Owlz Drop Disappointing Double-Header Day

GREELEY, Colo. -- An overall off-day for the Owlz offense gave Ogden a double-header sweep on Friday. And while the home team's starting hurlers hung in there, some bullpen woes wound up costing them.

Game One

The Raptors rode a smooth start, a triple-filled fifth, and a seven-run seventh to another double-digit dub.

In its 12-2 win, Ogden (21-17) doubled up the Owlz (15-21) in hits, 12 to six. But the detrimental differential came in the walks allowed: eight by the Owlz, three by the Raptors.

Riley Ottesen (W, 1-1) issued all three, but those free passes are just a footnote on his stellar start. Across 4.2 innings, the righty racked up seven strikeouts. He allowed three hits and a single earned run.

On the other side, the Owlz Colton Williams (L, 0-2) made it a pitcher's duel for a while. Through four innings, he had allowed a run, but he hovered right around 50 pitches. The lefty logged two strikeouts in that time too, and didn't walk anyone.

But the wheels kind of fell off in the fifth.

Three of the frame's first four batters tripled, and all four of those guys ended up scoring. That's when Williams' day finished.

But the Raptors weren't finished scoring. In the seventh inning, they batted around and brought home seven runs. Against Chance Benton, Noah Parsons, and first basemen Ty Lewis, only one Ogden batter failed to reach base in the inning. As for the rest of them: six reached with a walk, two got on with a hit, and another got aboard after an error.

So that was Ogden's 12. As for NoCo's two, they came courtesy of some of the usual suspects.

In the fifth inning, Marshall Rich walked with one out. Brandon Crosby caused Rich's 17th run scored this season with a run-scoring single up the middle.

And the Owlz were still swinging in the seventh. Euro Diaz doubled to lead things off, and with two outs, Alex Jackson laced a liner into center to drive in Diaz.

Though he didn't contribute to any of the runs, Tim Bouchard brought a bright spot. He finished 3-for-3, hacking half of his team's hits on the afternoon.

Game Two

A complete game shutout completed Ogden's double-header sweep.

The number of hits Bouchard had in Game One matched his team's total in Game Two. The Owlz (15-22) finished with three hits against Ronny Orta (W, 5-2) and lost 11-0.

Orta won his third game against the Owlz this season. The Venezuelan virtuoso delivered six strikeouts and allowed four total baserunners: three hits and a walk.

To offset Orta, NoCo came out with Tanner Schoeninger (L, 1-3), who showed solid stuff for some time. His second and third innings took 10 or fewer pitches to complete. He gave up four runs, but only two of them went down as earned. He did allow a homer, but other than that, he allowed just one extra-base hit.

Schoeninger's last inning was the insane fifth. Ogden's Josh Broughton opened it up with a single, his 10th hit of the series so far. Pat Adams grounded it to second quick enough for Zach West's tag attempt on Broughton. But West missed … at least at first. The play ended with two errors and a run scored. When the umpires reneged their initial ruling, calling Broughton out, it took a run off the board.

Some uproar ensued, and the Raptors actually earned back that lost run with Reese Alexiades' right-away RBI single.

After all that commotion, Schoeninger stepped off the mound in favor of Kyle Adkins, who got two crucial outs to stop the bleeding.

But the sixth inning really opened the wound.

Hector Yan relieved Adkins, and he only lasted five batters. He walked all of them. In the end, Yan gave up five earned runs.

The Raptors plated two more that inning for their second seven-run inning in as many games.

Jackson, Crosby, and Diaz all etched one hit, making up the three for the Owlz in Friday's Game Two. That total matches their fewest hits in a game this season.

Next Up

Another double-header will happen on Saturday. With a sweep, the Owlz can salvage a series split as well as an even record in the season series.

Kida De La Cruz and Jerryell Rivera are projected to start for NoCo on Saturday.

Stay tuned on our social media feeds for a confirmed first pitch time. Saturday's games will be the last ones at Jackson Field until July 22.

Tickets are on sale at this link for just $10. The box office is also open for walk-ups the day of the game.

See you Saturday!