The Powell Pioneers went 3-3 over a five day span, starting with a split against the Billings Blue Jays on Wednesday, losing 8-5 and winning 9-8. Powell then finished second at the Bolln Wood Bat Tournament in Douglas, losing to Wheatland 4-2 before defeating Torrington 13-4 and Douglas 12-3 to make the championship before ultimately losing to Wheatland again 7-5.

BILLINGS 8, POWELL 5

The Pioneers (22-26 overall, 5-3 ‘A’ West) kicked off the busy week with midweek games in Billings against the Blue Jays (7-22) on Wednesday.

Powell got on the board first when Abel Teten hit a leadoff single.

Teten stole second before Jordan Loera joined him on a dropped strike three, allowing Teten to advance to third on the play.

Loera stole second, allowing Teten to steal home on an error by the pitcher and make it 1-0.

A double, a hit batter and a walk loaded the bases for the Blue Jays in the bottom of the second, before another hit batter scored a run and tied it 1-1.

In the bottom of the third, a single and a walk put two on for the Blue Jays, before a series of errors on a throw to third allowed runners to advance and score one before a single scored a second run and Billings led 3-1.

A walk, single and hit batter loaded the bases with one out in the fourth for Billings, before a pair of singles scored a pair of runs and a balk scored one more and the Blue Jays led 7-1.

Billings added one final run in the bottom of the sixth, getting batters on through a walk and single before another single scored a run and made it 8-1.

Powell got runs in the seventh, but was unable to make up the deficit as the Pioneers fell by an 8-5 score.

Teten led Powell going 3-4 while Caden Diaz went 2-3 with an RBI.

Booka Fazen gave up four hits, four earned with five walks and a strikeout over three innings, Cole Fauskee pitched two innings giving up four hits, four earned, one walk and three strikeouts. Rowan Diaz pitched one inning giving up two hits and recording two strikeouts.

POWELL 9, BILLINGS 8

In the second game the hosts set the Pioneers back early before they staged a late game comeback to earn the win.

Two singles put runners in position for the Blue Jays, while a pickoff of a runner at second allowed a runner to steal home and make it 1-0.

A solo home run, walks, a hit batter and a single made it 4-0 after the first.

In the second, an error and a wild pitch allowed a runner to reach second, before a single scored him and made it 5-0.

A walk added another runner, as Billings threatened again.

A runner was caught stealing third, before another walk and catcher’s interference loaded the bases.

Billings scored another on a hit batter and led 6-0.

In the third, a hit batter put a runner on, who advanced further on a wild pitch before scoring on a single to make it 7-0.

Powell got its first runs in the fifth, when Ben Ostermiller walked and Talon Nuss singled.

Teten doubled to score one run, before a sac fly by Caden Diaz scored another and made it 7-2.

Billings got its final run in the bottom of the fifth, starting with a single.

A wild pitch advanced the runner further before he later stole third.

A sac fly scored him and made it 8-2.

Powell’s comeback came in the top of the sixth, as Trevion Solberg started with a double and Dominik Bieber was hit by a pitch.

Rowan Diaz singled and scored Solberg, and advanced Bieber to third. An errant pickoff attempt at first during Ostermiller’s at bat allowed Bieber to score, making it 8-4.

Ostermiller singled and Nuss doubled to score a pair, before a ground out by Teten advanced Nuss to third.

Loera walked, before Caden Diaz singled and scored both to tie the game 8-8.

The final run came on a single by Solberg, as Powell took the lead 9-8.

Powell allowed one baserunner the final two innings to earn the 9-8 win.

“Those were just middle of the week, not important games,” manager Jason Borders said. “I don’t think we took them as seriously as we should have.”

The Pioneers outhit the Blue Jays 12-9, but committed more errors 2-1.

Teten, Caden Diaz, Solberg and Nuss each recorded two hits. Diaz had three RBIs and Nuss added two as the only Pioneers with multiple.

Christian Love pitched two innings, giving up five hits, four earned, five walks and one strikeout.

