Slow starts offensively in two games did not deter the Pioneers, defeating Buffalo 16-0 and 10-0 to sweep a doubleheader before heading into a Billings tournament starting today (Thursday).

Taking to the mound in the first contest was Jhett Schwahn, who made it to the game just in time for the first pitch after stepping off a plane in Billings just hours before.

That did not slow down Schwahn, who was dealing early.

In the first three innings he retired three straight batters each inning, but the run support did not come until the bottom half of the inning.

The Pioneers loaded the bases with only one out, and then brought in runs in bunches.

Aiden Greenwald got things started, bringing in two runners on a single. Another walk reloaded the bases, as Cade Queen scored on a wild pitch after he got on base on a walk and advanced through a single and another walk.

Dalton Worstell brought in two more runs in the same at bat that Queen scored on to make it 5-0.

The Pioneers were not done.

Schwahn drove in two on a single, Brock Johnson brought in one on a single, Schwahn scored on an error and Johnson scored on a steal home.

Continuing his strong game on the mound, Schwahn took a perfect game into the top of the fourth.

That game was lost after a hard hit ball to shortstop was collected but overthrown at first, assessing an error on the play and giving Buffalo its first base runner of the day.

Schwahn finished the inning with a no-hitter still intact.

“I thought he threw well,” Pioneers manager Jason Borders said. “His velocity looked good, he was hitting his spots and that just gives us another good arm with the way injuries have been going.”

In the bottom half of the fourth, Ryan Cordes drove in two on a double turned triple on an errant throw; Schwahn drove in Cordes on a single; Trey Stenerson brought in two on a double and Greenwald brought in the final run of the game on a single to make it 16-0.

Fans did not have to wait long to see if Schwahn would maintain the no-hitter.

The leadoff hitter for Buffalo hit a single up the middle, breaking up the no-hitter with no outs.

Catcher Cole Fauskee then caught the runner trying to steal second, and Schwahn struck out the other two batters to finish off the contest in five innings 16-0 due to the mercy rule.

On top of his strong performance on the mound, Schwahn finished 3-3 at the plate with three RBIs, along with Greenwald, who finished 3-4 with three RBIs.

Heading into the second contest, the game started out much like the first.

Powell got on the board first in the second, as Worstell hit a sac fly to left field to bring in a run and Keaton Rowton drove in another to make it 2-0.

In the third, Stenerson brought in two on a double, Greenwald drove in Stenerson on a double and Rowton brought in two on a double to make it 7-0.

Continuing to hold Buffalo scoreless, Powell tried to find the final runs to put the game away.

The Pioneers found an answer in the bottom of the fifth, as Max Reynolds drove in two on a double, and later scored on a wild pitch to end the contest at 10-0 in the fifth due to the mercy rule.

Finishing 3-3 for the Pioneers was Rowton, who finished with three RBIs on the day. Over the course of both games Rowton reached base in every at bat, something Borders is hoping will carry over going forward.

“If we can get that kind of production out of him in the nine hole, that just rolls us over to the top of our order,” Borders said. “It makes such a big difference if you can get to the top of your lineup with your nine hitting like that, I will take it.”

BILLINGS TOURNAMENT

Powell now heads back on the road this weekend, as the Pioneers travel to Billings to take part in the Billings Cardinals BWW Tournament.

The tournament kicks off Thursday, as Powell takes on the Billings Cardinals at 10 a.m. The Pioneers follow that up against the Idaho Rebels at 3 p.m. to cap off the first day.

Powell then gets a day of rest before playing Wheatland at 3 p.m. on Friday, facing off against a team from Wyoming the Pioneers rarely get to see.

“I don’t know much about them, I can take a look at their record and guess how they are but we rarely see them,” Borders said.