The Powell Pioneers split against the Cubs during a quick pit stop in Cody on Tuesday night, securing a 6-4 win followed by a 5-3 loss.

POWELL 6, CODY 4

Heading on the road to their rivals, the Pioneers (23-27 overall, 5-3 ‘A’ West) were looking for their first win of the season against the Cubs (30-18 overall, 5-3 ‘A’ West).

Cody struck first, when a double got a baserunner in scoring position in the bottom of the first.

Two batters later, a passed ball allowed that runner to advance to third and round home on the same play to score and make it 1-0.

It took until the top of the third for the Pioneers to answer, as Jordan Loera was hit by a pitch to lead off.

Caden Diaz followed with a double, and both runners advanced on a passed ball during Cole Fauskee’s at bat to score Loera and tie the game.

Fauskee walked and stole second during Ben Ostermiller’s at bat.

In an attempt to throw out Fauskee, Diaz scored on an error by Cody’s catcher and Powell took a 2-1 lead.

Fauskee then stole third, before Ostermiller hit a sac fly to score him and make it 3-1 Powell.

Both teams loaded the bases in the bottom of the third and the top of the fourth, but neither team found another run until the Pioneers added another to their lead in the top of the fifth.

Dominik Bieber started with a two out single, before Ryan Barrus walked and Talon Nuss was hit by a pitch to load the bases.

Abel Teten was also hit by a pitch and the Pioneers added one more to make it 4-1.

In the bottom of the fifth, Cody got one back, as an error and a walk got baserunners on with one out.

A Pioneer catcher error advanced the lead runner to third before a single scored the run and made
it 4-2.

Powell got the final two outs, and held off the Cubs again in the sixth before adding some insurance in the seventh.

Nuss and Teten singled before Loera walked to load the bases with one out.

A wild pitch allowed all baserunners to advance, scoring Nuss and making it 5-2.

Diaz walked to reload the bases, and Teten scored the final Pioneer run  on another wild pitch to make it 6-2.

Two errors and a single gave the Cubs a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh, but the Pioneers held on for the 6-4 win.

Powell outhit Cody 7-6 but committed more errors 4-3.

Teten was the only Pioneer to record multiple hits with two.

Kolby Gates went five innings, giving up five hits, no earned runs, along with six strikeouts and three walks.

Loera finished the final two innings in relief, giving up two hits, no earned runs with two strikeouts.

“I felt like we pitched the ball and played defense fairly well in the first one,” manager Jason Borders said. 

CODY 5, POWELL 3

After the game one win the Pioneers were looking for a fast start in game two, and got it in the first.

Loera hit a one out triple, and scored on a Diaz single to make it 1-0.

Unfortunately for the Pioneers, Cody had an early answer.

An error and a walk put two runners on, and a wild pitch advanced those runners further.

A single scored two runs, and the throw allowed the runner to advance all the way to third and get in scoring position.

A walk put runners on the corners, before an error scored a third run and Cody led 3-1 after the first.

In the bottom of the second Cody added another run, starting with a one out double.

A wild pitch advanced that runner further before a single scored him and made it 4-1.

In the bottom of the third the Cubs added one more run, as a single and a walk followed by an error allowed a run to score and make it 5-1 Cody.

Powell got its runs in the top of the fourth, when Nuss and Teten each hit a two out single, before Loera scored both on a triple to make it a 5-3 game and give Powell life.

Unfortunately for Powell, the Pioneers only mustered one baserunner over the final three innings and were unable to find more offense as they fell 5-3.

“It was weird,” Borders said. “It didn’t have the same Powell-Cody feeling that it has in the past. They were not conference games … It was just kind of dull … It was just kind of two teams going through the motions. It felt like we’re both focusing on Evanston, kind of with the same attitude that these games don’t really mean anything. We want to win them of course, but I think everybody is looking forward to Thursday and Friday.”

Powell outhit Cody 7-5 but committed the only errors in the game with four.

Loera led the Pioneers at the plate going 2-3 with two RBIs.

Booka Fazen went 2-2/3 innings giving up four hits, two earned runs, along with six walks and two strikeouts.

Decker Engesser went 3-1/3 innings giving up one hit along with three walks and seven strikeouts.

FINAL GAMES

Following the games against Cody on Tuesday night, the Pioneers took on Douglas (14-30 overall, 5-9 ‘A’ East) in a nine inning game at home on Wednesday afternoon.

That game was determined after the press deadline.

Powell continues its busy week with its most important games today (Thursday) against Evanston (22-19-2 overall, 5-1 ‘A’ West). Those home games are scheduled for 5 and 7 p.m. 

“I watched them play this (past) weekend. They’re definitely one of the better teams I’ve seen,” Borders said. “I think they’re very beatable … I think people looked at us and Cody last year, we were just so much further (along) and better than everybody else. I don’t honestly think there’s any teams right now that are better than anybody. Anybody can get beat on any given day.”

In a cluttered ‘A’ West, if the Pioneers win both games they will lock up a top two seed and receive a bye automatically sending them to the state tournament, while a split will likely mean tiebreakers will be required to seed the Pioneers.

Out of the six teams in the west as of Wednesday, there are four teams with five wins and one team with four, as Green River is the only team locked into its spot at the No. 6 seed.

Powell then has another pair of games on Saturday, taking on the Billings Blue Jays (8-23) in the final games of the regular season at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. for senior day.

The postseason for the Pioneers will either kick off next Thursday, July 17, or at the state tournament in Sheridan on July 24.

‘A’ WEST STANDINGS

Overall record then conference record

1. Evanston 22-19-2, 5-1

2. Cody 30-18, 5-3

3. Powell 23-27, 5-3

4. Riverton 16-23, 5-5

5. Lovell 24-23, 4-4

6. Green River 8-30-1, 0-8