Majors all-stars drop heartbreaker in bracket play

The Big Horn County Little League Majors all-stars went 1-2 as the host of the All-Stars and Stripes Tournament held in Lovell over the weekend.
In the opening game, the Mustangs’ bats were hot as they collected 10 hits in the four innings it took to the 10-run-rule Greybull, 10-0.
Dax Mangus led the way at the plate, collecting two hits including an inside-the-park home run, and he drove in five runs.
Landon Asay also had a pair of hits in the game and a couple of RBIs.
Madden Cooley, Bradley Mickelson, Brooks Brost, Dane Wilson, Brock Butler and Bryhsan Henton each had a hit in the game.
On the mound, Mangus went the distance and only allowed one hit in the four innings of work. He walked none and struck out five batters without allowing a run.
To wrap up pool play on Friday, Lovell fell 5-4 to the all-stars from Lander.
Lander jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning and added another in the top of the fourth before Lovell plated two in the bottom of the frame to make it 4-2.
The Mustangs tried to pull off the comeback but came up short.
Kannon Owens had a pair of hits for Lovell, while Mangus, Cooley, Wilson and Butler added one apiece.
Butler also got the nod on the mound and went 5.2 innings to strike out four batters and give up five runs (only two earned).
Mickelson came in to pitch for the last out and give the Mustangs a chance in the bottom of the sixth.
Mangus started the final inning with a triple and stole home to pull within one run before Lander collected the three outs they needed to win.
The loss forced the Mustangs to face the Cody Cubs on Saturday for bracket play, and it went down to the wire when the Cubs hit a walk-off single in the seventh to score the winning run, 5-4.
Mickelson maxed out pitching with 85 pitches over 6.1 innings, striking out six and only walking two.
Asay came in and struck out the first batter he faced before Cody hit a line drive to center and scored the winning run.
The talented Cubs pitcher made it difficult for the Mustangs to rally, only allowing three hits total to Mangus, Cooley and Wilson including Wilson’s double to right field in the top of the fifth that scored two runs to put the Mustangs on top 4-3.
The loss eliminated the Mustangs from the tournament, and Cody went on to win the championship.
The Majors all-stars will next travel to Bridger Valley for the district tournament on July 10-13 to try and punch their ticket to the state tournament later this summer.