OGDEN, Utah, Sept. 15, 2023 (Gephardt Daily) — The Ogden Raptors return to the Pioneer Baseball League championship series on Saturday for the seventh time in franchise history and first since 2019.
Ogden outlasted the Rocky Mountain Vibes 3-1 Thursday night at Lindquist Field to win the three-game divisional playoff and advance to the championship series against the Billings Mustangs.
The best-of-three series begins at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at Lindquist Field before shifting to Billings, Montana, for games Monday and Tuesday, if necessary.
Ogden is seeking its second Pioneer Baseball League championship to display alongside its 2017 trophy.
“Come out, folks. Get out of the house and come down and watch these guys as they try to win a championship,” Raptors President Dave Baggott said in a video posted on social media after Ogden’s series-clinching victory Thursday. “It’s championship time here at Ogden Raptors baseball, so we’ll see you here.”
The Raptors enter the championship series as the league’s South Division champion after winning the first-half title (31-17) and finishing with the South’s best overall record (50-46).
Ogden and Rocky Mountain spit the first two games of the divisional series, with the Vibes winning 11-0 Tuesday and the Raptors taking Wednesday’s matchup 9-4.
A strong start from Raptors pitcher Brock Gilliam limited the Vibes to just one hit through six innings in Thursday’s series finale. The right-hander finished the night allowing just three hits and one earned run while striking out six and issuing one walk.
Rocky Mountain starter Peyton Long kept pace until the bottom of the sixth, when Ogden loaded the bases and later scored the game’s first run when Nick Ultsch was hit by a pitch. The Raptors then got a sacrifice fly from Dakota Conners to bring home another run and take a 2-0 lead after six.
The Vibes got on the board in the seventh, but the Raptors added an insurance run in the bottom of the inning with an RBI single from Juan Teixeira.
Ogden’s offense is paced by its outfield, with speedy slugger Reese Alexiades leading the Pioneer Baseball League with 29 home runs along with a team-best .671 slugging percentage and 29 steals. Fellow outfielders Ultsch (128), Teixeira (123) and Cameron Phelts (106) all topped the 100-hit mark this season, as did Conners, an infielder.
Ultsch added a team-high .373 batting average, while Phelts ranked third in the league with 40 stolen bases.
The Raptors also boast depth on the mound, with Dan Kubiuk leading the league in saves with 15 while posting an impressive 0.50 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 50 strikeouts. He allowed just two earned runs in 35 total appearances and 35.2 innings pitched.
Brandon McCabe (1-2), Gilliam (9-6), Jake Mullholland (8-1) and Mitchell Stone (4-5) also had solid seasons on the mound.
Ogden Raptors in the Pioneer Baseball League championship series
- 1996 — Lost to Helena Brewers, 2-0.
- 2010 — Lost to Helena Brewers, 2-0.
- 2011 — Lost to Great Falls Voyagers, 2-0.
- 2012 — Lost to Missoula Osprey, 2-1.
- 2017 — Defeated Great Falls Voyagers, 2-1.
- 2019 — Lost to Idaho Falls Chukars, 2-1.
NOTE: The Ogden Reds defeated the Boise Pilots 3-0 in 1940 and 3-1 in 1941 to win the championship series. The Ogden Dodgers won the PL title four consecutive seasons from 1966 to 1969, though no playoffs were held.
