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PL Northern Colorado Owlz

Owlz Go .500 in Homestand vs. Jakes, Mustangs

July 2, 2023 - Pioneer League (PL)
Northern Colorado Owlz News Release


Northern Colorado Owlz at the plate
Northern Colorado Owlz at the plate
(Northern Colorado Owlz)

WINDSOR, Colo. - NoCo came away with one series win in the recent six-game homestand against Grand Junction and Billings.

The homestand started with a dominant display by these birds of prey. An 8-2 win over the Jackalopes on Tuesday saw Austin Schneider shove (again). He struck out 10 of the 24 batters he faced, setting a new team season high in the process. Bullpen arms Luis Florentino and Kris Massey held on to help Schneider secure his third win of the season. They struck out four while allowing one hit and one earned run between them.

Meanwhile, every batter in the birds lineup got a hit. Euro Diaz and Abdel Guadalupe led the way with three apiece, batting in five of the team's eight RBI on the night.

Wednesday started successfully too. But after taking a 9-4 lead, the Owlz were outscored 14-2 over the final five innings. Grand Junction's 18-11 victory tied the series.

Kevin Higgins played the walk-off hero in Thursday's thriller, socking a single to deep left in the bottom of the ninth to secure his squad a series win. The bullpen buckled down through its 3.2 innings of work. Florentino, Chase Jessee, and Cory Wills each struck out a batter and each walked away without allowing a run.

In Friday's series opener against Billings, a seven-spot in the fifth inning couldn't save the home team. After allowing three late runs, two in the eighth and another in the ninth, the Owlz fell 10-9. Guadalupe and Henry George smacked six of NoCo's 11 hits in the game. A no-doubt grand slam, the team's first this season, helped the powerful Puerto Rican led all players with five RBI.

Saturday's scuffle, a come-from-behind dub by the birds, can be labeled simply as, "The Dave Matthews Game." Matthews rocked two homers in the game, including a two-run game-tying tater with his team down to their final out. Then, in the Knockout Round, the Connecticuter crashed into a down-the-line homer to win the game and even the series.

Overall, the Owlz hammered five homers in Saturday's contest, tying a team season high. The inning that turned the game around, a seven-run eighth, included eight hits, which also set a new season-best benchmark.

NoCo dropped Sunday's matinee by a score of 8-5. It was mighty low-scoring tostart, though: these foes found themselves locked in a scoreless tie into the sixth inning. That's when Schneider, making his second start of the homestand, surrendered a two-run triple that started Billings' scoring. It turnd out to be the only two runs of his outing.

The Mustangs submitted six more runs over the next two innings. The Owlz couldn't match it, putting up five runs the rest of the way. With the Sunday win, the Mustangs earned their second series victory against the Owlz this season.

A powerful performance from NoCo nontheless. In the six games, they knocked 19 homers. HTey've already matched their first-half win total from a season ago, and they've now doubled up their home run total from 2022's first half.

Matthews mashed six of those long balls. Six other Owlz walked away with a dinger to their name as well.

Back to Matthews: Dinger Dave drove in 13 RBI this homestand. His OPS wound up a whopping 1.273 after the six games.

In summation, if Matthews doesn't win PBL South Division Batter of the Week, we riot.

We'll find out sometime during the Owlz upcoming road trip to Rocky Mountain. First up is Monday's matchup with the Vibes, and first pitch is set for 6:35 p.m.

As always, you can watch live on FloBaseball.

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Images from this story

Northern Colorado Owlz outfielder Euro Diaz takes a swing
Northern Colorado Owlz outfielder Euro Diaz takes a swing
 Northern Colorado Owlz at the plate
Northern Colorado Owlz at the plate
  



Pioneer League Stories from July 2, 2023


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