{gallery}06_25_09/pioneers{/gallery}Powell Pioneers shortstop Gianluca Giarrizzo lays the tag on a would-be Cody base stealer on Tuesday night after taking the throw from catcher Auston Carter. The Pioneers ran their winning streak to nine consecutive games with a double-header sweep of the Cubs. Tribune photo by John Wetzel Pioneers toss consecutive one-hitters vs. CodyAny poker player will tell you it never hurts to have a pair of aces. Powell Pioneers head coach Jeff Young probably won't disagree. The American Legion Post 26 squad rode back-to-back one-hitters from pitchers Scotty Jameson and Grant Geiser to an 8-4, 11-0 sweep of Cody on Tuesday night. The games were the first home action for the Pioneers since a May 30 twin bill with the Billings Blue Jays.

The wins also pushed the Pioneers' current winning streak out to nine games.

“Our pitchers threw the ball well,” said Young. “We've really come on like I felt we could these last few games. The thing that I love the most though is that it isn't just one or two guys. We have kids throughout the lineup and throughout our rotation that are picking us up on different nights.”

The Pioneers wasted little time getting on top in Tuesday's opener. Geiser singled home Gianluca Giarrizzo to give Powell an early run. Geiser would eventually cross home as well for a 2-0 Pioneer lead.

The majority of Cody's runs came during a crazy second inning that saw the Cubs score three times without the benefit of a base hit. Pioneer starter Scotty Jameson hit three batters with pitches and also threw high to third base for an error in the frame to account for the runs.

Giarrizzo doubled in a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning to regain the lead for Powell. One batter later, Jameson made amends for his earlier struggles, driving a 2-1 pitch over the outfield fence for a three-run homer.

From there, the Pioneers' ace regained his groove.

Cody managed just a fourth-inning hit and a run the rest of the way. Jameson struck out eight batters in the contest.

“Scotty was a little too pumped early on,” said Young. “When you get a little too juiced, your mechanics can change, your timing isn't there and you don't have the control you normally do. Once he calmed down and got into a rhythm, he did well.”

Auston Carter crossed home in the fifth inning for Powell's only other run in game one.

Game two saw the Pioneers step up their intensity at the plate. Powell received a pair of triples and three base hits before Cody was able to register the first out of the third inning. Powell used the outburst to add to Giarrizzo's first-inning run and build a 6-0 lead.

Carter had a 2-RBI double in the inning and Geiser also drove in a pair of runs with Powell's second triple in the frame. While the five-run inning was big, the Pioneers narrowly missed making it even bigger. A lunging grab behind the second base bag by the Cubs' short stop enabled Cody to turn a bases-loaded double play and avert further damage.

Instead, Powell had to wait an inning. The Pioneers added five additional runs in the fourth inning. That provided Geiser with more than enough firepower to bring the game to an early conclusion via the run rule.

Cody's lone hit came off a one-out single in the fourth inning. For the game, Geiser needed just 58 pitches to go the distance, striking out three.

“Grant threw a great game. He threw strikes and got the win,” said Young. “He's kind of been our hard-luck pitcher this season. He's thrown games that were just as good that we lost by a run, so it was good to see him get a win heading into our tournament.”

The Pioneers, now 21-9 overall and still undefeated in conference play, open their own Heavy Metal Classic tournament at 10 a.m. on Friday against Big League Baseball of Billings. Powell also faces the Billings Cardinals (7 p.m., Friday) and Newcastle (7 p.m., Saturday) before wrapping up the tournament on Sunday against an opponent to be determined.