During another busy weekend of baseball action in Montana the Pioneers started strong, defeating Havre 6-4, Glasgow 7-2 and Lewistown 15-5 on Thursday and Friday before losing close games to Gallatin Valley 5-4 and Belgrade 5-1 on Saturday and Sunday to take fourth in a Lewistown tournament.

POWELL 6, HAVRE 4

Starting with a game that did not count towards pool play the Pioneers (13-17-1) took on the Northstars (12-12-1) on Thursday.

Powell got on the board in the bottom of the first, as Talon Nuss and Jordan Loera were hit by pitches before Kolby Gates singled to load the bases with no outs.

A wild pitch scored one, before Dominik Bieber hit into an error and scored another to make it 2-0.

Ben Ostermiller grounded out to score a third as Powell led 3-0 after the first.

It took until the third for Havre to score, as the Northstars got two on through singles and a wild pitch scored a run to make it 3-1.

Powell responded in the bottom of the third, as Gates reached second on an error, before scoring on a Bieber single to make it 4-1.

It didn’t take long to add more to the lead, as Abel Teten hit a leadoff single and advanced on a ground out.

Loera singled to put runners on the corners and then stole second, which allowed Teten to steal home on an errant play by the second baseman and make it 5-1.

Loera advanced to third on a ground out, and eventually stole home to make it 6-1 after the fourth.

Havre had a late push, as two runs came in the top of the sixth on a single, hit batter, wild pitch and an error to make it 6-3.

One more came in the seventh, as an error and a single scored a run to make it 6-4 before the Pioneers closed out the win.

“We played really well against Havre,” manager Jason Borders said. “Pitchers all pitched well. There weren’t a lot of negatives (from the weekend).”

Six Pioneers recorded a hit as Powell was outhit 7-6; Bieber had two of the three RBIs for the Pioneers as Ostermiller recorded the other.

Havre had more errors 5-3.

Elias Frazen went 2-1/3 and gave up two hits, one earned run, along with two walks and two strikeouts. August Teten went 4-2/3 in relief and gave up no earned runs with four strikeouts and no walks.

POWELL 7, GLASGOW 2

Heading into Friday the Pioneers started pool play against the Reds (5-14).

Two walks and an error loaded the bases for the Reds in the bottom of the first, as Glasgow scored one on a sac fly to make it 1-0.

Powell answered in the top of the second, as Caden Diaz doubled, and advanced on a sac bunt by Rowan Diaz.

Caden stole home to tie it 1-1.

The Pioneers claimed the lead in the third, as Nuss walked to lead off and Loera singled on a bunt to put two on the corners with no outs.

Loera stole second, and Gates singled to score both and make it 3-1.

Bieber singled and Ostermiller walked to load the bases with no outs, and a sac fly by Caden scored one to make it 4-1.

Rowan singled to score another and make it 5-1.

Glasgow got one back in the bottom of the fourth, as a single, error on an attempted steal, and a passed ball followed by a single brought in a run to make it 5-2.

The Pioneers added a larger cushion in the top of the seventh, as Loera walked to lead off, and later advanced all the way to third on an errant pickoff attempt at first base.

Gates singled to score him, and later advanced through a steal and passed ball to get into scoring position.

Bieber doubled to score Gates, as Powell led 7-2, and the Reds went 1-2-3 in the bottom of the seventh as Powell finished the win.

Gates and Bieber led with two hits each of the seven for the Pioneers. Gates was the only Pioneer with multiple RBIs with three.

Gates went 6-2/3 innings giving up only three hits, no earned runs, striking out five and walking two.

POWELL 15, LEWISTOWN 5

On Friday against the host Redbirds (8-19), the Pioneers used a strong start to complete a quick contest.

Nuss hit into an error to lead off, and Loera followed with a triple to make it 1-0.

Gates reached second on an error to score Loera. Bieber singled to score him, and Ostermiller followed with an RBI triple to make it 4-0 with no outs.

Caden singled to score Ostermiller, before two straight outs put the inning in jeopardy of being over.

Abel doubled to add another run, before Nuss singled to make it 7-0.

Nuss stole second and third before scoring on a Loera single.

A single by Gates put runners on the corners, before Bieber singled to add the final run of the first as Powell led 9-0 after the top of the first.

Lewistown got runs back in the bottom half of the inning, as three walks, an error and a fielder’s choice allowed two to score and make it 9-2.

Powell got runs back in the top of the second, as Abel was hit by a pitch, and Nuss added a single with both runners advancing on the throw to put them in scoring position.

