Mustangs sweep Riverton, fall to Laurel

It was a mixed week for the Lovell Mustangs. First, they swept a conference doubleheader in Riverton Wednesday, June 12, 12-3 and 9-8, then hosted a strong Laurel, Montana, team Tuesday evening and dropped both games of a doubleheader, 14-0 and 7-3.

Games at Buffalo Saturday were cancelled with Buffalo having low numbers.

In game one June 12 in Riverton, the Mustangs scored runs in five of the seven innings: three in the first, two in the third, fourth and fifth and three in the seventh. Tucker Jackson belted a two-run double in the first and scored on a single by Lafe Files. Kyle Wilson added an RBI single in the third, and Alex Hedges drove home two with a base hit in the fourth. Carlos Rodriguez hit an RBI single in the fifth. Cove Jolley added an RBI single in the seventh.

The Mustangs finished with 16 hits in seven innings against the Raiders – three each by Rodriguez, Hedges and Files, two apiece by Jacob Bischoff and Jackson, one each by Jolley, Kyle Wilson and Blake Wilson.

Files went the distance on the mound, allowing three runs on eight hits and just one walk in seven innings. He struck out seven.

“It’s always good to get conference wins,” manager Michael Jameson said. “We came out and swung the bats well, 16 hits, and cut down on the strikeouts. We have focused on a two-strike approach, putting the ball in play and keeping the pressure on the defense to make plays. Lafe threw a heck of a game and pitched to his strengths, needing only 81 pitches to throw a complete game.”

Game two was a nail-biter. Riverton led 5-0 after a four-run second inning as Lovell starter Blake Wilson was hurt by errors and other miscues. Lovell kept it close, trailing 6-3 after four innings, then rallied to score five in the top of the fifth and forge an 8-6 lead.

 The Lovell bats heated up during the game. Cash Wassmer singled home Jack Pharoah and scored on a Rodriguez double in the third, and Hedges ripped a solo home run in the fourth. Matthew Newman doubled home a pair in the five-run fifth, and Files added an RBI single in the same inning.

Riverton tied the score with two in the bottom of the sixth, but the Mustangs edged ahead with a run in the top of the seventh when Rodriguez scored from third on a balk, and Jackson
struck out the side in the bottom of the inning to preserve the win.

The Mustangs banged out 10 hits in game two, giving them 26 on the day. Newman had three hits in the game, Rodriguez two and Bischoff, Wassmer, Hedges, Files and Owen Walker one apiece.

Blake Wilson threw two innings, allowing five unearned runs in just one hit and three walks, striking out one. Jackson relieved and threw the final five frames, allowing three runs on five hits and no walks, fanning seven.

“We came out a little flat in game two and allowed them to jump out to a 5-0 lead, but we refocused and chipped away at the lead and eventually come away with the win,” Jameson said. “We did a good job hitting the ball, with double digit hits in both games, and we got back to playing solid defense behind our pitchers. Pitchers have continued to throw well and keep us in most games, and offensively we need to continue to find ways to take advantage and score runs.”

Laurel twin bill

Tuesday at home, the shorthanded Mustangs struggled to hit the ball in game one against a strong Laurel Dodgers team. Lovell only got hits from Blake Wilson and Jolley, but strong pitching by starter Hedges kept the Mustangs in the game, trailing 4-0 after four innings.

Laurel got to relievers Rodriguez and Jolley in the fifth inning, scoring 10 runs to put the game out of reach.

Hedges allowed four runs, one earned, in three innings on the mound, Rodriguez seven runs in 1 1/3 innings and Jolley three runs in two thirds of an inning.

Game two was more competitive. After Laurel took a 5-0 lead over the first three innings, Lovell rallied for three in the bottom of the fourth as Hedges doubled home a pair after Rodriguez scored Jolley with a single. But that was it for Lovell scoring, and Laurel plated one run in each the fifth and seventh innings.

Hedges had three hits and two RBIs for the home team, Rodriguez and Jackson two hits each and Jolley and Mac Morgan one hit apiece.

On the mound, Bischoff allowed four runs in two innings of work, Jackson two runs in 2 2/3 innings and Files one run in 2 1/3 innings.

Conference games

The Mustangs will host a pair of key conference doubleheaders this week, meeting the Powell Pioneers Friday at 5 p.m. and the Cody Cubs Tuesday, also at 5 p.m., all four games at the Cowley American Legion ballpark.