Pioneer League playoffs: Ogden Raptors get the jump on Vibes, force Game 3 in 9-4 win
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- Ogden second baseman Dakota Conners yells after an RBI double in a Pioneer League playoff game Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023, at Lindquist Field in Ogden.
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- Ogden Raptors pitcher Jake Mulholland throws in a playoff game against Rocky Mountain on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023, at Lindquist Field in Ogden.
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- Ogden’s Josh Broughton (14) stretches but is thrown out by the Rocky Mountain Vibes in a playoff game Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023, at Lindquist Field in Ogden.
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- Ogden’s Jonathan Soto (45) slaps hands with manager Kash Beauchamp after homering in a playoff game Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023, at Lindquist Field in Ogden.
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- Ogden’s Jonathan Soto hugs teammate Josh Broughton after hitting a home run in a playoff game Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023, at Lindquist Field in Ogden.
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- Rocky Mountain’s Ethan Lopez takes third base against Ogden in a playoff game Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023, at Lindquist Field in Ogden.
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- Ogden’s Reese Alexiades swings at a pitch in a playoff game Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023, at Lindquist Field in Ogden.
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- Ogden’s Josh Broughton steals second base in a playoff game Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023, at Lindquist Field in Ogden.
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- Ogden Raptors outfielder Reese Alexiades throws the ball in a playoff game against Rocky Mountain on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023, at Lindquist Field in Ogden.
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- Ogden’s Reese Alexiades celebrates a hit in a playoff game Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023, at Lindquist Field in Ogden.
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- Ogden pitcher Jake Mulholland throws the ball in a playoff game Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023, at Lindquist Field in Ogden.
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- Ogden third baseman Landen Barns rears to throw in a playoff game Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023, at Lindquist Field in Ogden.
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- Ogden’s Jake Mulholland throws in a playoff game Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023, at Lindquist Field in Ogden.
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- Ogden’s Josh Broughton swings at a pitch in a playoff game Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023, at Lindquist Field in Ogden.
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- Oggie, the Ogden Raptors mascot, is seen Sept. 13, 2023, at Lindquist Field in Ogden.
OGDEN — Five hits in one game just aren’t enough in the Pioneer Baseball League, especially against a good offensive team in the playoffs.
So the Ogden Raptors moved past their shutout loss Tuesday and, facing elimination, equaled their Game 1 hit total in just the first inning of Wednesday’s Game 2.
The bats kept going, Jake Mulholland turned in a strong six-inning start and the Raptors defeated the Rocky Mountain Vibes 9-4 in the South Division series — forcing a decisive Game 3 at 6:30 p.m. Thursday.
Josh Broughton hit the first pitch Ogden batters saw high off the wall in left-center for a double. Jonathan Soto hit a towering two-run homer to right, and second baseman Dakota Conners roped a two-RBI double to left-center for a 4-0 lead, getting the jump on RMV starter Zach Ottinger early in a five-hit inning.
Mulholland threw three perfect innings and the Vibes only got a runner past first base in one of the six innings he threw. The lefty allowed three earned runs on six hits, striking out six.
Four of those six hits came in a three-run third for Rocky Mountain that briefly put pressure on Mulholland and the Raptors. Matt Hogan just missed a homer to right on an RBI double, and Jake McMurray and Jacob Barfield singled in runs to make it 4-3.
But Ogden third baseman Landen Barns got some cushion right back, cracking a solo homer over the left-field spectator deck to lead off the bottom of the third.
Mulholland then got through the sixth without a threat.
In the fifth inning, Raptors catcher Logan Williams lined a screamer to the opposite field in right off former Ogden thrower Christian Day, pushing it deep enough out before it caught the stiff wind that curled it around the fair pole for a solo homer and a 6-3 lead.
Quinn Waterhouse threw the seventh for Ogden, striking out two in one of five 1-2-3 innings for the home team.
Raptors reliever Brandon McCabe ran into trouble in the eight after striking out two. He hit Barfield and walked another in four pitches, then deflected a well-hit Austin Elder ball up the middle. Conners couldn’t barehand it cleanly charging from second, so Barfield scored to make it a 6-4 contest.
The league’s save leader, Dan Kubiuk, entered with the tying run on base and quickly struck out Mark Herron Jr. to end the inning.
Against former Ogden pitcher Jack Cunningham, the Raptors built insurance when Nick Ultsch led off with a pinch-hit single and Conners drew a walk. After Cam Phelts bunted them over, the Vibes made the curious decision to intentionally walk Broughton to get to Reese Alexiades, the league’s home run leader who was already 3 for 4 on the night.
Alexiades made them pay. On an 0-2 pitch, he lined a single to left to score a pair for an 8-4 mark. It became 9-4 when Juan Teixeira hit a sacrifice fly to shallow center; Broughton tagged and raced home when the second baseman made a tough play in the grass.
Not that those runs would matter. Kubiuk quickly mowed through RMV in the ninth, striking out two more, including Elvis Peralta swinging to end the game.
The four Raptors pitchers struck out 13 batters and walked three, allowing seven hits.
Ogden totaled 14 hits, with eight coming against starter Ottinger in the first three innings. Alexiades hit 4 for 5 and Williams was 3 for 4.
In the North Division, Missoula led Billings 13-3 through seven innings at press time, signaling a likely Game 3 for that series as well.