Mustangs C team splits road doubleheaders

Two out of four on the road isn’t bad. That’s what the Lovell Mustangs C squad won in a pair of doubleheaders in Sheridan and Worland last week.

Wednesday, June 12, in Sheridan, the Mustangs split with the host Sheridan Infantry, winning the first game 6-4 and dropping game two 10-4.

Saturday in Worland, the Lovell squad crushed the Worland Chiefs 17-2 in the first game and dropped the nightcap 8-5.

The Mustangs now stand at 11-10 on the season.

“It was a good week of baseball in general for our C squad,” coach Greg Rael said. “It was a hot one in Sheridan, and their turf infield didn’t help the matter. It seems like every one of our players were making contact with the ball, which was good. Now we need to turn that contact into hits. I feel we’re still growing in the right direction.”

Game one in Sheridan last Wednesday saw the Mustangs come back from a 3-0 deficit to win. Sheridan scored three in the bottom of the first inning off Lovell starter Aaiden Walker, but the Mustangs plated one run in the third and two in the fourth to knot the score 3-3, then added one in the fifth to go up by one, 4-3.

Sheridan tied the score with a run in the bottom of the fifth, but Lovell scored single runs in the sixth and seventh to win 6-4.

Rocco Rael hit an RBI single in the fourth for the Mustangs and finished with two hits in the game, along with Mac Morgan. Kannon Owens hit a double for the Lovell squad.

Walker picked up the win for the Mustangs, allowing four runs on three hits and four walks in five innings of work, striking out five. Owens got the save with two innings of scoreless relieve, allowing no hits, walking two and fanning three.

Lovell jumped on Sheridan for three runs in the top of the first inning in game two as Ryan Grant belted a two-run double and Dallin Bischoff added an RBI single. The Mustangs made it 4-0 with a run in the third. But the rest of the game was all Sheridan as the Infantry scored five in the bottom of the third, three in the fourth and one each in the fifth and sixth to win 10-4.

Grant finished with two doubles in the game, and Owens hit a triple. Mac Morgan pitched three innings, allowing six runs, five earned, and Bischoff pitched three, allowing four runs, one earned.

Worland doubleheader

Lovell belted Worland 17-2 in the first game of a twin bill Saturday afternoon in Worland, exploding for 13 runs in the fifth inning after taking an early 4-2 lead. Owens, Walker and Kyson Crosby each had two-run singles in the fifth.

Mac Morgan had three hits in the game, Crosby two hits and Rael, Owens, Bischoff and Walker one hit apiece. Crosby drove in three runs, Rael, Owens and Walker two each, Mac Morgan and Bischoff one apiece.

Starter Crosby pitched all four innings for the Mustangs, allowing two runs on no hits and four walks, fanning nine.

In the nightcap, Worland got to Lovell starter Easton Morgan for seven runs in the second inning, aided by five walks and an error, and added a run in the third. Lovell plated one each in the second and third, then rallied for three in the fourth but fell short.

Jaxson Miller had two hits in the game, Jaxen Baxendale and Zander Stahl one each. Baxendale, Miller, Stahl and Taysen Yates had one RBI apiece.

Easton Morgan took the loss on the hill, allowing four runs in the second inning after throwing a scoreless first. Miller finished the second inning, allowing three runs, and Owens threw the final three frames, allowing one run while fanning seven. He walked three and allowed one hit.

“They’re trying to get Legion baseball going again down there,” Rael said of the Worland games. “Kyson Crosby threw a no-no. He’s doing a great job on the bump. It’s great having him back healthy again.

“The boys were hitting the ball. Our baserunning needs to improve. Going from Little League to Legion is quite a jump, and baserunning is always critical but quite different between the two. Kids are still trying to get used to taking signs in the box and on base. We’ll get there, hopefully sooner rather than later.”

Upcoming game

The Mustangs are scheduled to travel to Thermopolis for a doubleheader at 1 p.m. Saturday and travel to Cody for two next Wednesday, June 26, at 4 p.m. They host Thermop Friday, June 28, at 4 p.m.

A home doubleheader with Worland Monday has been cancelled, Rael said.