After seeing their final two games of the season’s first series rained out, the Ogden Raptors opened their first road series with a pair of wins in Boise against the Hawks.

The Pioneer Baseball League also announced an updated rule to its one-of-a-kind Knockout Round tiebreaker.

Below are reports on Ogden’s games Tuesday and Wednesday, as well as updates to the PBL standings.

Ogden’s series in Boise continues through Sunday.

OGDEN 7, BOISE 4

Ronny Orta pitched a stellar six innings for the Raptors and set up his team for a win Wednesday.

Orta spread six hits and allowed one run, a solo homer in the bottom of the fifth to make it 7-1. Odgen’s own Evan Parker pitched a 1-2-3 seventh inning in 10 pitches.

But the cruising stopped in the eighth when the Hawks tagged Jorge Gonzalez for three hits and three runs in the eighth to cut it to 7-4. Gonzalez recorded only two outs, and Clearfield’s Chase Stratton came in and retired the inning in three pitches for Ogden.

Ogden reliever Dylan Pearce gave up a leadoff single but induced two groundouts, the second a double play, to end the game in the ninth.

The Raptors began the scoring in the first when Freddy Achecar singled in a run and a second score, the newly back-in-Ogden Chuck Steele, plated via error to make it 2-0.

Outfielder Pat Adams and infielder Jesus Valdez each singled in a run to make it 4-0 after three. In the fifth, Ogden closed its scoring when Dakota Conners and Coleton Horner walked with the bases loaded, then Adams grounded out to score one more for a 7-0 lead.

Reese Alexiades hit three doubles and scored two runs for the Raptors.

OGDEN 9, BOISE 6

Dakota Conners cleared the bases with a double in the second inning, drove in four runs on the day and the Raptors opened the series with a win Tuesday.

With the game tied 6-6 through six innings, Chuck Steele singled in shortstop Fox Semones in the seventh to take the lead for good. In the ninth, Conners hit a sacrifice fly and Jesus Valdez drove in another on an infield single for the final tally.

Kida De La Cruz, acquired last season as a reliever after a release from Missoula, made his first start for Ogden, allowing five runs and seven hits in five innings. Chase Stratton struck out three and allowed one run in 1 2/3 innings, and Jake Mulholland, Jack Cunningham and Dylan Pearce finished the final 2 1/3 innings with scoreless efforts.

Semones, Anthony Ray and Andrew Noviello each scored two runs for Ogden.

NEW KNOCKOUT PROCEDURE

The Pioneer League announced via news release that it has updated rules for the Knockout Round tiebreaker for this season. The Knockout Round is the home run derby used to determine a winner if a regular-season game is tied after nine innings.

Instead of limiting each batter to 10 pitches, the opposing batters in each round will have two minutes to hit as many home runs as they can. In theory, this should allow for the Knockout to be more exciting as hitters find a groove and hit more home runs. Each round requires a new batter until the tie is broken.

The league also released a logo for the Knockout Round that will be featured on a pin to be given to fans in attendance any time a Knockout Round is contested.

WEDNESDAY SCORES

Ogden 7, Boise 4

Idaho Falls 15, Grand Junction 14

Billings 8, Glacier 0

Northern Colorado 10, Rocky Mountain 4

Great Falls 9, Missoula 7

UPDATED STANDINGS

Through games completed on June 1

NORTH DIVISION

Great Falls 6-2

Idaho Falls 6-2

Glacier 5-2

Missoula 5-3

Billings 3-3

SOUTH DIVISION

Ogden 4-2

Grand Junction 2-4

Boise 2-5

Northern Colorado 1-5

Rocky Mountain 1-6

Newsletter