Mustangs split four at Watford City

After making the long journey to Watford City, North Dakota, last week, the Lovell Mustangs played to a 2-2 record at the annual tournament hosted by the Watford City Walleyes.

The Mustangs opened with the host team and fell 7-5 on Thursday. Lovell swept a pair on Friday, thumping the Froid, Montana, Bulls 16-3 and topping Rich County, Montana, 5-2. Saturday, the Mustangs fell to Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, 9-2, before returning home.

Lovell jumped on Watford City for three runs in the top of the first inning Thursday as Carlos Rodriguez tripled home a run and Tucker Jackson roped an RBI double. Watford City bounced back with a run in the bottom of the inning, then got to Lovell starter Matthew Newman for six runs in the bottom of the second, aided by two Lovell errors, a hit batter and a pair of walks. Kyle Wilson relieved Newman and got the final out, then gave way to Rodriguez, who finished the game with 3 2/3 scoreless innings.

The Mustangs scored two in the top of the fifth on a two-run double by Alex Hedges but were unable to complete the comeback.

Rodriguez added a single to go with his triple to lead the Mustangs with two hits. Jackson, Hedges, Wilson and Jack Pharoah had one hit each.

Big win

The Mustangs crushed Froid pitching Friday in a 16-3 romp, scoring two runs in the first inning, four in the second, four in the fourth and six in the fifth before the game was called on the 10-run rule. The Lovell nine banged out 12 hits: two each by Cash Wassmer, Jackson, Hedges and Lafe Files, and one apiece by Rodriguez, Wilson, Newman and Cove Jolley.

Rodriguez, Jackson, Files, Owen Walker and Jolley drove in two runs each, Hedges and Blake Wilson one apiece.

Wassmer got the win on the mound, pitching four innings and allowing three runs on three hits and three walks, striking out four. Jacob Bischoff threw a scoreless fifth, striking out the side.

The second game Friday was a close one. Lovell took a 2-0 lead against Richland County in the bottom of the first when Jackson blasted a two-run home run. Richland matched the score with two in the second off starter Hedges, but the Mustangs plated two in the third and one in the fourth, while Hedges blanked the Montana club for the rest of the game.

Jackson hit his second two-run dinger of the game in the third, and a sac fly by Blake Wilson sent Files home in the fourth.

Jackson obviously had the big day at the plate, going 2-3 with two homers and four RBIs. Rodriguez had the only other hit. Hedges pitched the distance, allowing two runs, one earned, in seven innings of work, on four hits and three walks, fanning six.

Saturday loss

Lovell fell behind 4-0 early in Saturday’s game against the Moose Jaw Canucks and could never recover. The Mustangs trailed 5-2 after four innings, and Moose Jaw scored four in the sixth to put the game on ice, preventing the Mustangs from playing in the Sunday bracket tournament.

Rodriguez hit a double and a triple to lead the Mustangs, and Files also had two hits, Wassmer and Hedges one each.

Bischoff took the loss on the mound, relieved by Newman and Blake Wilson.

Lovell manager Michael Jameson was unable to accompany the team to the tournament in order to tend to business at the family-owned Haskell Funeral Home, and thus there are no coaching comments this week.

Coming up

Standing 8-14 after the Watford City games, the Mustangs were scheduled to play a doubleheader in Riverton Wednesday and will travel to Buffalo Saturday for two starting at 5 p.m., then host Laurel, Montana, for a twin bill next Tuesday at 1 p.m.