Consistency continues to evade the Powell Pioneers late in the season, as they split a pair of weekend doubleheaders. The Pioneers dominated 5-0 in the first conference game at Cody before losing 15-11 in the second Friday. Powell then split two home games on Saturday in a 10-5 loss and an 11-10 win over Arapahoe High School of Denver.

POWELL 5, CODY 0

Taking the short trip to Cody the Pioneers (22-24-1 overall, 7-5 Senior North) took on the Cubs (29-21 overall, 6-4 Senior North) in a pair of important conference games.

Powell claimed the lead right away, as Jordan Loera walked before Ben Ostermiller and Dominik Bieber each singled to load the bases with one out.

Caden Diaz walked and scored Loera, before a double play ended the inning and Powell led 1-0.

The Pioneers added to the lead in the third, as Loera led off with a single, but was picked off on the basepaths.

Ostermiller followed with a triple, and scored on a Bieber sac fly to make it 2-0.

Another run came in the top of the fifth, as Ostermiller doubled with one out and Bieber followed with another double to make it 3-0.

The final insurance runs came in the seventh, as Ostermiller led off with a single and stole second.

Diaz doubled to score Ostermiller and make it 4-0.

Kolby Gates hit into an error, before August Teten hit a sac fly to score Diaz and make it 5-0.

One baserunner reached for Cody in the bottom half as it finished 5-0.

Powell outhit Cody 13-4, as each team committed an error.

Ostermiller led both at the plate and on the mound, as he went 4-4 at the plate and scored three times, and pitched the complete game giving up only four hits, two walks and eight strikeouts.

“A great game when we needed it from him. He stepped up and got the job done in a game we needed,” manager Jason Borders said.

Teten went 3-3 as Bieber also went 2-3. Bieber and Diaz led with two RBIs each.

CODY 15, POWELL 11

What went right in the first game, did not happen early in the second game for the Pioneers.

Powell did strike first, as Loera walked before Ostermiller tripled to score him and make it 1-0.

An error, three hits, wild pitches and a hit batter gave Cody five in the bottom of the first to make it 5-1.

Two singles, two walks and a grand slam gave the Cubs another five in the second as Powell trailed 10-1.

Three hit batters, two walks, a single and a ground out scored five more in the third as the Pioneers fell behind 15-1.

“We let it get away from us early and we didn’t get back into it,” Borders said. “I was disappointed how we came out in the second one. We weren’t focused.”

Needing runs in the fourth to avoid a run rule, Bieber hit into an error and Gates walked to put two on.

Teten doubled and scored one, before Gates scored on a wild pitch to make it 15-3.

Abel Teten reached on a dropped third strike that also scored his brother August, and Nuss and Loera followed with walks to load the bases.

A wild pitch scored Abel and advanced the other runners, before Ostermiller singled to score two and make it 15-7.

Ostermiller stole second and made it to third on an error on the catcher trying to catch him stealing, before a Bieber double scored him and made it 15-8 after the fourth.

It took until the sixth for the Pioneers to add more, as Nuss and Loera singled.

A fielder’s choice saw Loera out advancing to second, before a Bieber triple scored both and made it 15-10.

Gates grounded out to score Bieber and make it 15-11.

Powell got two on in the seventh via walks, but could not find additional runs in the 15-11 loss.

“I was proud of the guys for fighting back … The first win was great but without getting that second one we didn’t accomplish what we wanted to. We wanted to control our destiny this week,” Borders said.

Each team had eight hits and two errors.

Ostermiller and Bieber led with two hits and three RBIs each.

Five Pioneer pitchers combined in the effort.

ARAPAHOE 10, POWELL 5

Returning home in the heat on Saturday the Pioneers welcomed in a high school team out of Colorado.

Powell got on the board first, as Nuss singled, but was out advancing home on a Loera triple.

Bieber drove in Loera on a double to make it 1-0.

Arapahoe got on the board in the fourth, as a solo home run tied it 1-1.

In the bottom of the fourth, Ostermiller reached on a dropped third strike, before stealing second and third on separate pitches.

Diaz was hit by a pitch, and a balk advanced both runners and made it 2-1.

