Raptors Win Series Courtesy of Conners Production at the Plate

Following their first loss on the year, the Raptors were looking to quickly bounce back into the win column, and the combination of timely clutch pitching and smart situational hitting allowed for the Raptors to put up an untouchable 8-run lead, giving them the insurance needed to secure the win over the reigning PBL champions. After finding themselves down 5-3 in the early innings, the Raptors needed some offensive magic, and the lineup delivered on all cylinders as they recorded 13 runs on 15 hits and 9 walks. This level of productivity on offense would knock around any pitching staff, and it was a phenomenal way for the Raptors to make a statement, flush the previous game, and lock up the series win. If this Raptors lineup can consistently slug, like we saw last night, they are the team to beat in Pioneer League Baseball.

Despite the scorecard not saying so, Pablo Arevalo silently had a very solid night on the bump, giving up 5 hits on 5 runs (4 of those Earned Runs) with 3 walks and fanning 6 batters in 5.0 full innings of work. Despite the Jackalopes lineup doing some early damage with back-to-back jacks off the bats of Jacob Cruce and Kokko Figueiredo, Arevalo seemed to really hit his stride after this as he worked through Grand Junction’s lineup in the 4th and 5th innings without any issues. For the Raptors, one of the main benefactors in getting the momentum on their side was the clutch offensive production that came from the bat of Dakota Conners, with him recording 2 rbi’s on a single with the bases juiced in the 6th, and tacking on 1 more run in the seventh, with another clutch hit to left field scoring Landed Barnes from 90 feet away at 3rd base. On a night when you wouldn’t have to look far to find opulent production from the bats, Dakota Conners stood out as the outlier, with 3 hits in 4 ABs plus a base on balls, Conners solidified himself as the leading RBI hitter in the PBL last night. 

As we move towards the final game of the series, this short 6-game glimpse of the 2023 Raptors ballclub has shown some seriously promising signs. When the offense is at its best, everybody is producing, passing the baton from one hitter to the next as they chip away at the opposing starters. This is the type of offense that will wear you down; When you’re pitching to this lineup, their disciplined approach at the plate, explosive ability with the bats, and knack for getting runners in from scoring position make this offense nightmare fuel for opposing pitchers. Additionally, when the arms coming out of the pen such as Ottesen and Scoggins are hitting their spots, this team is nearly unhittable. There have been encouraging signs from this team all series long with them currently holding a 4-1 lead in this season opening series. The Raptors look to carry over the momentum from last night's win to today and finish up this series with one final W wrapped on top.