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Rams earn first win of season

Staff report
Post Independent Photo/Kelley CoxRoaring Fork third baseman Jake Kinney throws to first with shortstop Jake Bowman backing him up in Tuesdays game against Basalt. Roaring Fork won, 7-2.
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CARBONDALE – The Roaring Fork Rams baseball team used timely hitting and solid defense to upend rival Basalt 7-2 Tuesday for its first Western Slope League victory of the season. Jake Bowman led the offense with three RBIs in a 3-for-3 day at the plate that included a smoking line-drive double to the fence.But defense has been more of a problem than offense for the Rams so far this season, and things seemed to straighten out a bit against the Longhorns.”It was good for the team – good for the guys to get that confidence,” Roaring Fork coach Eric Nieslanik said.The Rams also had a solid showing from pitcher Kyle Raaflaub, who allowed only five hits in the complete-game victory.

“Defensively we were much better,” Nieslanik said. “The defense stuck behind (Raaflaub) and did a fantastic job.”Roaring Fork improved to 1-4 in league play (3-5 overall). Basalt dropped to 0-3 (1-4).Roaring Fork hosts Glenwood Springs in a nonleague game Thursday. Basalt also hosts a nonleague contest against Grand Valley. Both games are scheduled for 4 p.m.Rifle 26, Palisade 4Before starting the baseball season, Rifle coach Troy Phillips pointed to the Bears’ hitting prowess as a strength. Palisade saw it firsthand during Rifle’s 26-4 league thumping Tuesday.The victory evened the Bears’ league record at 1-1 (5-2 overall) and raised the team’s mild winning streak to three.

“We had a lot of balls that found a spot to land today,” Phillips said. “The guys did hit the ball. It was kind of different for them when the wind was blowing out like it was. “We’ve been hitting the ball pretty hard, but with the wind blowing in, those balls were hung up, and they were caught. Today, they were going over people’s heads.”And the Bulldogs must have felt like they were bobblehead dolls the way they were spinning in the first inning.Rifle opened the game with a 15-run first inning, then added 10 more to its lead in the following inning.Eli Snead and pitcher Brandon Leuallen, who picked up his third win of the year in the five-inning, mercy-rule contest, each had four hits.Matt Jones had the biggest day offensively among the Bears with three extra-base hits, including a home run and six RBIs.Rifle travels to Battle Mountain for a doubleheader Saturday.



Delta 20, Glenwood Springs 2The Western Slope League leading Panthers continue to distance themselves from the pack after a 20-2 victory over Glenwood Springs Tuesday. Delta (8-0 WSL, 9-2 overall) put the game away early, scoring 12 runs in the second inning. Brandon Keller cuffed Demons pitchers for two doubles and a homer in a six-RBI performance. Teammate Cory Ottinger went 3-for-4 with an RBI. Dave King had two singles in three at bats for the Demons, who scored both of their runs in the fifth inning.Glenwood (2-2, 4-2) has a nonleague game on tap at Roaring Fork Thursday, then resumes league play with a home doubleheader against Steamboat Saturday at the middle school field.


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