The problem, however, was what the Owlz did before any outs were recorded.

Northern Colorado tallied three hits in the top of the first — the totality of the team’s hits in the game — and it was enough to beat Ogden 4-2.

Against Ogden starter Mitchell Stone, Northern Colorado (35-22, 7-3 second half) tallied two singles and a walk to open the game.

The Owlz got everything they’d need from the game’s fourth batter: Jackson Coutts cleared loaded bases with a double to put Northern Colorado up 3-0.

An error on Stone in the second put an Owlz runner in position to score via sacrifice fly to make it 4-0. After that, Northern Colorado had just three baserunners, all on walks, for the remaining 7 1/3 innings.

With seven hits, Ogden (26-32, 4-6) more than doubled Northern Colorado’s three, but the Owlz defense made enough plays to hold the Raptors down.

That, and starter Robb Adams issued the only walk from NoCo’s staff for the game; otherwise he allowed one run on four hits, striking out nine in seven innings.

The Raptors got runners on second and third with one out in the eighth but could score only one on a Cole Jordan groundout.

In the top of the ninth, Ogden’s Jack Cone led off with a double and scored on Raymond Gil single (plus a throwing error) to make it 4-2 with no outs. But Nick Ultsch grounded into a 4-6-3 double play to end any potential rally.

Stone, making his second start since rejoining the Raptors, struck out five over five innings. Shawn Triplett faced one over the minimum in three hitless, scoreless relief innings, issuing a walk but otherwise stifling the Owlz.

The two teams finish the series with a game each on Saturday and Sunday.