Rowan Diaz pitched three innings, gave up two earned with no walks and two strikeouts.

Loera closed the final two innings giving up one hit with three strikeouts.

WHEATLAND 4, POWELL 2

Heading to Douglas on Friday the Pioneers took on the Lobos (28-15 overall, 10-4 ‘A’ East).

Powell got on the board first as Teten was hit by a pitch, advancing to second on a wild pitch and to third on a passed ball.

Caden Diaz walked to put runners on the corners, and while Diaz was caught stealing second Teten scored and made it 1-0.

Neither team showed any more scoring threats until the top of the fourth, when a walk and two hit batters loaded the batters for Wheatland with no outs.

A passed ball scored one, before a sac fly scored another and made it 2-0.

It took until the seventh for Wheatland to add to its lead, with a single and double getting runners in scoring position.

A single scored one, before a walk loaded the bases.

A sac fly scored another and Wheatland led 4-1.

In the bottom of the seventh, Ostermiller walked before eventually stealing second and third.

Teten’s single scored him but Powell couldn’t find another run despite getting runners in scoring position and fell 4-2.

Wheatland outhit Powell 4-1 and Powell committed the only two errors in the game.

“Their pitcher is really good,” Borders said. “He’s a lefty, you throw a lefty at us sometimes and we just struggle … It was a good game with them, just one of those games that can go either way. We just don’t get off the bus very well.”

Ostermiller went 6-1/3 giving up one hit, two earned with four walks and nine strikeouts. Kolby Gates went two-thirds of an inning giving up three hits, two earned with one walk and one strikeout.

POWELL 13, TORRINGTON 4

Needing a big win to advance out of pool play to the semifinals the Pioneers got off to a quick start against the Tigers (22-19 overall, 6-4 ‘A’ East).

Loera was hit by a pitch and Diaz singled, before Fauskee singled and scored one to make it 1-0.

The runners advanced on a wild pitch before Solberg singled and scored another.

Bieber singled and scored one more to make it 3-0.

Ostermiller grounded into a fielder’s choice that saw Bieber out advancing to second, before Ostermiller’s steal of second allowed Solberg to steal home and make it 4-0.

Torrington loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the first after two hit batters and an error before a single scored one run and made it 4-1.

In the second, Caden Diaz singled and advanced to second on an error.

Diaz advanced further on a balk before Solberg singled and scored him.

Solberg advanced to second on a wild pitch before Bieber singled to put runners on the corners.

Solberg scored on a passed ball and Powell led 6-1.

Powell added more in the third, as Gates walked to lead off.

He advanced to second on an error by the pitcher before Teten doubled to score him and make it 7-1.

Teten advanced to third on a wild pitch before Loera walked to join him.

Loera stole second, before Teten scored on a passed ball and Loera advanced to third.

Caden Diaz hit into an error and scored another to make it 9-1.

Fauskee hit into another error, before Solberg singled to score another run.

Bieber hit into an error and scored one to make it 11-1.

Solberg advanced to third on a ground out, before scoring on a passed ball to make it 12-1.

Five walks scored two runs in the third for the Tigers to make it 12-3.

Three walks to Rowan Diaz, Loera and Fauskee loaded the bases with one out in the fourth, before a passed ball scored Diaz and made it 13-3.

Three singles scored another run for the Tigers as the game ended 13-4.

Powell finished with more hits 9-5 while Torrington committed more errors 5-2.

Solberg went 3-4 with three RBIs, while Diaz went 2-3 and Bieber went 2-4 with an RBI each.

Caden Diaz got the win on the mound going 2-2/3 giving up two hits, two earned, five walks and six strikeouts.

Loera went 1-1/3 giving up three hits and one earned.

POWELL 12, DOUGLAS 3

Advancing to the semifinals on run differential the Pioneers took on the host Cats (14-30 overall, 5-9 ‘A’ East).

Powell again scored early, as Teten walked before scoring on a Loera double to make it 1-0.

Loera stole third, then scored on an error on Fauskee’s at bat and made it 2-0.

Douglas got one back, using several singles to score a runner and make it 2-1.

