Mustangs on a roll as postseason approaches

The Lovell Mustangs are starting to heat up. The Class A American Legion Baseball squad has won three of their last five games, with the three wins coming by a combined score of 35-4.

Traveling to Douglas for a tournament over the weekend, the Mustangs fell to the Laramie Rangers 5-0 Saturday, shut out Green River 9-0 the same afternoon, then fell to Wheatland on Sunday, 7-1.

The Mustangs played a makeup conference game Monday at home and clobbered Riverton 10-0, then powered past Douglas in a non-conference game Tuesday, 16-4.

Douglas tourney

The Mustangs outhit Laramie 7-6 Saturday afternoon but were plagued by four errors and seven walks, while failing to push a run across. Laramie scored two runs in the fifth to break a scoreless tie, then added three more in the sixth.

Cash Wassmer led Lovell with two hits and took the loss on the mound, allowing two runs on four hits and six walks in five innings of work, striking out seven. Owen Edwards pitched the final frame, allowing three unearned runs on two hits and a walk, fanning one.

Rocco Rael threw a two-hit shutout against Green River in the second game Saturday, walking none and striking out three in five innings on the mound. Kyle Wilson led the hitting attack, going 2-4 with four RBIs and two runs scored, getting his team going with a three-run home run in the first inning. Tucker Jackson belted two doubles.

One bad inning spelled doom for the Mustangs Sunday as the Wheatland Lobos got to Lovell starter Lafe Files for six runs in the first inning before Kannon Owens relieved and allowed just one run the rest of the way. The Lovell bats were quiet, too, scoring just one run in the fifth after the Mustangs trailed 7-0. Files singled home Owens for Lovell’s lone run.

Big wins

Returning to the friendly confines of the Cowley American Legion Field Monday, the Mustangs received masterful pitching performance from Jackson in a 10-0 win over Riverton. In a mercy rule-shortened game, Jackson allowed just three hits and walked none in five innings on the mound while fanning 14.

Lovell plated seven runs in the second inning, then added three in the fourth to win on the 10-run rule after five. The Mustangs benefited from eight walks but also had eight hits, with two hits each coming off the bats of Mac Morgan and Files. Wilson drove in three runs to lead the team.

Douglas requested a single nine-inning game instead of the scheduled doubleheader Tuesday, and a relaxed and confident Mustangs squad rolled the Cats 16-4.

Leading 2-1, the Mustangs broke the game wide open with 10 runs in the third inning, then added four more in the fourth before the 10-run rule came into effect after seven innings.

Lovell bats banged out 13 hits, two each by Jackson and Wilson. Alex Hedges, Wassmer, Wilson and Jackson hit doubles in the game, and Jackson, Hedges, Wilson and Files drove in two runs apiece.

Hedges started and picked up the win, allowing one run on three hits and one walk in 3 1/3 innings of work, striking out two. Files threw 2 2/3 innings, allowing no runs on one hit, fanning a pair, and Cove Jolley worked the final frame, allowing three runs on two hits and two hit batters.

Three “seniors” were honored before the game Tuesday, playing in their final regular season home game. Noted for their many years of dedication to the team were Files, Hedges and Jackson.

Sweetwater swing

Now 22-20, the Mustangs will wrap up the regular season with a trip to Sweetwater County this weekend. The Lovell nine will play the Green River Knights Friday at 5 and 7 p.m. and Rock Springs Saturday at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. in the two doubleheaders.

The district tournament is scheduled to begin next Thursday, July 17, with the Class A West finish too close to call. The first round will feature games at home sites.