times staff
sportswriter
If it is not the cold, then the rain has been the main enemy of spring sports like baseball. The Pirates have come to know this all to well. Last week the Men in Red/Black got three games in picking up two more wins, but fell in a heartbreaker to district rival Estill County in extra innings.
Powell opened the week hosting the Engineers last Monday evening. The Pirates opened th game strong, scoring four runs in the bottom of the first inning. Estill pushed a run across in the second, only to see Powell tack on another run to hold a 5-1 lead.
The Engineers had their big inning in the fourth as they pushed four runs across. The offensive explosion by the visitors made it a 5-5 game. But the Pirates scored again in their half of the fourth to recapture the lead at 6-5.
It remained that way until the top of the seventh. The Engineers came up big, scoring run to tie the gamed sent it into extra innings. Estill broke the tie in the top of the ninth inning, pushing a run across the plate. Powell could not muster another run, falling to the Engineers 7-6 in none innings.
Powell was led by Bryce Merion who was 3-for-5 at the plate, while teammate Daniel Poe went 2-for-3 at the dish. Despite the loss to their district rivals, the Pirates still hold on to the edge and the top seed in the 56th District.
Powell then traveled to Owsley County last Tuesday. They made short work of the Owls, scoring 11 runs in the first inning and five more in the second enroute to a 26-4 drumming of the hosts. Daniel Poe was 2-for-2, Trent Rogers was 2-for-3 while Wyatt Clark, Taylor Kennon and Jace Ware were all 2-for-4 at the plate. Kennon had four RBI’s in the contest.
The Pirates wrapped up the weather shortened week with a 9-2 road win over Breathitt County last Thursday. Powell and Breathitt played nearly even baseball throughout the game. With the score tied at 2-2, Powell exploded for seven runs in the top of the seventh, the held the Bobcats in the bottom of the last inning to seal the victory.
Powell was led by Merion, who went 3-for-4 while scoring a run and picking up two RBI’s. Clark was 3-for-5, also scoring a run and adding an RBI to his stats.
The Pirates entered their week of action with an overall 12-10 record, 4-1 in district play. Powell was schedule to play Jackson City in Stanton this past Tuesday evening. They would then set sail for Magoffin County tonight (Thursday) before returning home Friday to host Leslie County. Powell would then travel to Nicholas County to play in a triangle with the Bluejackets and Covington Holmes.