Owlz Edge Yolo in Thrilling K.O Round Finish
Dramatic 3-2 knockout round goes NoCo's way.
Yuba-Sutter Freebirds
0-0
2
Colorado Springs Sky Sox
0-0
2
| Final (10) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 1 |
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0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 0 |
Windsor, Co.---In a series advertised as going to be close, the first three games have lived up to it. The Northern Colorado Owlz (40-28; 12-9) Dave Matthews homer in the third segment of the knockout round on Thursday proved to be the difference in a win over the Yolo High Wheelers (34-33; 11-10) at 4Rivers Equipment Stadium. The Owlz in the extra sessions outlasted the High Wheelers three homers to two while the nine inning contest ended 2-2. Yolo drops to 3-4 this year in the knockout round. Matthews homers give the Owlz two-of-the-first-three games in this series despite Yolo outscoring Northern Colorado 12-11 over that time.
The first round saw Yolo's Braedon Blackford and NoCo's Jacob McCasky each hit one homer. In the second round, Braylin Marine, and Jackson Coutts for the visitors and hosts respectively didn't homer. It was the first time that Yolo had to go to a third round of the KO. Tanner Smith homered for the High Wheelers but Matthews homered twice.
Yolo right-handed starter Brendan Knoll gave up two runs (both earned) in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out four. Northern Colorado scored single runs against him in the second on an RBI single by catcher Damon Maynard and in the fifth on an RBI groundout for left fielder Henry George who plated shortstop Garrett Kueber who led off with a walk.
The High Wheelers scored runs in the fourth courtesy of a single by shortstop Bobby Lada and tied the game in the eighth on a one-out homer to right for center fielder Brayland Skinner (6).
Kris Anglin, Ethan Bates, Jack Zalasky, and Connor Langrell combined out of the bullpen and offered 3 2/3 innings of shutout relief with two strikeouts.
Owlz starter Tyler Curtis struck out five in six innings surrendering one run (earned).
Game four of the series is on Friday night at 5:15 PST. Right-hander Cameron Repetti is the scheduled starter for Yolo against Northern Colorado righty Chase Jessee.
HIGH TALES
It's now eight straight times Zalasky and Langrell have pitched in the same game sharing the team lead with 28 appearances. Zalasky has made 11 straight appearances without allowing an earned run while Langrell it's nine consecutive contests with ten shutout frames and 12 strikeouts
Yolo has hit five homers through the first three games of this series
Marine was 1-3 with a single and a walk. His hitting streak is at seven games (14-28, .500)
First baseman Jose Gonzalez was 1-4 with a run. He has a five-game hit streak (7-19, .368)
Yolo leads the season series 5-4 and on this 21-game road trip is 5-7
In this series Bobby Lada has played shortstop and Marine has been at second because according to bench coach Gary Davenport, Lada plays better on astroturf