Rowan Diaz’s double scored his brother and gave Powell a 3-1 lead.

Two errors and five hits including a double helped Arapahoe claim the lead in the fifth, up 6-3.

The Pioneers got one back in the bottom half, as Nuss and Loera singled, and Loera’s steal of second allowed Nuss to steal home and make it 6-4.

Arapahoe added to its advantage in the sixth, as three hits and two errors extended the lead to 10-4.

Powell got one more in the bottom of the seventh as Loera tripled and Ryder Stewart singled to make it a 10-5 final scoreline.

Loera led with three hits and Nuss added two. Powell was outhit 11-8 and committed more errors 5-2.

August went six innings, recording two walks and strikeouts and only giving up one earned run as Carter Fauskee went one in relief giving up one hit.

POWELL 11, ARAPAHOE 10

Runs came early and often in the second came, as three walks, a double and an error led Arapahoe to score three runs and lead 3-0.

Powell answered in the bottom of the first, as Nuss singled, and stole second before advancing on an error on Caden’s contact.

Bieber tripled to score both, before a sac fly by Stewart scored him to make it 3-3.

Two singles and three walks allowed two more to score for Arapahoe in the top of the second and make it 5-3.

A single, wild pitch and an error scored another in the third for Arapahoe as Powell trailed 6-3.

The Pioneers got runs in the third, as Nuss walked, Abel doubled and Caden singled to load the bases with no outs.

A fielder’s choice scored one, and a ground out scored another to make it 6-5.

An error on August’s contact scored another and tied it 6-6.

Rowan followed with a walk, and Fauskee hit into an error to score one and make it 7-6.

Cael Kysar was hit by a pitch to load the bases, before Talon walked to score one and make it 8-6.

In the fourth, Caden walked, and Bieber was hit by a pitch.

Stewart grounded into a fielder's choice at second, but also led to an error by the second baseman to score Caden and make it 9-6.

August singled and Rowan singled to score another to make it 10-6.

In the fifth, Nuss singled, then stole second before advancing to third on a ground out.

Bieber singled to score him and make it 11-6.

Arapahoe got two in the sixth and seventh, but fell 11-10 as the Pioneers held on.

“They’re a good team. I’ll take that any day this time of year,” Borders said. “I’d rather see people’s best … I thought we came out flat in the first one. Thought we played alright in the second one.”

The Pioneers finished with more hits 9-8 as Arapahoe had more errors 4-3.

Nuss and Bieber led with two hits each, as Bieber drove in four RBIs and Stewart added two.

FINAL GAMES

The Pioneers had two games today (Tuesday) cancelled against the Upper Deck Expos, leaving only two games remaining on the schedule in the regular season.

“We’re just tired. Our arms are tired,” Borders said.

Those contests are important for the postseason of the Pioneers, as they host Riverton (21-18 overall, 5-7 Senior North) at 5 and 7 p.m. on Thursday.

“They’ll be rested and ready to go Thursday. We need to put two games together,” Borders said. “That’s all we have to do. I feel like we’re a good enough baseball team to win two games against Riverton, now we have to go do it.”

The Pioneers must win those games to be in the mix for one of the final spots at the Division I Tournament in Gillette next week, as there are five teams vying for the final two spots.

SENIOR LEGION NORTH STANDINGS

(Overall record followed by conference record, all teams play 14 conference games. Top four go to Division I Tournament in Gillette, next four go to Division II Tournament in Green River. Standings as of Tuesday, July 8)

1. Sheridan Troopers 44-13, 12-0

2. Gillette Roughriders 37-29, 9-1

3. Sheridan Jets 29-15-1, 9-5

4. Jackson Giants 23-11, 8-6

5. Powell Pioneers 22-24-1, 7-5

6. Cody Cubs 29-21, 6-4

7. Lovell Mustangs 12-20, 6-6

8. Riverton Raiders 21-18, 5-7

9. Casper Wildcatters 19-18-1, 5-9

10. Gillette Rustlers 28-30, 4-10

11. Casper Drillers 20-20-1, 3-11

12. Lander Legends 5-22, 2-12