The Riverton Raiders dropped a pair of games to the Powell Pioneers in a double-header at Roy Peck Field Wednesday evening. The Raiders fell 9-4 in the opener and 11-6 in the nightcap.
The Raiders had trouble hitting Powell’s Ben Ostermiller who struck out six Riverton players and yielded just four hits.
The Raiders and Pioneer left men on base repeatedly, with the Raiders making one of their best defensive stands of the season in the top of the fourth inning. The Pioneers loaded the bases on three walks and a single to bump the lead to 2-0.
With no outs and Powell players on all three bags, Riverton pitcher Brayden Baker dug in. He was ahead in the count 1-2 when Powell’s Kolby Gates popped out to first baseman Ryan Cox.
The Pioneers rolled the dice with the next batter, attempting a suicide squeeze on a bunt by Brenton Henke that was scooped up by Baker and thrown to catcher Beau Anderson for a force out at home. Baker struck out Ostermiller on four pitches to end the Powell scoring threat.
It remained 3-0 after five innings, but the Pioneers poured in six runs in the top of the sixth, and Riverton was only able to generate four.
In the late game, Powell led early 4-, bumped the lead to 6-0 after four, and added five insurance runs in the top of the seventh to lead 11-2. Riverton managed a pair of runs in the final inning.
The Raiders were their own worst enemy, committing eight errors in the game.
POWELL 1 0 0 1 1 6 – 9 8 1
RIVERTON 0 0 0 0 0 4 – 4 4 2
Riverton Raiders – Jameson Spradlin 1-3 S, Brayden Baker 0-4, Beau Anderson 1-4 S, Colter Heikkila 1-4 S, Ryan Cox 0-2, Brayden Martin 0-2, Lee Maestas 0-2, Paxton Yeates 0-3, Addison Trujillo 1-2 2B. Totals 4-26
Powell Pioneers – Ben Ostermiller 1-4 S, Talon Nuss 1-3 S, Caden Diaz 0-4, Abel Teten 1-1 S, Cole Fauskee 3-4 2 2-2B, Ryan Barrus 0-3, Trevion Solberg 1-3 3B, Kolby Gates 1-2 2B, Brenton Henke 0-4. Totals 8-28
WP: Ben Ostermiller (6) 4H, 6K, 4BB, Talon Nuss (1) 0H, 0K, 0BB
LP: Brayden Baker (5) 5H, 5K, 6BB, Ryan Cox (2) 3H, 2K, 2BB
POWELL 1 3 0 2 0 0 5 – 11 9 2
RIVERTON 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 – 4 6 8
Riverton Raiders – Spradlin 1-3 S, Heikkila 0-4, Andreson 1-3 S, Baker 2-3 2S, Cox 1-3 S, Martin 0-2, D. Cox 0-3, Yeates 0-1, Maestas 0-2, Trujillo 1-2 2B, Aiden LeBrun 0-1. Totals 6-27
Powell Pioneers – Ostermiller 0-5, Nuss 1-3 2B, Diaz 1-3 S, Fazen 0-0 , Teten 2-4 2S, Fauskee 2-4 2S, Barrus 0-2, Engesser 0-0, Solberg 2-4 2S, Diaz 0-3, Gates 0-2, Bieber 1-4 2B. Totals 9-34