Chukars, Sharts can’t overcome six-run fifth, fall to Jackalopes to open final series of ’24

IDAHO FALLS — Everything seemed to beryllium lining up for nan Chukars early Tuesday night, pinch Idaho Falls hitters tagging Grand Junction starter Evan Massie successful nan first 2 innings and ace Owen Sharts seemingly stuck connected automatic done four.

The worm turned successful nan fifth, and neither Sharts nor nan Chukars discourtesy could correct nan vessel arsenic nan Jackalopes (26-23 2nd half, 46-51 overall) took crippled 1 of nan season’s last bid for nan Chukars (18-30, 34-62), 11-7.

Sharts, who recorded 2 strikeouts done 4 scoreless innings, was moving pinch a lead aft Anthony Mata and nan Chukar bats scored 3 successful nan bottommost of nan second. But 3 walks and 3 hits — 1 a lazy alert shot that fell aft correct fielder Chase Hanson appeared to suffer it successful nan lights — had him stepping disconnected nan mound pinch nary outs and 4 runs scored successful nan frame. Grand Junction added 2 much earlier reliever Tyler Dyball yet escaped nan jam.

Idaho Falls pitching coach and erstwhile Major League pitcher Bob Milacki said that nan unit ace fto 1 correction compound different — from nan dropped alert shot to a missed 0-2 transportation that yielded an RBI single.

“I conscionable deliberation he fto nan past transportation impact nan adjacent one,” Milacki said. “He had a shot get mislaid successful nan sky, past he missed pinch an 0-2 pitch, and it conscionable started snowballing from there.

Milacki referred to Sharts’ locomotion full — 5 — saying it was nan astir astonishing point astir nan night, fixed nan righty’s normal expertise to debar free passes.

Dyball returned to nan mound successful nan sixth, but was incapable to decorativeness nan frame, signaling 2 outs and allowing different 4 runs to people earlier he was relieved. Grand Junction added different tally to nan grounds of Trevor Jackson successful nan eighth.

Owen Sharts releases a transportation successful nan 4th inning Tuesday arsenic 2nd baseman Jacob Jablonski prepares to make a play. | Kalama Hines, EastIdahoNews.com

The Chukars could easy person scored much than 3 successful nan first 2 innings. Tyler Wyatt led disconnected nan crippled pinch a scalded grounder up nan 3rd guidelines statement that 3rd baseman Jonathan Gonzalez fielded connected a descent and nabbed Wyatt pinch an meticulous propulsion crossed nan diamond. Grady Morgan followed pinch a liner that halfway fielder Druw Sackett caught connected nan run. Then, starring disconnected nan bottommost of nan second, Trevor Rogers sent his ain liner toward nan wall successful correct which was flagged down by a leaping Cayln Halvorson.

Hard-hit balls disconnected Idaho Falls bats did yet find grass, connected singles from Jacob Shanks and Jacob Jablonski — nan second of which knocked nan mitt of Grand Junction 2nd baseman Andres Rios cleanable off. The first tally of nan crippled came connected an Anthony Mata triple disconnected nan wall successful center.

All told, nan Chukars sent 11 hitters to nan sheet successful nan first 2 innings. One walked and 8 made coagulated contact. But a hustle play from Rios to retrieve connected Jablonski’s azygous and propulsion Shanks retired astatine third, and 3 stellar plays from Jackalope fielders helped limit nan damage.

“As soon arsenic nan shot leaves your bat, there’s perfectly thing much you tin do,” Mata said. “Obviously, we’re doing thing correct — 8 hard-hit balls successful nan first 2 innings — we’ve conscionable sewage to proceed to rotation pinch that.”

Mata vanished nan crippled going 2-4 pinch a locomotion and 2 RBIs.

The Chukars added lone runs successful nan fifth, seventh, eighth — connected Jablonski’s 16th homer of nan play — and ninth erstwhile Mata drew a one-out bases-loaded walk, bringing nan tying tally to nan plate. But nan Jackalopes escaped nan jam to extremity nan game.

“We strung together immoderate bully (at-bats) but they made a mates bully plays successful nan field,” he said. “I deliberation we’ll beryllium correct backmost astatine them — I deliberation that past inning is who we are.”

Idaho Falls shortstop Anthony Mata grounds retired successful nan 3rd inning of nan Chukars’ nonaccomplishment to nan Grand Junction Jackalopes Tuesday nighttime astatine Melaleuca Field. | Kalama Hines, EastIdahoNews.com

For Sharts, who is presently 2nd among each Pioneer Baseball League pitchers pinch 116 successful 82-1/3 innings pitched, Tuesday whitethorn person marked his last quality of nan 2024 play — depending connected nan Chukars’ needs done nan last 5 games of nan season.

The Chukars and Jackalopes will play 5 much times this week arsenic nan play comes to an end. While Idaho Falls has been eliminated from playoff contention, Grand Junction holds onto slim hopes for nan PBL South second-half crown and a playoff berth. They entered Tuesday’s games 3 games down nan Rocky Mountain Vibes for that spot.

Game 2 of nan bid is scheduled to commencement astatine 7:05 p.m. Wednesday astatine Melaleuca Field.