The Powell Pioneers opened their home campaign Saturday, as they were swept by visiting Gallatin Valley 3-1 and 8-4, before holding off a late charge by the Sheridan Jets in a 12-11 win on a snowy, frigid Sunday before the second contest was canceled.

GALLATIN VALLEY 3, POWELL 1

Opening their home campaign the Pioneers (1-4) welcomed in the Outlaws (2-2) on Saturday after an early season scheduling change.

The visitors struck first, as a walk and a sac bunt advanced the lead runner to second base.

A single drove him in, and a walk added a second baserunner.

Another walk loaded the bases, before a wild pitch scored a second run and made it 2-0.

Neither team found more offense until the Pioneers got on the board in the bottom of the fourth, as Talon Nuss reached on an error and Ben Ostermiller sacrificed but reached on an error to put two on with Nuss reaching third on a defensive indifference on the same play.

A Domink Bieber ground out scored Nuss and got the Pioneers on the board trailing 2-1.

An error, walk and sac bunt got runners in scoring position for the visitors in the top of the fifth, before a sac fly scored a run to make it 3-1.

The Pioneers managed one baserunner in the fifth and sixth innings, before having a chance in the bottom of the seventh.

Caden Diaz walked, Kolby Gates singled, and August Teten walked, but it was not enough for Powell as they were unable to find any runs in the 3-1 loss.

Gates and Teten had the only two hits for the Pioneers compared to five for the visitors.

“We didn’t swing it as well. I expected us to hit a little better than we did … We put balls in play, I thought it was an improvement from the week before,” manager Jason Borders said.

Ostermiller went three innings, striking out five and giving up two earned runs, Nuss went 3-2/3 giving up two hits, four walks and three strikeouts with no earned while Gates got the final out.

GALLATIN VALLEY 8, POWELL 4

Offense came a bit slower in the second contest, as it took until the third inning for a team to get on the board.

Once again it was the visitors striking first, as two singles and a walk loaded the bases with no outs.

A one out single scored two runs and gave Gallatin Valley a 2-0 lead.

Powell got on the board in the bottom of the fourth, as Diaz hit a one out single and Ostermiller hit a two out triple to score him and make it a 2-1 contest.

The Pioneers added more in the bottom of the fifth, as Christian Love led off with a single.

After a strikeout, Nuss was hit by a pitch and Bieber walked to load the bases.

Diaz walked and scored one, and Teten hit a suicide squeeze to score another and give Powell a 3-2 lead.

Ostermiller flew out and scored another, as Powell led 4-2 after the fifth.

Gallatin Valley got one back after loading the bases with one out and lining out to score one run, as Powell held a 4-3 lead after the sixth.

The Outlaws reclaimed the lead in the top of the seventh, as a hit batter and single put two on.

A fielder’s choice saw a runner out at home, before a single loaded the bases.

Another fielder’s choice without an out scored another to tie the game, and a single gave the Outlaws the lead again 5-4.

A double cleared the bases to make it 8-4, and Powell only managed one baserunner in the bottom of the seventh.

“I thought we played better than we did against Casper by far,” Borders said.

Diaz led with two hits while Ostermiller had two RBIs and Diaz and Teten recorded one each.

Diaz went four innings, striking out nine and giving up two earned in the start.

POWELL 12, SHERIDAN JETS 11

Heading into Sunday more frigid temperatures settled in as the Pioneers welcomed in the Jets (0-5).

Powell started strong, as Abel Teten walked and Nuss singled to get two runners on.

After two infield flies, Gates doubled and scored one, and Ostermiller singled to bring in a pair and make it 3-0 after the first.

The Pioneers added to their lead in the second, as Abel hit a one out single, and Nuss singled to put two on.

Bieber singled and scored one, followed by a Diaz single to load the bases with one out.

Gates singled and scored one, but the Pioneers could not add any more as they led 5-0 after the second.

The Pioneers added three more in the third, as Carter Fauskee walked and Abel walked before Bieber hit a deep fly ball to left field for the first home run of the season to extend the lead to 8-0 after three.

In the fourth, Gates and Ostermiller singled before August walked to load the bases with no outs. 

Rowan Diaz hit a suicide squeeze to score one, before Fauskee did something similar and reaching on an error to make it 10-0.

August scored on a steal of home and made it 11-0, before Nuss walked to load the bases with one out.

An infield fly was followed by another walk and Powell led 12-0 after the fourth inning.

Sheridan got on the board through an error, two walks, two singles and a wild pitch, trimming the lead down to 12-4.

The Jets cut it down further in the sixth, loading the bases with three walks to lead off.

An error, hit batter and a fielder’s choice scored four more runs and made it 12-8.

Another walk put runners on the corners, and a wild pitch added one more to make it 12-9.

A walk put runners on the corners again, before a wild pitch scored another and made it 12-10.

Stealing second allowed a runner to steal home, and the Jets had the lead down to 12-11 after the sixth.

Powell allowed two runners on in the top of the seventh, but held off the comeback attempt to earn the win 12-11.

“Sunday was a tale of two different games. I thought we played great up until the fifth inning,” Borders said. “It was miserable. It felt like we won but we lost for the fact we gave up so many runs in those last innings … We’ve got to get better in our bullpen. We’re got some work to do with our pitching which I thought would be our strength.”

The Pioneers outhit Sheridan 13-4, as Gates recorded three, Nuss, Bieber, Ostermiller and Rowan Diaz had two each.

Bieber led with four RBIs, while Gates and Ostermiller had two each, and the Diaz brothers had one each.

Gates went five innings, striking out seven, giving up only three hits and two earned runs.

The second contest against the Jets was canceled due to weather.

TWO WEEKS OFF

The Pioneers now head into a short break early in the season, as they will not take the field again until another home game on May 10.

Powell will welcome in Gallatin Valley once again for a double header at home, before heading on the road for the rest of May.

“We’re going to go back, repeat and go over our defenses and offenses. Just try to improve every night at practice,” Borders said.