Chukars fly high in the series finally with Owlz
The Chukars got a two-run homerun from Stephen Cullen in the sixth inning, catapulting them to a 7-6 victory over the Northern Colorado Owlz on Sunday afternoon.
Chukars fly high in the series finally with Owlz
Will Vasseur
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho– The Chukars got a two-run homerun from Stephen Cullen in the sixth inning, catapulting them to a 7-6 victory over the Northern Colorado Owlz on Sunday afternoon.
Following a defeat on Saturday, Idaho Falls entered Sunday’s game, trying to salvage the final game of their six-game series with Northern Colorado.
Looking to collect his first win of the 2023 PLB season, the Chukars gave the ball to Jack Dicenso, who was making his ninth start.
Austin Schneider made his 13 start of the season for the Owlz, looking to build off the 5.0 innings of one-run baseball that he threw against the Chukars on Tuesday night.
Idaho Falls got the scoring started in the top of the second, thanks to Mark Herron Jr.’s homerun to right field, for his sixth homerun of the season, giving the Chukars a 1-0 lead.
The Chukars struck again in the top of the third, when Brandon Bohning launched his second homerun of the season, putting them ahead 2-0.
Northern Colorado responded in the bottom of the third, with five runs, all coming off two homeruns, putting the Owlz ahead 5-2.
Idaho Falls tied the game in the top of the fourth, thanks to three runs off the bats of three separate hitters. The final RBI came when Stephen Cullen knocked an RBI to center field, tying the game at 5-5.
In the top of the sixth inning, Cullen punched again for Idaho Falls, launching a two-out, two-run homerun to left field, putting the Chukars ahead 7-5.
The Owlz cut their deficit in half in the bottom of the sixth, making it 7-6.
Victor Rodriguez and Brian Williams came into the game in relief for Idaho Falls, locking down the Owlz offence and helping them advance to a 7-6 victory.
For the Chukars, Dicenso was able to collect his first victory of the season, going 5.0 innings and allowing five runs on three hits. In addition, Williams picked up his fifth save of the season, going one inning and allowing no runs on no hits.
Schneider was handed the loss for Northern Colorado, going 5.2 innings and allowing seven runs on ten hits.
With the victory, Idaho Falls snapped their six-game losing streak, advancing their record to 3-9 in the second half (18-42 overall).
The Chukars will return to action on Tuesday evening at Melaleuca Field when they face the Boise Hawks in another installment of the Highway Series. The First pitch of that game will be thrown at 7:05 p.m.