Jackalopes Fade Late
PL Grand Junction Jackalopes

Jackalopes Fade Late

Published on August 22, 2025 under Pioneer League (PL)
Grand Junction Jackalopes News Release


The Grand Junction Jackalopes lost their second consecutive game to the Colorado Springs Sky Sox on Thursday night in a game that was decided in the final three innings.

The Sky Sox took the first lead of the game in the first when Albert Bobadilla gave up a two-out, two-run homer to his former teammate Justin Johnson. The initial go-ahead was Johnson's fifth in a Sky Sox uniform, tying the number of homers he hit in a Jackalopes jersey for the first two full months of his career this season.

Bobadilla had deja vu in the second inning, giving up his second two-run blast on two outs to double the Sky Sox lead, this time by Edwin Martinez, that gave Colorado Springs a 4-0 lead heading into the bottom of the second.

The Jackalopes started a positive trend in the bottom of the second, scoring in five-straight innings until the sixth, the third of which was a seven-run go-ahead rally in the bottom of the fourth.

Sky Sox starter Charlie Anderson had a 8-2 lead heading into the bottom of the fourth, but recorded zero outs and walked the first three batters faced, leading to back-to-back two-run hits by Kendall Foster and Diego Aragon. Two batters later, on the seventh of the inning, Anderson gives up a three-run go-ahead homer to Isaac Nunez for the seventh and final runs of the inning and a 9-8 lead.

The Jackalopes added four runs in the following two innings, allowing only two back, but the game was still within three heading into the seventh.

Jacob McCaskey recorded two quick outs in a shutdown inning attempt, but three costly errors allowed three unearned runs to plate and tie up the ballgame at 13-13.

Eldridge Armstrong built the momentum up for the Sky Sox with a shutdown frame after stretchtime, and Jackalopes manager Frank Gonzales sent McCaskey back out on the mound in the eighth to hold the line.

On the second pitch McCaskey threw, he gave up a solo shot to center by Quintt Landis to allow the Sky Sox their second and final lead of the game.

Reese Miller held the line in a perfect top of the ninth, finishing it with a punchout on Zane Denton for his 70th on the season and his 100th of his professional career, but Ryan Velazquez shut down the Jackalopes offense quickly in the bottom of the ninth for his first save of his career.

Jacob McCaskey (0-1) recorded his first loss in a Jackalopes uniform (his third on the season between the Pioneer League and the Frontier League), as Eldridge Armstrong (1-1) secured his first professional win.

The Sky Sox won their 20th game of the season in their 80th game, and are now tied at 11-22 with the Jackalopes in the second half standings.

There will be three more games at Suplizio Field this season for the Jackalopes, all of which they will turn into the away team, since these games were originally scheduled as road games in a split series that has to be played entirely in Grand Junction, since the Sky Sox currently have no home stadium.

The Sky Sox will carry their 2-1 series advantage into Friday night's contest, which kicks off at 6:35 PM MT.

Check out the Grand Junction Jackalopes Statistics

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Pioneer League Stories from August 22, 2025


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