Annone the Hero Again as Vibes Split Double-Header
By Tyler Petersen
Colorado Springs, Colo. – After a rainy Saturday night, the Vibes and Owlz finished their series under better conditions Sunday at UCHealth Park with a split of a double-header.
Game 1
Brock Knoten impressed in his first Vibes start going 4.0 innings, allowing only 1 R/1 ER on 4 H and 1 BB. It was a 1-1 game after the 4th inning before the Owlz struck for three runs in the top of the 5th inning. The Vibes began to make their way back with a run in the bottom of the 5th with Luis Navarro's first professional home run. Another run in the 6th on an RBI single by Mike Annone cut the deficit to only one at 4-3.
But that's how the game would end. Gaylan Young shut the door for Northern Colorado going 1.1 IP for his fourth save of the season.
Of note, Gio Diaz was held hitless in the contest, stopping his season-opening hit streak at 25 games.
Despite the loss, spirits were high going into the second game. "One of the best environments I've ever played in," said Knoten after his Vibes debut. Like many of his teammates, Knoten is adjusting to both a new city and a whole new clubhouse. "I love this new coaching staff."
Game 2
Another Vibes debut took place in the second game as Greyson Fletcher made not only his first Rocky Mountain appearance but his professional debut on the hill. Much like the first game, an atypical Pioneer League pitcher's duel broke out with Fletcher and NoCo starter Preston Snavely blanking their respective opponents through the first three innings.
Ulysses Cantu brought home the first Vibes run in the top of the 4th with an RBI single that scored Gio Diaz.
It remained a 1-0 game until the top of the 6th when NoCo newcomer Tim Bouchard hit a ball over 450 feet to centerfield to give the Owlz a 2-1 lead.
It would not last for long though, as once again Ulysses Cantu drove in another run on another RBI single; Cesar Lopez scored to make it 2-2.
Seth Davis came out of the bullpen and pitched a scoreless 7 th sending the game to the last frame all tied up.
Andrew Hanson led it off with a walk in the 7th then promptly stole second on the next pitch. In a big play that won't show up in the box score, Hanson took third base on a groundball to the third baseman when he threw across the diamond to first.
It set up another chance for the NoCo foe Mike Annone to exact more revenge against the Owlz. With the infield pulled in, Annone laced a ball back up the middle, the game-winning hit to centerfield.
What was Annone thinking at the plate? "I'm not losing this game. I'm not losing this game," he said during his postgame interview after being once again drenched with water on the field. "This is a group of winners. We are going to win."
The Vibes are 4-1 under new management.
The Vibes and Owlz still have two more games to make up before the end of the first half thanks to Mother Nature's previous tomfoolery. The makeup dates for those games are still to be announced.
Rocky Mountain is back in action on Wednesday at 12:30 PM, the first game of six against the
Billings Mustangs.
