A strong weekend in Billings saw the Powell Pioneers come out on top, battling through  four days of contests to claim victory in the Buffalo Wild Wings Tournament.

Powell defeated Billings Post 4 Legion ‘B’ 12-3 on Thursday, lost to Gillette ‘A’ 8-4 on Friday, beat Helena 12-3, beat Green River ‘A’ 8-0 Saturday and beat the Billings Cardinals 4-0 in the championship game on Sunday.

POWELL 12, POST FOUR LEGION B 3

Kicking off the action in Billings on Thursday, the Pioneers (21-9) took on the Post 4 Legion ‘B’ Red (11-8), hoping for a quick start to the tournament.

Powell got just that, with Brock Johnson and Jordan Loera kicking things off with singles, and Cade Queen walked to load the bases with no outs.

Consecutive errors on Jhett Schwahn’s and Cole Fauskee’s hit attempts allowed for two runs to score to make it 2-0.

The Pioneers got one more from a sac fly by Dalton Worstell, and led 3-0 after the top of the first.

In the second, Loera got on through another single, and advanced to second on a steal during Queen’s at bat.

He scored after Schwahn hit into an error, making it 4-0.

The Pioneers pushed the lead further in the fourth inning.

Johnson was hit by a pitch to lead off, and Queen joined him with one out.

Both runners advanced on a steal, before Schwahn hit a single and brought in one run.

Queen and Schwahn both advanced during a pitching error during Fauskee’s at bat, scoring one and putting a runner on third.

Fauskee walked, Schwahn stole home and Fauskee got caught at second, before Jacob Gibson grounded out to end the top half with Powell leading 7-0.

Billings found its offense in the bottom of the fourth, loading the bases through two singles and a walk with no outs.

Another walk scored a run, before Queen caught a fielder’s choice to get a runner out at home and a double play stopped the scoring threat with Powell leading 7-1.

A Worstell single and a walk to Devin Kokkeler put two on to lead off the fifth, with Worstell advancing to third on a steal.

An error on Ethan Welch’s contact scored one, followed by Johnson walking to load the bases.

A balk scored Kokkeler before a sac fly scored another and made it 10-1.

Queen singled to score another, as Powell led 11-1.

In the bottom of the fifth, a single along with strong base running got a Billings player in position, and a single scored him to make it 11-2.

Powell found one more in the top of the sixth, after Worstell was hit by a pitch and Kokkeler singled. 

Unfortunately, Worstell was out on a double play that also saw Welch out at first, but the run scored when Johnson hit a double to make it 12-2.

Billings got one more in the top of the seventh, but Powell finished it out with a 12-3 win.

“It was a good game to open the tournament with,” manager Jason Borders said. “We did what we were supposed to do against a ‘B’ team. They won a couple of games there, they were a decent team.” 

Schwahn led with two RBIs, while Johnson, Loera, Queen, Worstell and Welch each had one.

Both teams had eight hits, but Billings committed five errors compared to none for Powell.

GILLETTE 8, POWELL 4

Heading into Friday, the Pioneers got a look at an ‘A’ East team in the Rustlers (15-17), attempting to move into a strong position in pool play.

Gillette started strong, as a single, an advancement on a ground out followed by another single made it 1-0.

Powell answered in the bottom half, after Johnson walked and stole all the way to third.

Queen walked with one out to join him, and Johnson scored on an error trying to catch Queen stealing second — advancing Queen all the way to third.

Queen later scored on a wild pitch, as Powell led 2-1 after the first.

The Rustlers responded in the top of the third, with four straight singles scoring two runs to reclaim the lead at 3-2.

Powell responded in the bottom of the third, with Loera singling with one out.

He advanced to second on a steal and third on a passed ball.

Queen hit a single, scoring the run and tying it at 3-3.

Gillette reclaimed the lead for good in the top of the fifth, when an error and a walk got two on with one out.

A deep fly ball to left field cleared the fence for a three run home run and 6-3 Gillette lead.

The scoring was not over, as a single, error and walk loaded the bases with one out.

A single brought in another run before a double play ended the scoring and Gillette led 7-3.

That lead expanded through a double, a steal and a single, making it 8-3 in favor of the Rustlers.

Powell got one back in the bottom of the seventh, when Loera and Queen walked and Fauskee was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out.

Loera scored on a passed ball, but Powell was unable to score any more runs and fell 8-4.

Queen went 1-2 and had the only RBI for the Pioneers.

Gillette outhit Powell 13-8 and the Pioneers committed more errors 4-2.

“We had one of those spurts where we kicked the ball around a lot,” Borders said. “We just didn’t play up to our standards.”

POWELL 12, HELENA 3

After the loss the Pioneers needed a victory to remain in contention for the championship game, matching up with the Reps (10-17).

Powell got on the board early, after Johnson got on through an error and stole second, advancing on a single by Loera.

Queen brought in both on a double and made it 2-0.

The Pioneers were unable to get another in the first, but found more offense in the top of the second.

Trevion Solberg led off with a double, and Brent Henke was hit by a pitch with no outs.

Johnson hit a single to bring in a run and make it 3-0.

Loera then hit a sac bunt and advanced the runners, before Queen hit a sac fly and scored a run.

Schwahn followed with a single to bring in another, and Powell quickly led 5-0.

Neither team found offense for a couple innings, until the bottom of the fourth when Helena got on the board.

