Chukars split the series with Raptors
The Chukars won two of three games in Ogden over the weekend, earning a split with the Raptors in their six-game series.
Chukars split the series with Raptors
IDAHO FALLS, IDAHO– The Chukars won two of three games in Ogden over the weekend, earning a split with the Raptors in their six-game series.
On Friday, the Chukars were powered by a complete game shutout from Daniel Silva, who went nine innings and allowed just two hits in the game.
The Chukars' offense exploded for six runs in the second inning, including a three-run RBI double from Cordell Dunn Jr., helping them cruise to a 7-0 victory.
For the Raptors, Ronny Orta started the game and collected the loss, going 1.2 innings and surrendering five runs on six hits.
In Saturday’s game, the Chukars started Dusty Baird, who went 3.0 innings and gave up four runs on eight hits. Ogden started Pablo Arevalo who went 6.1 innings and surrendered two runs on six hits.
The Raptors offense got the evening started in the bottom of the second inning when Brian Dansereau smacked a two-run homerun to put his team ahead 2-0.
After Ogden tacked on runs in the fourth and fifth, the Chukars trailed 7-0 after five innings. The Chukars scored their lone runs of the game in the top of the sixth inning when Cordell Dunn Jr. ripped a two-run RBI single.
Following the single, Dunn was removed from the game with a lower-body injury.
In the end, the Chukars fell 10-2 in Saturday’s matchup.
In Sunday’s series finally, both offenses exploded early. Completing a back-and-forth series with a back-and-forth game.
Hunter Hudson got the scoring started for the Chukars when he knocked an RBI single to cash in Chris Monroe and give the Chukars a 1-0 lead.
Ogden responded in the bottom of the second when Dansereau slammed a three-run RBI triple to right center field, putting the Raptors up 3-1 after two innings.
Idaho Falls responded in the top of the third inning when they scored five runs, including a grand slam from Zach May to put the Chukars up 6-3.
The Raptors clawed back in the bottom of the inning when Reese Alexiades hit his fourth homerun of the series which was a two-run shot to cut the Chukars' lead to 6-5 after three innings.
Ogden tied it in the bottom of the fifth, however, Idaho Falls recaptured the lead in the top of the sixth thanks to a Jordan Myrow single to score two runs.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, Ogden was down to their final out, when Sal Gozzo laced a two RBI single to left field to tie the game 8-8, setting up the first “knockout round” of the 2023 PBL season.
Both teams were even following the first three rounds of hitting. However, when Karl Koerper stepped up to the plate in the fourth round and hit three homeruns in the round, propelling the Chukars to a victory.
With the win on Sunday, the Chukars moved to 8-10 on the season and currently sit in third place in the PBL North Division.
The Chukars will return to action on Tuesday, June 13, when they take on the Rocky Mountain Vibes at Melaleuca Field. The first pitch of that game will be at 7:05.