3.

The final runs came in the sixth, as Fauskee walked and advanced to second on a wild pitch.

Nuss hit a sac bunt and Fauskee scored to make it 7-3.

Loera hit a sac fly, scoring one final run to make it 8-3.

Powell led in hits 7-6 and committed no errors in the contest.

Nuss and Loera had two hits each, Loera led with four RBIs while Nuss added two.

Gates went six innings, giving up six hits, three earned runs, eight strikeouts with no walks.

Loera went the final innings giving up nothing and recording one strikeout.

“We played good baseball other than a few hiccups here and there (on Thursday and Friday),” manager Jason Borders said. “That’s what I’ve expected them to look like when they play a lot of games. I was happy with the way we played.”

CARDINALS 17, POWELL 14

On Saturday the Pioneers took on another Billings team in the Cardinals (5-6).

Billings scored first, as an error, walk, passed ball and an error led to a run and made it 1-0.

Powell responded in the bottom half, as Nuss and Loera singled, but Loera was picked off at first.

Bieber singled and scored Nuss, tying the game 1-1.

Gates singled to move Bieber to third, and Caden singled to score him and make it 2-1.

After a passed ball, Rowan singled to score both and make it a 4-1 contest.

Billings responded quickly, scoring four in the second, three in the third and five in the fourth to build a 13-4 lead.

Powell got three back in the bottom of the fourth, as Loera was hit by a pitch and Ostermiller hit a home run to make it 13-6.

Bieber singled, later advancing to second on an error by the pitcher and reaching third on a Caden single.

Rowan singled to score Bieber and make it 13-7.

Four more runs for Billings extended the lead back to 17-7 in the top of the fifth.

In the bottom half, Abel doubled, and advanced to third on a wild pitch before Nuss walked to put runners on the corners.

Nuss stole second, allowing Abel to steal home, while Nuss advanced further on an error by the third baseman.

Loera grounded out, but Nuss scored to make it 17-9.

Ostermiller walked, Bieber singled, and Gates tripled to score both and make it 17-11.

Caden hit into an error to score him, and advanced on a wild pitch to second.

Rowan drove in his brother, and later stole second before advancing further to third on an error by the catcher.

Fauskee hit a sac fly to score Rowan, but one final out ended the inning 17-14.

Unfortunately due to tournament time rules the game was called following the fifth inning.

Bieber and Rowan led with three hits each, while Loera, Gates and Caden added two each.

Rowan led with four RBIs, and Ostermiller, Gates and Caden chipped in two each.

Caden went two innings, giving up no earned runs and two hits with one walk before Rowan had three innings of relief.

Powell outhit the Cardinals 15-11, but committed more errors 7-4 in the contest.

“When we lose that seems to be our problem. Our pitchers aren’t throwing strikes so our defense isn’t awake and making plays when they need to,” Borders said. “We kept fighting back. They didn’t quit. That’s a big thing for us. They always fight back and they never quit … We hit the ball better in that game than we have all year in terms of approach at the plate. That was good to see.”

LETHBRIDGE 15, POWELL 0

Heading into Saturday, the Pioneers finished as the fourth seed, and took on the Miners (19-3) on Sunday.

After a scoreless first inning, the Miners put up nine in the second, as they settled into cruise control and added five in the third and one in the fourth to finish with a 15-0 win and record a no-hitter against the Pioneers.

That win placed the Miners third in the tournament.

“It had been a long weekend. We knew we had conference games coming up on Tuesday and I’m not going to throw all my guys out there,” Borders said. “You’ve gotta find positives in these tournaments.”

LOVELL TONIGHT

The Pioneers again don’t get much time to rest, as they welcome in Lovell (4-12 overall, 0-0 Senior North) at 5 and 7 p.m.

“They’re well-coached. They play good defense,” Borders said. “The goal is to beat them twice. It’s alright to split on the road but you’ve gotta win both conference games at home. All our pitching staff will be back. Hopefully we’re gonna have better pitching than they do.”