The Powell Pioneers went 1-3 in four games against a pair of Sheridan opponents over the weekend, falling 8-0 and 11-2 to the Sheridan Troopers on Friday, and on Saturday losing 6-5 via a walkoff to start the conference season 0-1 before a 10-1 win against the Sheridan Jets prevented a weekend sweep.

TROOPERS 8, POWELL 0

Due to weather conditions on Sunday the Pioneers (6-9 overall, 1-1 Senior North) had contests moved up to Friday evening against the Troopers (14-10).

Neither team scored in the first, and the Pioneers appeared to escape in the second with two outs and one runner on through a leadoff error, but hit batters helped the Troopers gain a significant advantage.

One hit batter put runners on the corners, and a single scored the first run.

Another hit batter loaded the bases, and two more hit batters made it a 3-0 contest.

A double scored a pair, and a single scored two more as the Troopers burst to a 7-0 lead after the second.

Sheridan added to its lead with two outs in the third, as a two out walk and a hit batter put two on, and a single scored one run to extend the lead to 8-0 and conclude the scoring.

Powell got two runners on several times through the final four innings, but couldn’t find a way to bring one home.

Sheridan outhit Powell 7-6 as the Pioneers committed the only two errors in the contest.

Dominik Bieber was the lone Pioneer with two hits in the game.

August Teten went the whole contest, striking out three and walking one while only one of the eight runs was earned. 

TROOPERS 11, POWELL 2

In the second contest the Pioneers struck first, as Kolby Gates walked to lead off.

Abel Teten singled, and Dakota Erickson’s bunt turned into a major error for the Troopers as it allowed Gates and Teten to round all the way home and make it 2-0.

That lead held as the Pioneers staved off a bases loaded third and two runners in the fourth, before the Troopers found offensive output in the fifth and sixth innings.

A single and a walk with one out put two runners on, and a wild pitch advanced those runners before a single scored both and tied the game 2-2.

In the fifth, the catcher’s interference call coupled with a sac bunt put the leadoff runner on second, and a walk added another baserunner.

An error led to both runners scoring to make it 4-2, before a single scored another to make it 5-2.

A hit batter and a walk loaded the bases with two outs, and a single scored a pair to make it 7-2.

A hit batter reloaded the bases, before two straight walks and a single added four more and made it 11-2.

Powell got one baserunner in the seventh as the Pioneers fell 11-2.

Sheridan outhit Powell 6-2, while the Pioneers committed more errors 4-2.

Rowan Diaz went 4-1/3 giving up three hits and two earned runs. Gates came in relief for 1-1/3 and gave up one hit and no earned runs.

“I was very happy with our pitching. To throw two guys out there (August and Rowan) that haven’t thrown many innings for us,” manager Jason Borders said. “Those games were closer than they would appear … For a 15-year-old he (Teten) threw pretty well. Rowan threw his guys out for us. We’ve got to hit. We aren’t gonna win those games with 0 or 2 runs. I wasn’t totally upset over those Friday night games.”

JETS 6, POWELL 5

Staying in Sheridan on Saturday the Pioneers took on the Jets (6-9 overall, 1-1 Senior North) in the first conference games of the season.

Both teams had runners in the first two innings, before the Jets struck first in the bottom of the third.

A hit batter started things off, before that runner stole second.

He advanced on a fly out to third after tagging up, and was driven in on a single.

A hit batter put runners on first and second with two outs, followed by a balk to put the runners on second and third.

Both runners scored on a single, making it 3-0 as the batter advanced to second on the throw.

A single put runners on the corners, and a steal of second allowed a runner to steal home, as Sheridan went up 4-0.

“I think we came out a little flat after the night before. I thought we were ready to go, it seemed like they were,” Borders said.

Powell responded in the fourth, as Jordan Loera walked to lead off, and Bieber was hit by a pitch.

Another walk with one out to Caden Diaz loaded the bases, as Loera then scored on a wild pitch and Carter Fauskee was hit by a pitch to reload the bases.

Erickson’s sac fly scored Bieber, before a Ben Ostermiller triple scored a pair and tied the game 4-4.

Sheridan recaptured the lead immediately in the fourth, as a single and a steal of second got a runner in scoring position, and a single advanced him to third.

A sac fly scored him and made it 5-4.

An error and walk loaded the bases with only one out, but Powell escaped any further damage.

Needing a run late the Pioneers found a spark via a Caden leadoff triple in the sixth, followed by Erickson reaching after being hit with one out to get runners on the corners.

Ostermiller singled to score one, but Powell could not find the leading run as the two teams were tied heading into the seventh.

Powell got two runners in the top of the seventh but couldn’t score.

Sheridan started with a walk and a steal of second. An errant pick off attempt allowed the runner to advance to third.

The Pioneers threw home on a fielder’s choice but it wasn’t in time as the Jets walked off to take the game 6-5.

“They played good baseball in that last inning and did it the way they’re supposed to,” Borders said. “It sucks to learn that way but it is what it is. We hopefully learn from it.”

Ostermiller had two of the four hits for the Pioneers and two RBIs, while Erickson drove in one.

POWELL 10, JETS 1

Needing a big second game to salvage a split, the Pioneers struck early in game two, as Talon Nuss walked and Abel singled.

A pickoff attempt at second was accompanied by an error that allowed the runners to advance further, and a Bieber sac fly scored one to make it 1-0.

Abel advanced on a wild pitch before Gates singled to score another and make it 2-0.

“We came out ready to play in the second game,” Borders said. “We were more awake and ready to play.”

Powell added to the lead in the second, as Ostermiller singled before stealing second, and Erickson singled on a bunt to put runners on the corners.

Loera grounded out but scored one as Powell led 3-0 after the second.

It took until the fourth to add more, as Caden singled, Ostermiller walked and Erickson was hit to load the bases with no outs.

Two runners scored on a fielder’s choice and Jets’ error  on their throws brought two home for Powell before a double play ended the inning with Powell leading 5-0.

The game fully broke open in the fifth, as Nuss and Abel walked to lead off, and Bieber was hit to load the bases with no outs.

Gates walked, and Caden singled to score one as Powell led 7-0.

Ostermiller walked to score another and Erickson was hit to make it 9-0.

Loera hit a sac fly, scoring one more as Powell led 10-0.

Sheridan loaded the bases with two walks and a single, scoring one on a walk as the Jets avoided the 10 run rule in the fifth.

Powell allowed just one baserunner in the sixth and seventh innings as the Pioneers ended with the 10-1 win.

Caden led with three hits, as Loera and Gates had two RBIs each to lead the way in that category as seven Pioneers recorded an RBI.

Caden went 5-2/3 on the mound, giving up three hits, six walks and five strikeouts with one earned run.

“Caden threw a great game. He controlled it the whole game,” Borders said.

MORE CONFERENCE GAMES

Powell returns home this weekend for a pair of games on Sunday, as the Pioneers will welcome in the Gillette Rustlers (17-9) at 1 and 3 p.m. to continue early conference action.

“We’ve got to win these games,” Borders said. “I don’t know a lot about them, they’re probably young because their ‘AA’ team is young. We’ve just gotta sweep them.”

The Pioneers continue with a doubleheader at 5 and 7 p.m. on Tuesday against Upper Deck Expos ‘AA’ (3-0) out of Montana before heading to Billings for the Buffalo Wild Wings Tournament June 11-14.