Jackalopes KO Owlz in Game 1, Sweep Doubleheader
After dropping three games at home to the Northern Colorado Owlz earlier in the week, the Grand Junction Jackalopes were eager to return the favor when visiting their state rivals during the weekend.
After dropping three games at home to the Northern Colorado Owlz earlier in the week, the Grand Junction Jackalopes were eager to return the favor when visiting their state rivals during the weekend. The win in the first game of the doubleheader came through a Knockout Round showdown. A Joe Johnson homer put the Jacks in front after five innings, before the Owlz came back as PBL batting average leader Jackson Coutts hit two homers, including a game-tying long ball in the bottom of the seventh to send the game to the Knockout Round. Ron Washington Jr. scored three times to give Grand Junction the first win against Northern Colorado this week.
The second game of the night had a balanced pitching showdown, highlighted by a strong performance by right-hander Jose Diaz, who produced four solid late innings for the Owlz, conceding only one hit and striking out eight. However, the Jackalopes scored three times in the first inning and twice more in the second. Emmanuel Rosario closed the game by pitching three innings and allowing just one hit with three strikeouts to give the Jackalopes a 5-3 win. Grand Junction will attempt to complete their sweep on Sunday at 1:05 PM at Future Legends.
Missoula 15, Glacier 7: PaddleHeads Make It 10 Wins in a Row Powered by Seven in Seventh Inning
It was lucky number seven for Missoula on Saturday, as the PaddleHeads racked up their 10th win in a row behind a seven-run seventh inning. Missoula had five homers on the day, starting with Keaton Greenwalt and Cameron Thompson at the top of the second. McClain O'Connor, the North Division Batter of the Week a fortnight ago, hit the first grand slam in the history of Glacier Bank Park to get things rolling in the top of the seventh, breaking a 5-5 tie. Homers by Kamron Willman and Greenwalt, with his second long ball of the day, gave the visitors three more runs later in the game to beat the Range Riders 15-7. Missoula will aim for their first road sweep this season on Sunday at 1:05 PM at Glacier Bank Park, where dads can run the bases postgame with their kids 12 and under.
Ogden 15, Idaho Falls 4: Raptors Rout Idaho Falls with Eight-Run Fifth, Jump to Top of South Division Standings
A 15-4 win for Ogden on Saturday marked four in a row for the Raptors, scoring 44 runs in these wins. The Raptors scored eight runs in the fifth inning tonight, and Cameron Phelts got his first homer of the season in the bottom of the eighth. Another strong showing by Raptors' pitcher Pablo Arevalo helped keep the Chukars at bay, earning him his third win of the season after six innings pitched with five strikeouts and three hits. The win meant the Raptors now lead the South Division of the PBL, a half-game above Northern Colorado. Ogden will look to keep the runs coming and try for a sweep over the Chukars at home at 2:00 PM on Sunday.
Boise 6, Rocky Mountain 4: Hawks Take Hard-Fought Battle over Vibes
One of the best games of the day took place in Boise, where the Hawks earned a hard-fought win in an even game against the Vibes. Strikeouts were aplenty, with both teams combining for 19. Vibes starter Peyton Long recorded six punchouts in 4 1/3 of work, while Ryley Widell got five more on his tally in six innings pitched, enough to place him in a shared lead of most strikeouts in the PBL with 31, alongside Ogden's Brock Gilliam. Noah McBride struck out two more in just one inning for the Hawks, before Casey Dykstra, who had a hit and a run scored earlier in the game, got his first save of the season on two innings of work without conceding a hit and striking out four. Casey Petersen and Dusty Stroup kept their consistency on the plate, each getting a double and an RBI for the Vibes. D.J. Poteet produced an RBI on three total hits, including two doubles for Boise. The Hawks will try for a home sweep tomorrow at 2:05 PM in Boise, where fathers and their kids can take part in a postgame play of Father's Day Catch on the Field.
Billings 7, Great Falls 3: Cam Tullar Strikes Out 10 to Get Billings First Road Win of the Season
The Mustangs have at last won on the road, beating Great Falls 7-3. The Mustangs were backed by a great performance by starter Cam Tullar, who managed to get 10 strikeouts in five innings pitched. Tyler Wilber drove in two of his three runs of the night in the top of the third, putting the Mustangs in a lead they would keep all the way to the end of the game, and Taylor Lomack and Gabe Wurtz both had three hits each. The Voyagers have the chance to take the home series against Billings in the earlier time slot on Sunday, beginning at 11:30 AM with a Bike Helmet Giveaway at Centene Stadium in Great Falls.