OGDEN — By the time rain and nearby lightning resulted in a shortened game, it was easy to forget the Ogden Raptors ever trailed Wednesday night at Lindquist Field.

The Raptors used an 11-run sixth inning to hammer the Rocky Mountain Vibes, continuing a high-scoring streak with an 18-3 victory and moving one game away from the Pioneer League South Division first-half title.

Northern Colorado defeated second-place Grand Junction 6-5 on Wednesday. That means Ogden’s magic number to clinch the first half is one; any Ogden win or Grand Junction loss over the half’s final four games delivers the title to the Raptors.

Elsewhere Wednesday night, Missoula hammered Great Falls 22-10 to clinch the North Division first-half title.

First-half champions secure a bid to the league playoffs in September.

Riley Ottesen gave the Raptors six strong innings on the mound, allowing two runs on nine hits for the win Wednesday.

Mike Annone doubled in the second inning and scored on a Josh Glenn base hit to put the visiting Vibes up 1-0 in the top of the second.

The Raptors went up 2-1 in the bottom half of the second and never looked back.

In the third, Freddy Achecar hit an opposite-field, two-run homer and Dakota Conners followed immediately with a solo homer to left, putting Ogden up 5-1.

Ogden shortstop Jesus Valdez hit his first two-run double of the game in the fourth for a 7-2 lead.

Then came the sixth, where Ogden sent 11 batters to the plate before recording an out, ultimately racking up nine runs on reliever Felipe Rodriguez. Conners hit a two-run double, Andrew Noviello a two-run single, Pat Adams a two-run single, and Valdez his second two-run double during the 11-run rally. The Raptors totaled eight hits and sent 15 batters to the plate in the frame.

The Vibes scored a run in the eighth against Ogden reliever Jorge Gonzalez before umpires called the game due to multiple close lightning strikes visible to the southeast of the stadium.

The same two teams play again at 7 p.m. Thursday.

Over the last nine games since July 4, Ogden is averaging 14.7 runs per game, and six of those nine games were not played to a full nine innings.

WEDNESDAY SCORES

Ogden 18, Rocky Mountain 3

Northern Colorado 6, Grand Junction 5

Missoula 22, Great Falls 10

Idaho Falls 16, Boise 5

Idaho Falls 4, Boise 2

Glacier 3, Billings 2

PIONEER LEAGUE STANDINGS

4 games left in 1st Half

NORTH DIVISION

*Missoula 32-11

Great Falls 26-17

Idaho Falls 24-20

Billings 22-20

Glacier 16-27

*–clinched 1st-half title

SOUTH DIVISION

Ogden 27-17

Grand Junction 23-21

e-Northern Colorado 16-25

e-Boise 16-28

e-Rocky Mountain 13-29

e–eliminated from 1st-half contention

Note: Ogden magic number to win 1st-half title is 1

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