Owlz Win First Series of Season
Published on May 26, 2023 under Pioneer League (PL)
Northern Colorado Owlz News Release
Northern Colorado Owlz' Cameron Phelts
(Northern Colorado Owlz)
WINDSOR, Colo. -- The Owlz opened their new park vs. Rocky Mountain by mounting two comeback wins to take the season's first series.
They had to come back because of how hot the Vibes started each day. They outscored the Owlz 10-2 in the first inning across the three game.
When the Opening Day contest was suspended due to darkness, NoCo trailed 2-1 in the fourth inning. Their one run was a Payton Robertson slam, his first homer of the season. It took the Owlz three games to hit their first homer last year.
The rest of the contest beacame an uncharacteristic PBL pitcher's duel. After allowing two runs in the first, Austin Schneider settled in. He ended his second Opening Day start in NoCo colors with three strikeouts and five hits allowed through four innings. CJ Grant-DeBose and Cory Wills (W, 1-0) combined to K three Vibes batters compared to just two hits.
Still, the Owlz trailed 3-2. Until bottom eight, that is, when Robertson ripped his second homer of the game and Estevan De La O beat out a double play for the go-ahead run. Keon Taylor (S, 1) earned teh save after a wacky top nine. The Vibes reversed an out after the Owlz got dinged for shifting into the "pie slice," violating a new league rule. The next at-bat, a Vibes runner tried to tag from second on a flyout, but left early. It resulted in a game-ending double play and NoCo's first win on their real home turf.
Their second win, a seven-inning game, was even more dramatic.
Rocky Mountain mashed three homers in the game. Their third one put the Owlz down 7-4 in the fourth. In the sixth, though, they chipped away, first with an Abdel Guadalupe RBI single. Then, Josh Glenn pimped a pinch-hit homer to tie things at 7-7.
The Vibes found another in the top of the seventh, but NoCo countered with two in the bottom half. Henry George scored on a wild pitch to tie the game. Guadalupe lined the walk-off center-field single to seal the dub, and the Owlz walked away Wednesday 2-0.
Thursday's game got banged after a half inning and was resumed on Friday evening with the Owlz down 5-0. It didn't get much closer than that the rest of the way.
A tough night for the birds on the bump resulted in a 17-6 loss for NoCo. They did score four in the fourth and eventually loaded the bases, but a pick off play ended the promising frame.
Jordan Rathbone and Glenn did deliver dingers, and George jolted two hits in the game. So despite the loss, this group gave no indication they're willing to roll over.
The Owlz follow up the series win with a quick road trip to Colorado Springs. First pitch for Saturday's game is set for 6:35 p.m. from UC Health Park, home of the Vibes.
You can watch all road games live on FloSports.
Images from this story
 Northern Colorado Owlz' Cameron Phelts |
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