In the top of the second, Ostermiller doubled with one out and Ryan Barrus joined him with a walk.

Both runners advanced on a passed ball before a Teten singled scored both and made it 4-1.

Loera singled, before Caden Diaz singled to score another and make it 5-1.

Fauskee singled and scored one more to make it 6-1 after the second.

Powell added more in the fourth, as Teten singled and Loera was hit by a pitch.

Teten got caught stealing third while Loera stole second, before Caden Diaz walked.

Runners advanced on a passed ball before a Fauskee single scored one and made it 7-1.

Solberg tripled and scored a pair, eventually scoring on a wild pitch and making it 10-1 Powell.

In the fifth, a double and a walk got runners on for Powell via Barrus and Nuss, before a Caden Diaz double scored both and made it 12-1.

Douglas loaded the bases with two singles and an error before a single scored another and made it 12-3 as the final after five.

Powell outhit Douglas 11-8 while each team committed an error.

Gates went 3-1/3 innings giving up four hits, one earned with five strikeouts and no walks.

Rowan Diaz went 1-2/3 giving up four hits, no earned and one strikeout with no walks.

“Kolby was throwing awesome … The pitching was where I wanted it in that one,” Borders said.

WHEATLAND 7, POWELL 5

In the championship game the Pioneers got a rematch against the Lobos looking for revenge for the Friday loss.

Wheatland got off to a strong start, loading the bases via two walks and a single in the bottom of the first with no outs.

A fly out scored one, before a Powell error scored another to make it 2-0.

A ground out scored a third and Wheatland led 3-0 after the first.

Powell loaded the bases with no outs via walks in the top of the second, but was unable to capitalize following a lightning delay.

Wheatland followed and loaded the bases with no outs via two walks and a single, scoring the first run on a fly out. A single and an error scored two more before a fielder’s choice scored one final run and made it 7-0.

Powell got runs in the third, as Caden Diaz was hit by a pitch and Fauskee walked to put two on.

A fielder’s choice saw Fauskee out at second on Solberg’s hit, as Solberg then stole second. Ostermiller’s single scored both to cut the lead to 7-2.

In the fourth, Powell loaded the bases via a Nuss single and walks to Teten and Loera.

Fauskee walked to score one and Powell trailed 7-3.

Powell got two more back in the fifth, as Gates singled, Nuss was hit by a pitch and Teten singled to load the bases with two outs.

Loera singled and scored a pair, but Powell fell 7-5 in five innings due to the lightning delays; the coaches had agreed to play only five innings so that the Pioneers could make it home Sunday evening.

“If we would have played the whole seven we were into their bullpen pretty good,” Borders said. “We got to see their No. 1 and 2 guys on Friday, they weren’t hiding anything.”

Each team recorded six hits while Powell committed two errors compared to none for Wheatland.

Gates was the only Pioneer to record multiple hits going 2-2, Ostermiller and Loera recorded two RBIs each.

Bieber went one inning, giving up one hit, three earned, four walks and one strikeout.

Decker Engesser went three innings giving up five hits, one earned, two walks and two strikeouts.

BUSY WEEK STARTS

Following a busy week on the road an even busier week  kicks off today (Tuesday) for the Pioneers in Park County.

The Pioneers will take on the rival Cody Cubs (29-17 overall, 5-3 ‘A’ West) in games at 5 and 7 p.m. that will not affect the ‘A’ West standings.

“I don’t think either one of us are going to throw everybody. It’s going to be who can hit,” Borders said. “We’re both saving our guys for Evanston on Thursday and Friday … I want to have a little consistency coming out of this tournament … Try to get some wins before the state tournament or playoff game, whichever it is … I think we came out of the tournament good pitching wise for the next three days. We’ve got enough.”

Powell then takes on Douglas again Wednesday, this time at home, in what is scheduled to be a doubleheader at noon and 2 p.m. with Borders uncertain but believing as of press time that those games will be changed to a single nine inning game.

The Pioneers then wrap up with four more home games on Thursday and Saturday to end the regular season.