The Powell Pioneers finished 1-4 at the Maybelle Arthur Wood Bat Tournament in Dillon, Montana, last weekend, losing to Dillon 7-5 and the Post 56 Knights ‘AA’ 11-3 before a walk off win against Kuna Tribe 6-5 snapped a four game losing skid. Powell finished the weekend with losses to Broncs Baseball Club 9-0 and a comeback bid came up short against the Mission Valley Mariners 12-10.

“Those teams were pretty good,” manager Jason Borders said. “I know it looks bad but it wasn’t as bad as it looked. Most of those games we had a chance to go 3-2 or 2-3 at least … It was a lot better competition than we had in Billings the weekend before.”

DILLON CUBS 7, POWELL 5

Kicking off the tournament against the host Cubs (8-12), the Pioneers (19-23 overall, 5-3 ‘A’ West) were looking to rebound after a pair of losses earlier in the week.

Powell got on the board first, starting with a one out walk to Jordan Loera.

After Loera stole second, Caden Diaz singled and Loera advanced   to put runners on the corners.

Diaz stole second and Cole Fauskee grounded out to advance the runners and score a run to make it 1-0. Trevion Solberg scored another on an error by the pitcher and Powell led 2-0 after the top of the first.

Dillon responded in the bottom half of the first, with a one out triple and a walk putting runners on the corners. An error scored one run, and Powell’s lead was cut to 2-1.

The Pioneers extended their lead in the top of the third, as Loera singled to lead off, and again stole second. Loera advanced to third on a wild pitch before Solberg walked to put runners on the corners.

Solberg stole second, before Dominik Bieber singled to score both runners and make it 4-1.

Dillon again responded in the bottom of the third, getting a runner on with a one out double and advancing him further on a ground out.

A triple scored him, before a single scored another run and made it 4-3.

Powell added one back in the top of the fifth, as Bieber singled to lead off.

Ben Ostermiller hit a sac bunt to advance Bieber, before Ryan Barrus walked to get another baserunner. Bieber advanced to third on an error by the Cub catcher, and then scored on a sac fly by Kolby Gates to make it 5-3.

Dillon again answered in the bottom of the inning, starting with two singles.

The runners advanced on a sac bunt, before a sac fly scored a run and made it 5-4.

Two straight hit batters loaded the bases, before a walk scored a run and tied the score 5-5.

A double followed and scored a pair and made it 7-5 Dillon.

Powell got two baserunners in the sixth and one in the seventh but were unable to score and fell 7-5.

Dillon recorded one more hit than Powell 9-8 while both teams committed two errors.

Diaz went 3-4 at the plate while Bieber also went 2-4 and added two RBIs.

Ostermiller went 5-2/3 innings, giving up nine hits, six earned runs, four walks and three strikeouts.

POST 56 KNIGHTS ‘AA’ 11, POWELL 3

The Pioneers took on the Knights (10-15) on Saturday, hoping to rebound against a ‘AA’ team out of Idaho Falls, Idaho.

Powell got on the board first again early, as Loera walked with one out and stole second. Fauskee walked with two outs, and Solberg was hit by a pitch to load the bases. A wild pitch scored Loera, but Powell did not do any further damage, leading 1-0.

Idaho Falls responded in the bottom of the second, as a single and walk followed by a bunt loaded the bases with no outs. A walk scored a run, before a one out single scored two more and made it 3-1.

The Knights added to their lead in the bottom of the third, with three walks to load the bases with no outs, and a single scored a pair to make it 5-1. Another runner scored after an error on a pickoff attempt and advanced the runner stealing second to third, making it 6-1.

Idaho Falls added another runner via a hit batter, before a sac bunt got the first out at first base but allowed a run to score and make it 7-1. A single scored and the Knights led 8-1.

Powell loaded the bases in the fourth after a Bieber single, Barrus walk and Ostermiller was hit by a pitch. The threat ended with a double play with the lead runner thrown out at home after tagging up, while Idaho Falls added to the lead in the bottom of the fourth.

A hit batter led off the inning, before a major error on a sac bunt led to the lead runner scoring and the batter reaching third allowed the Knights to make it a 9-1 game.

Powell scored two in the top of the fifth, as Loera’s lead off triple turned into a run as an errant throw allowed him to score on the play and make it 9-2. Fauskee followed with a one out single, before stealing second. Bieber drove him in on a two out single and Powell trailed 9-3.

Idaho Falls ended the game in the bottom of the fifth, as a single and a hit batter got on, before a wild pitch scored a runner. A walk added another runner, before a single scored the final run to make it an 11-3 game and end the contest due to tournament run rules in the fifth.

Bieber was the only Pioneer to record multiple hits going 2-3 as Powell outhit the Knights 7-6 but committed six errors to none for the Knights.

Diaz went two innings, giving up two hits, six earned with seven walks and one strikeout. Christian Love went two innings in relief giving up three hits, four earned, two walks and three strikeouts.

Rowan Diaz gave up one hit and one walk in the final inning.

POWELL 6, KUNA TRIBE 5

Still looking for a win on Saturday the Pioneers took on the Kuna Tribe (16-10-1) out of Kuna, Idaho.

Both teams had an opportunity to score early after loading the bases in the first inning, but neither team got on the board until the third.

Kuna struck in the top half of the inning, getting runners on through a single and a walk, before a two out single scored a run and made it 1-0.

Powell responded in the bottom half of the inning, as Abel Teten walked to lead off and Loera singled to join him while Teten advanced to third. Teten scored during Diaz’s at bat to tie it 1-1.

Powell took the lead in the bottom of the fourth, starting with a one out Rowan Diaz double.

Bieber singled, Diaz scored on the throw and Bieber advanced to second. Bieber advanced to third on a passed ball, before Teten singled and scored him to make it 3-1.

