The season’s final opportunities to play in front of the home crowd on Friday and Tuesday gave the Powell Pioneers a boost of confidence — contributing to their defeat of Lovell, 11-6, and two victories over Billings UpperDeck, first by 10-6 and then 21-0 behind a Trey Stenerson no-hitter.

POWELL 11, LOVELL 6

Another hot start on senior night had the Pioneers (26-18-1 overall, 3-3 A Northwest) flying high against rival Lovell Mustangs (21-16 overall, 1-7 A Northwest) in one final regular season matchup between the two teams.

Three straight outs to start the game by Aiden Greenwald on the mound helped set up the Pioneers for a strong bottom half of the first.

Brock Johnson walked to lead off the contest, Jhett Schwahn hit a single and Cade Queen walked to load the bases with no outs.

Stenerson hit a double to bring in both Johnson and Schwahn.

Aidan Wantulok followed up with a single to drive in Queen and Stenerson to quickly make it 4-0 with no outs.

Greenwald grounded out, but Wantulok advanced to third after stealing second and advancing on the fielder’s choice.

Wantulok scored on a wild pitch during Keaton Rowton’s at bat, giving Powell a commanding 5-0 lead after the first inning.

Greenwald again put the next three batters down, not allowing a hit early in the game.

Swinging back to the top of the order, Johnson started this time with a single, followed by another Schwahn single.

Queen grounded out, but strong base running by Johnson allowed him to score and make it 6-0.

An error on a pop fly by Stenerson brought in Schwahn, and a Wantulok single brought in Stenerson who had advanced to second on the error.

Although the Pioneers appeared to be in control, leading 8-0, the Mustangs gained some ground back in the third inning.

“We hit the ball well,” Pioneers Manager Jason Borders said. “Three errors in a nine-inning game we can live with that.”

Lovell scored two in the inning and had the bases loaded, threatening to score more, but a ground out to Johnson ended the threat at 8-2.

The Powell offense began to stall, and Lovell started to chip away at the lead making it 8-3 after the fourth.

The Pioneers got some support in the fifth, when Dalton Worstell walked and Johnson hit a single to give Powell two baserunners.

Worstell and Johnson advanced on an error, and Schwahn singled to bring the pair in and make it 10-3 after five.

Lovell again cut into the lead making it 10-5.

The final run for the Pioneers came in the bottom of the sixth, when a pickoff attempt at first base brought in Wantulok who had reached after being hit by a pitch and advanced through baserunning.

Lovell got one more run in the eighth inning, making it 11-6.

Queen finished the ninth inning with two strikeouts and a fly out to help Powell secure the win 11-6, and move to 5-1 against the Mustangs this season.

Wantulok finished 3-5 at the plate with three RBIs to lead the way for Powell.

POWELL 10, BILLINGS 6

After a four day break the Pioneers came out Tuesday against the Billings UpperDeck, looking to finish the home season strong with two final victories.

The break did not slow down the fast starts the Pioneers have had in recent weeks.

Johnson was hit by a pitch and advanced to third during Schwahn’s at bat on a wild pitch.

Schwahn walked, setting up runners at first and third with no outs.

Johnson scored on a wild pitch during Wantulok’s at bat, and Wantulok walked to keep runners at first and third.

Stenerson brought in a run on a throwing error by the third baseman to make it 2-0.

Queen was hit by a pitch, to load the bases with no outs.

Greenwald grounded out but scored Wantulok, making it 3-0.

Jacob Gibson singled to bring in Stenerson, Queen scored on an error and Johnson drove in another run on a single to make it 6-0 after the first.

Both teams then struggled to find offense at the plate over the next four innings, keeping the contest at 6-0.

Queen led off the fifth with a double, and advanced to third on a ground out by Greenwald.

Queen later stole home during a Gibson at bat, in a controversial call that led to the UpperDeck catcher walking off the field.

After a delay waiting for a new catcher, Ethan Welch doubled to bring in two runs extending the lead to 9-0.

Powell was unable to find run No. 10 and end the game in the fifth.

In the sixth inning, the UpperDeck bats came to life.

The Billings team started with two straight doubles and another single and double brought in two more making the score 9-3.

A three-run home run cut even further into the lead, causing concern as Johnson reached his pitch count of 105.

“We jump out to an early lead then think we can put it on cruise control,” Borders said. “When we get ahead we have to put our foot down on them and shut them down. We gotta learn how to finish games and not take those innings off in the middle.”

Worstell came in and got the final out, ending the threat.

Stenerson led off the sixth with a triple, and later scored on a wild pitch to add insurance and make it 10-6.

The Pioneers got three out of four batters out in the seventh to end the contest 10-6 and take game one.

POWELL 21, BILLINGS 0

Rest and a chance to refocus gave the Pioneers a new opportunity and they started even stronger in game two.

Stenerson came out firing on the mound, striking out five of the first six batters.

He was able to get run support early, when a single by Johnson, Wantulok being hit by a pitch and Stenerson himself walking loaded the bases with one out.

Greenwald walked to bring in the first run, Wantulok scored on a wild pitch, and Nathan Feller singled to bring in two runs and make it 4-0 after the first.

Two outs started the second inning, but Schwahn was hit by a pitch and stole two bases on a passed ball to give Powell a runner at third.

Wantulok walked to give Powell runners at the corners, and Stenerson drove in Schwahn on a single to make it 5-0.

Queen singled to bring in Wantulok, and Greenwald walked to load the bases with two outs.

Singles by Worstell and Feller each brought in a run, Cole Fauskee doubled to bring in a pair and Johnson singled to bring in another runner — giving Powell a commanding 11-0 lead after two innings.

Stenerson lost the perfect game when he walked one in the third inning, but struck out three more batters to keep a no-hitter intact.

The Pioneers added four more in the third, extending it out to 15-0.

Two batters reached in the fourth on a hit batter and an error, but Stenerson added three more strikeouts to keep the no-hitter going.

Powell continued the hit parade, adding six more runs in the fourth. Stenerson then finished the game in the top of the fifth, capping off the home campaign with a no-hitter.

“That was big, we have not pitched Trey [Stenerson] much lately,” Borders said. “That was a big confidence booster for him going into the postseason.”

Stenerson struck out 11 of 15 batters, giving the Pioneers their second no-hitter of the season after throwing a combined no-hitter during the Green River tournament.

Powell scored on 10 hits, with Feller and Fauskee finishing with three RBIs apiece.

DOUGLAS TOURNEY

Powell will now be on the road the remainder of the season, starting with a tournament in Douglas this weekend.

The Pioneers kick things off against Wheatland (18-19 overall, 4-6 A Southeast) on Saturday at 10 a.m. and against Torrington (15-9 overall, 5-5 A Southeast) at 12:30 p.m.

Games beyond that are yet to be determined.

“I am just looking forward to seeing teams from the east, we don’t get to see them too often,” Borders said.

Powell then returns to the area and squares off against Cody (25-16 overall, 6-0 A Northwest) on Tuesday at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. to wrap up the regular season.

Both teams are locked into postseason positions, as Cody earned the No. 1 seed and Powell has claimed the No. 2 seed.