From Deseret News archives:
Owlz hold on to get past Osprey
Orem was ahead by one when Missoula's Taylor Harbin singled to lead off the top of the ninth. After Sean Coughlin hit into a double play, Derrick Walker beat out a play to first for a single. He ran to third on a throwing error by pitcher Ryan Brasier, giving the Osprey hope and giving the home fans heart palpitations.
But Anthony Smith flew out to right just moments later to give the Owlz their seventh victory of the year.
The win didn't come without a few ups and downs. Orem was down by a run in the seventh and not having much luck at the plate since showing a little life in the first.
Jeremy Moore walked to lead off the inning, and Julio Perez put some muscle into it with a game-tying RBI triple to deep center. Jerry Gonzalez drove in the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly to left, giving Orem a 3-2 lead heading into the eighth inning.
The Owlz evened their record up at .500 with the victory in the first of three straight home games against Missoula.
The Owlz jumped out early with two hits and a run in the first inning. After Hector Estrella pounded out a single and Gordie Gronkowski walked, Moore stepped to the plate with two outs and two on base. Moore proceeded to smack a single to center field, scoring Estrella for the first run of the game.
The home team and pitcher Mason Tobin made it through four innings unscathed, but they weren't so lucky in the fifth.
It all started with a little single up the middle by Walker, followed by a single to right by Anthony Smith. All was routine, however, until Jose Dijol came up to the plate with runners on second and third. His bat broke and flew off in its own direction while the ball traveled a swift trajectory to third. But when Estrella threw home on the fielder's choice, the ball arrived at almost the exact same time as Walker, who ran over Owlz catcher Chris Rosenbaum like he wasn't even there, knocking the ball back to the wall and giving the Osprey their first score.
The runners advanced to second and third on the play, and Gerardo Bustamente grounded in Missoula's second run, giving the Osprey a 2-1 lead after five.
E-mail: jolsen@desnews.com
