Mustangs pile up the runs during sweep in Lander

A trip to Lander was just the ticket for the Lovell Mustangs Tuesday as they got back on the winning track with a doubleheader sweep.

The Mustangs dropped two on the road last Wednesday, July 1, falling to the Billings Bandits 8-6 and 8-0, but they traveled to Lander Tuesday and took two from the Lander Legends 17-6 and 12-0.

Game one in Billings was competitive last Wednesday as the Mustangs roared from behind to nearly complete a dramatic rally. Billings led 8-1 after six innings, but the visitor from Lovell plated five runs in the top of the seventh as Dax Mangus hit an RBI single and scored on a base hit by Aaiden Walker. Dallin Bischoff drew a bases loaded walk, and Kannon Owens rapped a two-run single before the Bandits retired the side.

Mangus had two hits in the game for Lovell, Owens, Bradley Mickelson and Walker one apiece. Kyle Wilson started the game on the mound and took the loss with 4 1/3 innings of work, and Rocco Rael recorded the final four Billings outs.

Game two was all Billings as the Bandits threw a no-hit perfect game against the Lovell squad: 21 up, 21 down. Lovell pitchers Mac Morgan, Bischoff and Owens were victimized by eight Lovell errors.

Lander sweep

The Mustangs made up for their lack of hitting in Billings by ripping Lander pitching for 16 hits and 17 runs in game one Tuesday evening.

Trailing 1-0, the Mustangs plated seven runs in the top of the third inning, and after Lander made it 7-6 with two runs in the third and three in the fourth, the Mustangs finished off the Legends with three in the fifth and seven in the seventh.

Walker led the Mustangs with three hits in five trips to the plate with a double, three runs and five RBIs on his stat line. Wilson was also 3-5 with a run and one run batted in. Bischoff added two hits and three RBIs, Morgan two hits and two RBIs and Owens two hits and one run batted in. Cash Wassmer hit a two-run homerun.

Rael started on the hill and allowed six runs, three earned, in five innings on 11 hits but no walks, striking out seven. Bischoff threw the final two frames, blanking the Legends on one hit and two walks while fanning four.

In game two, Lovell scored two in the top of the second inning on an RBI single by Easton Morgan and a run-scoring double by Owens. The Mustangs added four more in the third as Wilson doubled home a run, Easton Morgan singled to score one and Jaxen Baxendale and Walker scored on passed balls.

Wassmer tripled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Rael in the third as Lovell led 7-0, and after a scoreless fourth, the Mustangs plated five runs in the top of the sixth as Wilson doubled home a run.

Owens, Wassmer, Wilson, Rael and Easton Morgan had two hits each for the Mustangs, and Wilson and Easton Morgan had two RBIs apiece.

Owens went the distance on the mound for the Mustangs, blanking the Legends on three hits and three walks in six innings of work, fanning 10.

Now 10-20, the Mustangs will hit the road again today (Thursday) for a doubleheader against the Billings Cardinals in Billings at 5 p.m., then host Arapahoe High School Monday at 5 and Cody Wednesday at 5, as well.