Grizzlies rally in rain

FORT COLLINS, Colo.—Prior to Friday, the Grizzlies were 0-2 against the Fort Collins Foxes, but 6-1 against everyone else.

Friday’s game was different, however, featuring two rain delays, a rain-shortened game, an ejection and most importantly, a 6-4 Grizzlies win in five innings.

The Grizzlies trailed 2-0 early as inconsistent defense and pitching got starter Josh Boyer into trouble.

Cheyenne was able to get one of those runs back in the top half of the second when catcher Jefre Johnson singled, advanced on a sacrifice bunt and error and came around to score on a Ryan Javech sacrifice fly. However, the next batter, Mike Henricks, flied out to center field, seemingly another sac fly. But third baseman Mike Lessig was called out at the plate on a questionable call that led to head coach Aaron Holley’s ejection.

Lessig tagged on the play, beating the throw to the plate. Foxes pitcher David Fair, however, who was backing up the throw at home plate, got in the way of home plate umpire.

The call, which ended the inning and the potential rally for the Grizzlies, led to an animated argument. Holley bolted out of the dugout and was in the umpire’s face for several minutes, eventually getting tossed once he reenacted the play at the plate by sliding into home plate several times.

A second error and two hits brought home two more runs for the Foxes in the third, extending their lead to 4-1.

But again, the Grizzlies fired right back, scoring five in the fourth inning to jump ahead for good.

With one out, Johnson singled to left and Lessig doubled to deep left-center. Javech walked on four pitches to load the bases but Fair got Henricks to pop out into foul terriritory to get the second out.

Right fielder Rory Kolo and center fielder Kevin Logan, though, had back-to-back walks to bring home a pair of runs and cut the deficit to just one.

With two outs and the bases still loaded, Jose Jauregiu was ready to come to the plate when the umpiring crew delayed the game due to standing rain.

The delay didn’t kill the Grizzlies’ rally, though, as Jauregiu cleared the bases with a three-run double to right field to give the Grizzlies a 6-4 lead when the game resumed.

Cheyenne added another run in the sixth, and had two on with one out, but increased rain led to a second delay. This time, the Foxes pulled the tarp over the diamond, and soon after, with rain now flooding the field, the game was called.

Since the sixth inning was not completed, the score was reverted back to the last completed inning.

Boyer threw all five innings for the Grizzlies, allowing two earned runs on six hits, two walks and six strikeouts.