Owlz win series late again

The Orem Owlz wrapped up a three-game series at home against the Casper Ghosts early last week at Brett Brown Ballpark, winning the rubber match of the series, 6-5.

The Owlz (12-10) had an uphill battle, due to a four-run deficit in the second inning whe pitcher Carmine Giardina was smacked around for six hits.

Carson Andrew proceeded to lead the Owlz in a gradual comeback, allowing two hits and one run while sitting down four Ghosts on strikeouts.

Travis Witherspoon’s efforts helped the charge for the Owlz comeback by cutting the lead in half in the third inning with a smash over the 427-foot sign in left-center field.

“It was just a fastball up in the zone,” Witherspoon said. “I was just fortunate enough to get on top of it with my line-drive swing, have it catch some height and it took off.”

Witherspoon’s long ball wasn’t the only one of the night. Kole Calhoun snuck around the right field foul pole in what ended up to be the game-winning homerun in the seventh inning.

“It was fair all day,” Calhoun said. “[The home plate umpire] called it fair, so it’s fair.”

The Owlz bullpen then went on to pitch perfect eighth and ninth innings to finish off their comeback.

Comeback wins have been a somewhat regular occurrence this season and that has Owlz Manager Tom Kotchman worried.

“You can’t keep doing that,” said Kotchman. “For us to be in the situation to be tied for first, we’ll take it.”

That’s where the Owlz sat early last week. They entered a huge 14-game stretch versus the Missoula Osprey and the Helena Brewers of the North division, with the first seven games on the road.

“You’d like to finish up the first half (of the season) against your own teams,” Kotchman said. “But again, we’re tied for first and that’s the bottom line.”

The road ahead for the Owlz will be a tough one, especially against the talented pitching of Helena. Kotchman referred to their pitching staff as being “stacked.”

The secret for the Owlz is to be aggressive and try to score runs early in games, avoiding thrilling, yet unneeded, comebacks.

The Owlz will return to their home field on Wednesday, July 21, taking on the Missoula Osprey to begin a four-game series.