Kuna Tribe responded in the top of the fifth, getting a lead runner on through a double. The runner advanced on a wild pitch and scored on a bunt, with the batter advancing to second during the play after an errant play by the Pioneers. A ground out advanced that runner and a single scored the run to make it 3-3 after the top of the fifth.

Kuna took the lead in the top of the sixth, as a leadoff single followed by a sac bunt advanced the runner to third to get in scoring position. A two out single scored him and made it 4-3.

Kuna added to the lead in the top of the seventh, making it a 5-3 game after a one out double and single.

Down to their final out in the bottom of the seventh, the Pioneers got life through a Caden Diaz double, with Diaz advancing further on a throw to get in scoring position. A passed ball scored him, before Fauskee walked.

Solberg doubled to score Fauskee, and Barrus doubled to score Solberg and end the game 6-5 Powell.

Kuna Tribe outhit Powell 13-10 while Powell committed the lone error in the game.

Teten and Caden Diaz each went 2-4 while four different Pioneers recorded an RBI.

Gates went 6-1/3 giving up 11 hits, three earned, two walks and four strikeouts. Loera went 2/3 of an inning in relief, giving up two hits, one earned and one strikeout.

BRONCS BASEBALL CLUB 9, POWELL 0

After the win Saturday the Pioneers were hoping to continue their momentum on Sunday against the Broncs (7-2) from Frenchtown, Montana.

Two singles got runners on for the Broncs in the bottom of the first before a triple scored both and made it 2-0. A sac bunt scored that runner and made it 3-0 in favor of the Broncs after the first.

In the bottom of the second, a leadoff single got the runner on before he advanced on a steal all the way to third, and a sac fly scored him to make it 4-0.

Frenchtown extended its lead in the bottom of the third, starting with an error to lead off and get a runner on. A double scored him, before a single scored another run and made it 6-0. A two out walk added another runner, before a double scored both and made it 8-0.

In the bottom of the fourth a single followed by a stolen base and another single scored a run and made it 9-0.

Ostermiller’s one out double in the top of the fifth kept the Pioneers from being no-hit, but the game was called 9-0 due to tournament run rules after the fifth.

Booka Fazen went three innings, giving up seven hits, five earned runs, two walks and three strikeouts. Brenton Henke went one inning in relief giving up three hits and one earned.

Powell struck out 11 times as the Broncs finished with 10 hits compared to Powell’s one.

“It was good for us to see that pitching. There’s not a lefty kid in the state of Wyoming that throws like that,” Borders said. “I’m not happy we went 1-4 but it was good to see that pitching.”

MISSION VALLEY MARINERS 12, POWELL 10

Hoping to rebound from the difficult loss the Pioneers took on the Mariners (14-14) out of Polson, Montana.

Powell struck first on a Teten single, followed by a Caden Diaz single that advanced Teten to third.

Diaz stole second and Teten stole home on an error by the shortstop.

Mission Valley responded with four singles, two errors and an inside the park home run to score six runs to make it a 6-1 game after the first.

Powell loaded the bases in the top of the second but couldn’t score, before three more singles, an error and a hit batter scored three more for the Mariners to make it 9-1.

Powell scored in the third, as Teten walked and stole second before advancing on a ground out.

A passed ball scored Teten and made it 9-2.

Three walks to Bieber, Ostermiller and Talon Nuss loaded the bases with no outs in the fourth, before a single scored Bieber and made it 9-3. Ostermiller scored on a wild pitch, but a double play prevented even more damage for Powell.

A triple by Loera scored another run, and made it 9-5.

In the top of the fifth, Powell added more runs, starting with Fauskee being hit by a pitch and Solberg walking.

Ostermiller walked to load the bases with one out, before a Nuss sac fly scored a run.

Gates was hit by a pitch to reload the bases, before a Teten single scored a pair and made it 9-8.

Mission Valley added to its lead in the bottom of the fifth, as a dropped third strike got a runner on and he stole second and advanced to third on a ground out. A sac fly scored him and made it 10-8.

In the top of the sixth, Fauskee was hit by a pitch with one out, before Solberg singled and Fauskee advanced to third. Bieber singled and scored Fauskee, before Solberg advanced to third on Ostermiller’s fielder’s choice play. Solberg then stole home, tying the game 10-10.

Mission Valley stopped the rally in its tracks, scoring on three singles and an error in the bottom of the sixth and making it 12-10.

Powell did not get a baserunner in the seventh, and fell 12-10.

“They fought back and we had a chance to win it at the end but ran out of gas,” Borders said.

Mission Valley outhit Powell 11-8 while Powell committed more errors 6-1.

Solberg and Teten each recorded two hits and two RBIs to lead the Pioneers.

Bieber went five innings, giving up eight hits, two earned runs and four strikeouts. Loera added one inning, giving up three hits and one strikeout.

BUSY WEEK AHEAD

Powell heads back into Montana for a quick road trip to take on the Billings Blue Jays (6-19) at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Wednesday.

The Pioneers then head to Douglas for the Bolln Wood Bat Tournament starting Friday to play a number of ‘A’ East teams.

Powell takes on Wheatland (22-15 overall, 8-4 ‘A’ East) at 2 p.m. on Friday and Torrington (21-15 overall, 6-2 ‘A’ East) at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday.

“Hopefully they just want to go compete and get on a winning streak,” Borders said. “Everything I’ve seen from them (the east) they’re up and down. They’re like every team in the west, they have a couple good pitchers and then they’re down … I don’t know what to expect. I’m looking forward to matching up with them and finding out what we’ll see at state.”

Following pool play the Pioneers will take on an opponent on Sunday dependent on their seed.