Sweeping two important conference games Monday afternoon set the stage for an important final week of the regular season for the Powell Pioneers, as they swept the visiting Casper Drillers 9-6 and 5-1 at home.

POWELL 9, CASPER DRILLERS 6

Needing two wins to improve their conference standing, the Pioneers (20-22-1 overall, 6-4 Senior North) welcomed in the Drillers (17-19-1 overall, 3-11 Senior North) on Monday afternoon.

Casper started with a one out single and a walk, before a two out triple scored a pair and made it a 2-0 game.

Powell responded in the bottom half of the inning, as Talon Nuss and Jordan Loera walked before Ben Ostermiller bunted and reached on an error to load the bases with no outs.

Dominik Bieber’s sac fly scored one and advanced Loera to third, before Loera stole home on Ostermiller’s steal of second to tie the game 2-2.

It took until the third for Powell to gain the lead, as Nuss singled,  Loera walked and Ostermiller’s bunt single loaded the bases again with no outs.

Bieber hit into an error to score one, before Caden Diaz was hit by a pitch to score another and make it 4-2.

Powell was unable to cause any more damage despite no outs, before Casper had another answer in the top of the fifth.

Three straight walks with one out loaded the bases for the Drillers, and two singles scored a pair.

Powell got out of the top half of the inning with the game tied, before regaining the lead in the bottom half of the inning.

Diaz was hit by a pitch, and August Teten and Ryder Stewart singled to load the bases with one out.

Chaos ensued when Abel Teten’s single got past the center fielder, scoring one before a series of errors on the play allowed Abel to round all the way home to clear the bases and give Powell an 8-4 advantage.

‘That’s just baseball. Stuff happens that way sometimes,” manager Jason Borders said. “It seems for the most part that doesn’t happen for us. We haven’t got the bounces, this time we did.”

Powell added another in the bottom of the sixth, when Loera’s leadoff triple turned into a run as another error allowed him to round to home and make it a 9-4 contest.

Casper made a run in the top of the sixth, as a walk and two hit batters loaded the bases with one out.

A hit batter scored one run, and a passed ball scored another to make it 9-6.

Powell got two straight strikeouts from Nuss to end the game.

“We didn’t play well in that first game. We won a big conference game that we needed but it felt like we lost,” Borders said. “There was no reason for us to come out in a big game and play like we did.”

Each team had seven hits as Nuss was the lone Pioneer with multiple hits at two. Bieber led with two RBIs.

Ostermiller went 4-1/3 on the mound, giving up three hits, four earned runs, four walks and four strikeouts.

Loera went two innings in relief, giving up four hits, one earned run, two walks and three strikeouts before Nuss closed with the final two outs.

Casper had more errors in the contest 6-2.

POWELL 5, CASPER DRILLERS 1

The Pioneers started quick in the second game, as Loera singled with one out, and stole second to get in scoring position.

“I told them after that (first game) that we had to come out and play like we did against Gillette with that energy and drive,” Borders said.

Ostermiller singled to score Loera, before stealing second himself to get in scoring position.

Bieber’s single scored Ostermiller, as he advanced to second on the throw.

Diaz followed with a triple to score another as Powell led 3-0 after the first.

Casper got a run in the top of the second, as a walk and double got runners into scoring position with no outs.

A ground out scored one, but Powell escaped with no more runs and led 3-1 after the second.

Powell added a little insurance in the bottom of the fourth, as Caden Diaz doubled, and Rowan Diaz bunted which led to an error to bring in his brother to make it 4-1.

Rowan eventually stole second, and Abel hit into an error  allowing Rowan to score and make it 5-1.

The Pioneers pushed through thanks to a dominant performance from Caden on the mound, as he went six innings, giving up two hits, one earned run, two walks with six strikeouts.

“I felt like we played a lot better in the second game. Back-to-back great games (from Caden),” Borders said. “We had to keep both pitchers under 80. I thought they did a pretty good job managing the game in terms of pitch counts. I thought all our pitchers threw really well.”

August finished the final inning giving up one hit and recording one strikeout.

Caden also led at the plate with two hits, as Ostermiller, Bieber and Caden each recorded an RBI.

Casper had more errors 3-1.

RIVALRY GAMES

The Pioneers continue their busy end of season schedule, starting with a pair of rivalry conference games on Friday in Cody.

Powell takes on the Cubs (26-18 overall, 5-3 Senior North) at 5 and 7 p.m. with the winner gaining the upper hand in the race for one of the final spots at the Division I State Tournament in Gillette.

“It’s Powell-Cody. They’ll show up,” Borders said. “Our biggest thing is, mentally we’re more prepared for these games than we were earlier in the year … We have to play seven innings.”

The Pioneers return home Saturday at 5 and 7 p.m. to take on Arapahoe High School out of Denver.

SENIOR LEGION NORTH STANDINGS

(Overall record followed by conference record; all teams play 14 conference games. Top four go to Division I Tournament in Gillette, next four go to Division II Tournament in Green River. Standings as of Wednesday, July 8)

1. Sheridan Troopers 38-13, 10-0

2. Gillette Roughriders 34-26, 9-1

3. Sheridan Jets 28-15, 9-5

4. Powell Pioneers 20-22-1, 6-4

5. Jackson Giants 21-11, 6-6

6. Lovell Mustangs 10-20, 6-6

7. Cody Cubs 26-20, 5-3

8. Riverton Raiders 21-16, 5-5

9. Casper Wildcatters 19-15, 5-9

10. Gillette Rustlers 28-28, 4-10

11. Casper Drillers 17-19-1, 3-11

12. Lander Legends 5-18, 2-10