Owlz’ Sloppy Defense Spoils Stellar Start in Saturday’s Loss
September 3, 2022 – Pioneer League (PL) – Northern Colorado Owlz News Release
Northern Colorado Owlz’ pitcher Will Buraconak
(Northern Colorado Owlz)
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Two many miscues soured Saturday’s error-riddled Owlz loss.
It’s a loss that secures a season series victory for the Vibes (21-20) over the Owlz (16-26). They won 15 of the 28 games these guys played this season.
Rocky Mountain scored one earned run and won 4-3. NoCo owned a three-run lead until errors influenced the sixth and seventh innings. Five errors across those two innings caused the collapse.
In the sixth, the Owlz made four two-out mistakes that scored two runs.
A fielding error at first base put the runners on the corners. It was the first time all night the Vibes put a baserunner past first base.
Next at-bat, the birds botched a liner to right field, resulting in another error. Then came the error on throw in from right, which sailed well wide. When Owlz starter Colton Williams chased down that throw, he slipped, committing the fourth miscue of the inning.
Tough luck for a lefty that left it all out there. Williams went almost seven innings, setting two personal season highs in the process. The southpaw spun 6.2 innings and fanned five Vibes. He allowed only four hits and issued just one walk.
But thanks to those errors, his dazzling day turned into a no decision.
Williams was relieved in the seventh, the same inning the home team tied things up. Another routine fly ball fell out of an outfielder’s glove, gifting Rocky Mountain the tying run.
NoCo came up with nothing after that. All three of its hitters in the eighth struck out.
The Vibes struck for the lead a half inning later. A solo homer put them ahead, 4-3.
Back against the wall in the ninth, NoCo struck out twice more in a 1-2-3 series-ending inning.
Technically, Rocky Mountain went 0-for-13 with runners on base, including an 0-for-7 clip with runners in scoring position. Numbers like that may normally signal a shutout.
The Owlz led for a good majority of this game. Alex Jackson whacked a leadoff single and scored on Tim Bouchard’s two-out base knock back in the first. Kevin Higgins tacked on two more, tapping a single into right field to make the lead 3-0 in the third.
Other than those Owlz, Marshall Rich and Brandon Crosby contributed two hits apiece to the offensive effort. It’s Crosby’s second consecutive multi-hit game and third of this home-and-home series with his squad’s intrastate enemy.
Thus concludes the road portion of NoCo’s inaugural schedule. Only Ogden remains on tit, and the Owlz will finish things out at Nelson Farm Park with one last six-game series.
But first, an off day. Much needed.
On Monday – you might know it as Labor Day – the Owlz host the Raptors with first pitch set for 1:05 p.m. The first 40 fans in the gates that day will take home an Owlz-branded tumbler, courtesy of our friends at 4Rivers Equipment.
Buy your tickets, all for just $10, and we’ll see you Monday afternoon!
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