6/1/2013-Brad Orosey threw a three-hitter against ROswell Friday, striking out 10 while earning the shutout. (Photo by Karen Boehler)

By Karen Boehler
Pecos League writer

ALPINE, Texas -- After a rough road trip which the Cowboys ended with a 2-6 record over the last two series, Alpine was eager to get home to the friendly confines of Kokernot Stadium. Friday, they opened a brief home stand with a 5-0 shutout of Roswell, handing the Invaders only their second shutout of the season and their first two-game loss.

"We were ready," said Cowboy manager Ryan Stevens. "We had a lot of built-up aggression. We were pretty banged up and after about 14 games on the road, we were ready to come home and play at our spot. So were real glad about it."

Starter Brad Orosey pitched an awesome game, three-hitting Roswell with only three walks while striking out 10 Invaders.

"Thats what championship caliber teams have," Stevens said. "They have one of their aces come out on the mound in a real big game. He did that for us in the championship series last year. Hes just a workhorse and hes developed,. He had a couple of rough outing early on and hes worked his butt off and he will not stop until he gets better."

Orosey didnt go the full nine innings -- turning the final stanza over to reliever Matt Marra -- who set Roswell down 1-2-3 -- but Stevens said that was Oroseys choice.

"His pitch count was up and when Brad Orosey tells me hes had it, I listen," the manager said.

The Roswell starter didnt have a bad day, either.

"Ed Kohout did great," said Invader manager Chris Ebright. "He went six innings. He did OK. They hit the ball when they needed to and well come back offensively."

The game was scoreless until the bottom of the third when the Cowboys went up 1-0 on back-to-back-to back singles by Orosey, Derrick Fox and Eric Herman. Oroseys hit was contested by Roswell first baseman Nate Theunissen, who said he wasnt pulled off the bag, then, after that incident died down, there was another "only in the Pecos League" moment.

The umpires appeared to be discussing the call, but actually, the plate umpire had apparently become dehydrated in the 90-degree plus temperatures and needed to be cooled down. After water and some ice, he went back into the game to the cheers of the fans. (Which was ironic, since the Alpine fans had been needling the umpires mercilessly earlier.)

The Fox and Herman singles followed, with Orosey scoring the games first run on a ground out by Casanova Donaldson.

The Cowboys added two more runs in the fifth when Fox walked and Herman hit an RBI double, then, two outs later, a walk and error brought Herman in. Alpine got its final runs in the seventh when Donaldson singled and scored on a Logan Lotti double, then Joel Carranza had an RBI double.

Roswells only hits were singles by Ryan Normoyle and Vincent Mejia and a double by Matt Faiman.

"We kept them off balance," Stevens said. "We did a good job with that. Were on the same page. Were still banged up. Bryson (Sims) banged up. So is (Mike) Dobre. Lottis banged up in left field, but were manufacturing runs and were doing what we need to do."

Ebright was still able to smile after the loss.

"They got us on our bad days," he said. "We didnt play very well today, mentally or physically. We didnt have a good strategy. We knew what their pitcher has and we didnt make adjustments through the game. Thats all right. Well be all right."

The teams will face off in a doubleheader Saturday beginning at 4:05 p.m. at Kokernot Park, and Stevens said his team is ready.

"We are absolutely ready. Were going to come ready to compete every single day."

Cowboy Derrick Mitchell will face Andrew Shoemaker in the opener, while Brian Smith and Jordan Lehman will square off in the nightcap.

Both games will go seven innings, and Ebright said thats a good thing.

"If anything, its for the better," he said. "Because weve used a lot of bullpen this week, so two sevens, hopefully we dont have to use very many and we have Monday off. So hopefully today and Monday will help our stats a little bit."