Loera singled to score both and make it 11-2.

Neither team scored again until the fourth, as Ryder Stewart singled to lead off, and Abel reached on an error.

Stewart scored on a groundout, and Loera singled to score another and make it 13-2.

Cael Kysar singled before Bieber doubled to score both and make it 15-2.

Two walks and an error loaded the bases for the hosts in the bottom of the fourth, and a wild pitch scored one before another walk and hit batter scored two more, but the Pioneers finished the game in the fourth with the 15-5 win.

The Pioneers combined for a no-hitter as they racked up 16 hits in the contest, as both teams combined for eight errors, three of those by the Pioneers.

Loera led with four hits, Bieber added three, Nuss and Caden each added two.

Loera had five RBIs, Bieber added four and Nuss had two as the three Pioneers with more than one RBI.

Bieber went three innings giving up one earned run, walking eight and striking out three.

Rowan went two-thirds walking two and striking out one, as Nuss struck out one batter to end the game.

GALLATIN VALLEY 5, POWELL 4

Heading into Saturday the Pioneers took on the Outlaws (25-14) with a spot in the championship game on the line.

Powell had a good start, as Nuss and Loera singled, before Bieber hit into an error and scored both to make it a 2-0 game.

Ostermiller singled to get runners on the corners, and Caden singled to score one and make it 3-0.

Ostermiller was caught stealing home before Rowan singled to get on base.

Fauskee singled to score another as the Pioneers led 4-0.

Gallatin Valley got on the board in the bottom of the fourth, as two singles and a hit batter scored one to make it 4-1.

The Outlaws rallied in the bottom of the sixth, as an error, two singles and a hit batter, all with two outs, scored two runs and made it 4-3 heading into the final inning.

Gallatin Valley’s comeback effort was complete in the bottom of the seventh, as a hit batter and double put two in scoring position with no outs, and a single brought both home to score the winning runs and give the Outlaws the comeback 5-4 win.

“We had that one in control, then a couple innings, one bad play and that was it,” Borders said. “That’s the stuff you can’t do against good teams.”

Powell outhit Gallatin Valley 9-7, but committed more errors 3-1.

Caden and Rowan were the two Pioneers with multiple hits, as Bieber led with two RBIs.

Caden went six innings, giving up one earned run, walking one and striking out four.

BELGRADE 5, POWELL 1

After the pool play results the Pioneers ended up the second seed from their bracket, taking on the Bandits (12-5) in the third place game.

Neither team found a run the first three innings, until the Bandits got on the board in the top of the fourth.

A single and three consecutive errors scored two runs, before a fly scored a third and the Bandits led 3-0 after the fourth.

“We played 35 innings, we had three that probably cost us the tournament,” Borders said.

Belgrade added a fourth in the top of the sixth, as a double and two walks had the bases loaded with two outs, and a walk scored another run to make it 4-0.

The Bandits added another in the top of the seventh, as a double and a single made it 5-0 before Powell got its run in the bottom of the seventh.

Loera singled to lead off, and Bieber joined him with a single.

Caden singled to score one, and Rowan eventually walked with two outs to load the bases, but Powell couldn’t find more runs in the 5-1 loss.

Caden had two of the four hits for the Pioneers as Powell committed the only three errors of the game.

Ostermiller went 5-2/3 on the mound, giving up five hits, one earned run, seven strikeouts and four walks.

Loera went 1-1/3 in relief giving up two hits and one earned run.

BUSY WEEK AHEAD

The Pioneers have yet another busy week ahead, starting with a pair of games at 3 and 5 p.m. on Wednesday against the Upper Deck Expos (8-6) in Billings.

“It’s that time of year for us. I like the fact that they want to practice and improve and try to get better every night,” Borders said. “We have to focus on the fine details of the game. We have brain farts sometimes and don’t do the right things.”

Powell then continues on the road to Dillon, Montana, taking part in the Maybelle Arthur Wood Bat Tournament on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

The Pioneers take on the Broncs Baseball Club (6-0) at 11:15 a.m. on Friday followed by the Sugar Sox ‘A’ (5-9-1) at 1:30 p.m.

On Saturday the Pioneers take on the host Dillon Cubs (6-5-1) at 6 p.m. before facing the Post 56 Knights ‘AA’ (11-15) at 8 a.m. on Sunday and the Salmon Savages Summer League (28-11) at 11:15 a.m. to end the weekend.