Minors play well at district tournament

The Big Horn Little League Minors (Lovell) played some good baseball at the district tournament in Pinedale last week, but a pair of one-run losses cost them a trip to the state tournament.

The Mustangs opened up against Cody in pool play July 8, dropping a nail-biter 10-9. They then clobbered host Pinedale Thursday 12-2. Entering bracket play on Friday, the Mustangs fell to eventual district champion Bridger Valley 4-3 and were eliminated.

Coach Stephen Anderson was proud of how his team performed in Pinedale, noting that the team came to post-season play with just three returning all-stars from the year before.

“The growth of our team has been really impressive,” he said. “We didn’t have as many players try out due to the location, but they’ve all worked hard. The growth in three short weeks of practice has been phenomenal.

“We out-hit all of the teams we played this year until the last game, and our defense was top-notch. We just didn’t expect to have our worst day batting against Bridger Valley. Our pitching and defense allowed the fewest runs over the course of the tournament out of the eight teams.”

Game one

Lovell jumped on Cody to score four runs in the top of the first inning in the pool play opener on July 8 as Cooper Miller ripped a three-run double to score Kali Jameson, Lincoln Miller and Esson Anderson.

Cody came back to build a 9-6 lead after five innings, but the Lovell stars scored three in the top of the sixth to knot the score 9-9 as Jack Risseeuw and Josh Slabbert hit RBI singles and Raegan Dickerson scored on a wild pitch. But Cody plated one run in the bottom of the frame to win in walk-off fashion.

Karsen Adey had three hits in the game. Anderson, Neko Hernandez and Cooper Miller two apiece. Cooper Miller had the three-run double, and Anderson, Risseeuw and Slabbert had one RBI each.

Anderson, Adey and Jameson each pitched 1 2/3 innings, with Anderson allowing two hits while striking out three, Adey three hits and four walks while striking out two and Jameson seven hits and no walks while fanning two.

“We had ‘em,” Anderson said. “It’s been the same all season. We jump ahead, and they come back. They return seven all-stars, so they have more experience in these high pressure games.”

Game two

Lovell clobbered Pinedale July 9 in game two, scoring three runs in the bottom of the first to lead 3-0, and after leading 4-1 after two, the Mustangs plated five more in the third to lead 9-1. After Pinedale added a run in the fourth, Lovell scored three more in the bottom of the frame to win on the 10-run mercy rule.

Lincoln Miller started on the mound and threw 2 2/3 innings, allowing no hits and one walk while fanning four. Slabbert finished up, throwing 1 1/3 innings and striking out three while allowing one hit and walking two.

The hitting highlight was an inside-the-park homerun down the left field line by Anderson in the five-run third. He also drove home Lincoln Miller in the first with a single, and Lincoln Miller and Adey hit doubles in the third. Adey singled home Quade Tew in the fourth.

Game three

The bracket play opener Friday was a true pitchers’ duel. Adey singled and scored in the bottom of the first, and the score remained 1-0 until Bridger Valley scored two in the top of the fourth. Lovell tied it with a run in the bottom of the fourth as Jameson walked, advanced to third on wild pitches and scored on a Mills fielder’s choice.

Bridger Valley scored two in the top of the sixth to lead 4-2, and the Mustangs responded in the bottom of the frame. Adey singled and came around to score on wild pitches and an error, but the Mustangs couldn’t push across another run and fell 4-3.

Anderson started and threw 1 2/3 innings. Adey threw one inning and Jameson the final 3 1/3 innings. Anderson struck out four batters, Adey two and Jameson four. Bridger Valley out-hit Lovell 7-4.

Coach Anderson credited fellow coach Ryan Risseeuw for developing pitchers during practice and thanked Dustin Miller for stepping in to fill a coaching vacancy.

“We had a phenomenal coaching staff, and I’m grateful for their time and dedication in the postseason,” Anderson said.