Chukars, Sharts can’t overcome six-run fifth, fall to Jackalopes to open final series of ’24
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IDAHO FALLS — Everything seemed to be lining up for the Chukars early Tuesday night, with Idaho Falls hitters tagging Grand Junction starter Evan Massie in the first two innings and ace Owen Sharts seemingly stuck on automatic through four.
The worm turned in the fifth, and neither Sharts nor the Chukars offense could right the ship as the Jackalopes (26-23 second half, 46-51 overall) took game one of the season’s final series for the Chukars (18-30, 34-62), 11-7.
Sharts, who recorded two strikeouts through 4 scoreless innings, was working with a lead after Anthony Mata and the Chukar bats scored three in the bottom of the second. But three walks and three hits — one a lazy fly ball that fell after right fielder Chase Hanson appeared to lose it in the lights — had him walking off the mound with no outs and four runs scored in the frame. Grand Junction added two more before reliever Tyler Dyball finally escaped the jam.
Idaho Falls pitching coach and former Major League pitcher Bob Milacki said that the staff ace let one mistake compound another — from the dropped fly ball to a missed 0-2 pitch that yielded an RBI single.
“I just think he let the last pitch affect the next one,” Milacki said. “He had a ball get lost in the sky, then he missed with an 0-2 pitch, and it just started snowballing from there.
Milacki referred to Sharts’ walk total — five — saying it was the most surprising thing about the night, given the righty’s normal ability to avoid free passes.
Dyball returned to the mound in the sixth, but was unable to finish the frame, recording two outs and allowing another four runs to score before he was relieved. Grand Junction added another run to the record of Trevor Jackson in the eighth.
The Chukars could easily have scored more than three in the first two innings. Tyler Wyatt led off the game with a scalded grounder up the third base line that third baseman Jonathan Gonzalez fielded on a slide and nabbed Wyatt with an accurate throw across the diamond. Grady Morgan followed with a liner that center fielder Druw Sackett caught on the run. Then, leading off the bottom of the second, Trevor Rogers sent his own liner toward the wall in right which was flagged down by a leaping Cayln Halvorson.
Hard-hit balls off Idaho Falls bats did eventually find grass, on singles from Jacob Shanks and Jacob Jablonski — the latter of which knocked the glove of Grand Junction second baseman Andres Rios clean off. The first run of the game came on an Anthony Mata triple off the wall in center.
All told, the Chukars sent 11 hitters to the plate in the first two innings. One walked and eight made solid contact. But a hustle play from Rios to recover on Jablonski’s single and throw Shanks out at third, and three stellar plays from Jackalope fielders helped limit the damage.
“As soon as the ball leaves your bat, there’s absolutely nothing more you can do,” Mata said. “Obviously, we’re doing something right — eight hard-hit balls in the first two innings — we’ve just got to continue to roll with that.”
Mata finished the game going 2-4 with a walk and two RBIs.
The Chukars added lone runs in the fifth, seventh, eighth — on Jablonski’s 16th homer of the season — and ninth when Mata drew a one-out bases-loaded walk, bringing the tying run to the plate. But the Jackalopes escaped the jam to end the game.
“We strung together some good (at-bats) but they made a couple good plays in the field,” he said. “I think we’ll be right back at them — I think that last inning is who we are.”
For Sharts, who is currently second among all Pioneer Baseball League pitchers with 116 in 82-1/3 innings pitched, Tuesday may have marked his final appearance of the 2024 season — depending on the Chukars’ needs through the final five games of the season.
The Chukars and Jackalopes will play five more times this week as the season comes to an end. While Idaho Falls has been eliminated from playoff contention, Grand Junction holds onto slim hopes for the PBL South second-half crown and a playoff berth. They entered Tuesday’s games three games behind the Rocky Mountain Vibes for that spot.
Game two of the series is scheduled to start at 7:05 p.m. Wednesday at Melaleuca Field.