An error and a single got two runners on, and a wild pitch advanced them further.

A sac fly scored one before a ground out allowed another to score and make it 5-2.

In the bottom of the fifth the Reps got on with a single and an error, with both runners advancing on a sac bunt.

A ground out scored one, but Powell was able to get out without more damage.

Powell finally found insurance in the top of the sixth, after Welch was hit by a pitch to lead off and a Solberg single to put two on with no outs.

Welch was out on a fielder’s choice to third, but Johnson loaded the bases on a single.

A ground out by Loera scored one, but Powell was unable to get any more runs and ended the frame 6-3.

“We’ve struggling in the middle innings right now,” Borders said. “We gotta figure out how to get through those lulls.”

More insurance came in the top of the seventh, when Schwahn led off with a single and Worstell was hit by a pitch.

Both runners advanced on steals, before Fauskee hit a single to bring in a run.

Welch hit a sac fly to bring in another run and make it 8-3.

Henke walked and Johnson hit a single to score Fauskee, before a walk to Loera loaded the bases.

Queen hit a single to score one, before Schwahn hit a single to score a pair and make it 12-3.

Powell closed it out, and finished with the 12-3 win.

“Helena is a decent team,” Borders said. “When we can hit at the bottom of the order it takes the pressure off the top of the order to do all the damage.”

Schwahn went 3-4 and had three RBIs, Queen went 2-4 with three RBIs and Johnson went 4-5 with two RBIs.

Loera, Fauskee and Welch each had an RBI.

Loera got the win on the mound, giving up three hits and no earned over 4 2/3 and Johnson closed to earn the save with two strikeouts.

POWELL 8, GREEN RIVER 0

On Saturday, the Pioneers got a look at a ‘A’ Southwest opponent, taking on the Knights (10-8) and needing to continue winning for a shot at the championship game.

Powell got on the board early, starting with a Johnson single.

Schwahn hit into a fielder’s choice that saw Johnson out at second, with Schwahn eventually stealing second and third.

Queen walked to get on, and Schwahn scored on a passed ball.

Worstell singled, before Fauskee hit a sac fly to score one and make it 2-0.

Two walks loaded the bases and Powell continued to threaten.

Worstell scored on a passed ball, before Kokkeler hit a double to score a pair and make it 5-0.

Powell got more offense in the bottom of the third, when Welch led off with a walk.

Welch stole second, before Gibson singled to score one.

Kokkeler grounded into a double play, before Powell found more offense.

Solberg doubled, Johnson walked and Schwahn singled to score one and make it 7-0.

Powell got its final run in the bottom of the fifth, when Kokkeler and Solberg walked with one out.

A pop out advanced Kokkeler before he was brought in by an error on Schwahn’s contact to make it 8-0.

Powell ended victory in the sixth, finishing with the 8-0 win.

Queen was dominant on the mound, striking out 12 while only giving up one hit and no walks in the six-inning shutout.

“He threw well. Cade just dominated them for the most part,” Borders said.

Kokkeler finished 1-2 with two RBIs, Schwahn, Fauskee and Gibson each had an RBI on a hit apiece.

Powell outhit Green River 7-1 and committed one error compared to two for the Knights.

After all the results, the Pioneers, Gillette and Billings Blue Jays were all tied record wise by beating each other.

Powell was tied with the Blue Jays on runs allowed, but advanced to the championship on runs allowed per inning, having played more innings than the Blue Jays over the three days.

POWELL 4, BILLINGS CARDINALS 0

Heading into the championship game the Pioneers came up against a familiar opponent in the Cardinals (26-6) having split four meetings this year.

Powell got on the board in the top of the second, starting with a Trey Stenerson single, followed by a Worstell single and an error on Fauskee’s hit to load the bases.

Gibson hit into a double play, but Stenerson scored to make it 1-0.

The insurance runs came early, as Powell hit five straight singles via Welch, Johnson, Schwahn, Queen and Stenerson with no outs in the top of the third, scoring three runs and extending the lead to 4-0.

Powell continued to dominate and hold the lead with few runners getting on base, as Billings managed more than one baserunner only once over the final innings.

Johnson had a strong outing on the mound, finishing with nine strikeouts while giving up five hits with no walks in the complete game shutout.

“Brock was throwing hard and all his pitches were working,” Borders said. “It was a good atmosphere for the championship game.”

Schwahn, Queen and Stenerson had an RBI each as Queen was 3-4 at the plate.

Powell outhit Billings 10-5 and committed no errors compared to two for the Cardinals.

LEWISTOWN TOURNEY

Powell now heads out on the road again, heading to Lewistown, Montana, to take part in the 37th annual Harold Gjerde Memorial Tournament.

The Pioneers start with Gallatin Valley (19-12) at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday.

Powell then takes on the Vauxhall Spurs (6-0) out of Alberta, Canada, at 10:30 a.m. on Friday.

That will be followed by a game against the Belgrade Bandits (4-2) at 12:30 p.m. on Friday.

Powell will then rest until late Saturday, before taking on the host Lewistown Redbirds (7-24) at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday.

“We are just looking to get better every week,” Borders said. “It’s hard for a senior laden team that has been through it to say we can get better, but we can get better … we need to get healthy and that will help a bunch.”

Contests on Sunday will be determined by placement.

The Pioneers return home next week, taking on Cody to open conference play on Tuesday night in Powell.