Jackalopes Split Series With Boise, Set Up Win and In Scenario

Grand Junction entered a six-game series against the Boise Hawks on Tuesday in a better position than they could have hoped, 1.5 games out of first place in the PBL South. 

The Jakes split with Boise 3-3. As with many split series, no one is left happy. Ultimately, while there was a missed opportunity for Grand Junction, they did enough to keep their playoff hopes alive, and for a team that finished last in the first half, stunningly possible. 

They finish the season with six games against the Rocky Mountain Vibes—three at Suplizio Field and three in Colorado Springs. The math is simple. Win four of the six games, and the Jakes are back in the playoffs.

Series Summary

After beginning the series with a pretty lopsided loss, 9-1 (a twelve-hour bus ride the day before could have had something to do with it), the Jackalopes bats got hot, posting double-digit runs in the next three games (14-11, 13-3 and 10-9* victories). The Jakes couldn't take advantage of a Rocky Mountain Vibes loss on Saturday, falling 5-4. They lost the final, and in a strange set of circumstances, virtually meaningless finally on Sunday 5-3.**

The aforementioned missed opportunity comes from the fact that had the Jackalopes won on Saturday and Sunday, they would be a game up in the division and need a 3-3 split with the Vibes to make the playoffs.

Jackalopes starting pitching shined in the final four games of the series. Four starters (Adam Bloebaum, Frank Racioppo, Justin Kleinsorge and Chris Allen) combined for 26.1 innings, giving up just eight runs and striking out 19 batters. 

Questions about the Jackalope's bullpen continue to intensify. Of the 42 runs given up in the series, 18 came in the 7th inning or later. Closer Calvin Marley has departed the team to complete his final semester of college, leaving a hole at the back end of the bullpen, a gap that the Jackalopes have struggled to fill all year. They've made it this far, but Chris Knabenshue and Bobby Chouinard will have to find a way to piece it together, especially if the team does make the playoffs.  

On the offensive side, Jaylen Hubbard had his best road series of the year, going 10/25 with two HRs and nine RBI. He leads the league in runs batted in with 110 and now moves into second place with 24 home runs. 

Overall, the Jackalopes have three of the top four home hitters in the PBL: Hubbard (24), Ron Washington Jr. (23), and Jake Cruce (22). 

What's Next

The Jackalopes begin a three-game series against the Rocky Mountain Vibes on Monday night at Suplizio Field.

The Jackalopes will then travel to the Springs for the season's final three games.

Again, the math is simple: 

Win (4), and you're in.

*Okay, so it was really a 9-9 KO round win, but for the sake of the narrative, we're going with the way it appears in the box score.

**Why meaningless, you ask. The Jakes entered Sunday's game 0.5 games behind the Vibes (Rocky Mountain didn't play Sunday). If they won, they would be tied, and since Rocky Mountain has the tiebreaker, they would need to win 4/6 games to make the playoffs. Instead, they lost and are one game back and need to win 4/6 games to win the division.