Mustangs get hot

Sweep Powell and Buffalo over the weekend

The Lovell Mustangs are heating up. The American Legion A team swept two doubleheaders last week, taking two from the Powell Pioneers in Powell Friday evening, 9-7 and 12-3, then doubling up on Buffalo in Buffalo Saturday, 14-6 and 13-3.

The wins improved the Mustangs to 9-10 on the season.

“These last four games are probably some of the best overall baseball we’ve played this season,” manager Michael Jameson said. “We hit the ball real well, and defensively, we still made a few mistakes, but our pitchers have thrown well for us all week.”

In game one Friday, Powell scored four runs in the bottom of the third, aided by a pair of Lovell errors, but the Mustangs rallied for five runs in the top of the fourth as Lafe Files ripped a two-run triple and Tucker Jackson added an RBI single.

“Hopefully that’s something that we’re able to continue to do, give up some runs and then bounce back and win the inning,” Jameson said. “That’s kind of been our theme. We want to win every inning, whether we’re the home or the visiting team. Obviously, they were the home team, but we bounced back with five.”

Powell tied the score 5-5 in the fifth, but the Mustangs plated four in the top of the seventh as Alex Hedges hit a two-run double and Cash Wassmer and Kyle Wilson added run-scoring singles. Down 9-5, Powell scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh before the Mustangs halted the rally.

Wassmer and Jackson led the Mustangs with two hits each, and Hedges and Files drove in two runs apiece.

“All year our strength has been those top four or five hitters, and that’s kind of the biggest thing we’ve been stressing, just getting more guys to step up and some more contribution. I think we’ve got a lot of guys hitting the ball well and doing a lot of good things in the lineup. But if we can get some good production one through nine, we’re going to be a tough team to beat when we’ve got guys that are grinding out good at bats and able to contribute.”

Jameson said it’s good to see the veteran Files hit the ball.

“He’s kind of had a bad luck start to his season, one of those situations where it feels like he’s hit a lot of baseballs hard, but they just are right at people,” Jameson said. “He’s hitting the ball a lot better than his numbers show, and I think that’s just one of those things where it’s just a bad luck start to the year. But yeah, it’s good to see him start to get some of those hits fall and especially come up with some of those big hits and big moments for us. He’s been steady for us for years, and we know it’s just a matter of time before those baseballs start falling in.”

Wassmer started on the mound and allowed five runs, one earned, on five hits and three walks in six innings of work to pick up the win, striking out nine. Kannon Owens allowed two runs in the seventh before Jackson picked up the save with one inning of scoreless relief.

Jameson called Wassmer a “blue collar player” who is learning how to pitch rather than simply throw the baseball.

“Cash is just a kid that is such a competitor and such a gamer that he always wants to go and compete and go up against people and just battle,” Jameson said. “In big games, he’s always going to want to be the kid with the ball in his hand or the bat in his hand. And yeah, he’s starting to understand how to pitch a little bit instead of just going up there and throwing. He’s starting to develop a little bit into a pitcher, more than just a thrower. And his competitive nature makes him a kid that you feel confident in every time he has the ball.”

Trailing Powell 3-2 in game two, the Mustangs exploded for seven runs in the third inning and added an insurance run in the fourth inning and two in the fifth to win 12-3.

The Mustangs crushed Powell pitching for 15 hits in seven innings, with three hits each off the bats of Mac Morgan, Jackson, Hedges and Rocco Rael. Jackson blasted a two-run home run, and Morgan and Jackson each hit a double.

“We did a good job of hitting the baseball,” Jameson said. “We cut down on our strikeouts, and, yeah, that’s probably the best (offensive) game we’ve had all year with 15 hits.”

Wilson started and allowed three runs on four hits and four walks in three innings of work, fanning one. Owens pitched four innings in relief, blanking the Pioneers on one hit while walking none and striking out four.

Buffalo sweep

Saturday in Buffalo, the Mustangs clobbered the Bulls 27-9 in the two games to create a four-game winning streak.

Jackson crushed the ball in the first game, going 5 for 5 including two doubles, with five runs batted in and three runs scored. Wassmer was 4-4 with a double and a triple and five runs scored, batting ahead of the hot Jackson. Morgan and Files had two hits each, and Hedges had three RBIs in the contest, Dax Mangus two. The Mustangs racked up 14 hits in the game.

Jackson has been on a tear lately, Jameson said, noting that he is hitting .483 on the season and has 21 RBIs. But also, Morgan is hitting .463, Wassmer .426 and Hedges .410 with a team leading 32 RBIs.

The game was tied 6-6 until the Mustangs plated four runs in both the sixth and seventh innings to win 14-6.

Dallin Bischoff started on the hill and threw three innings, allowing two runs on no hits and four walks with two strikeouts. Morgan finished the game, allowing four runs, one earned, on four hits and a walk in four innings of work. He fanned two.

In game two, the Mustangs scored three runs in the third inning and five in the fourth to lead 8-0, then cruised to the 13-3 win, adding two in the sixth and three in the seventh.

Morgan and Wassmer led the 12-hit attack with three hits each, with leadoff batter Morgan scoring two runs, Wassmer four and driving in two runs. Hedges and Jackson each hit a home run – a grand slam for Hedges in the fourth and a two-run shot for Jackson in the sixth.

Hedges got the start on the mound and threw 3 2/3 innings, allowing one unearned run on one hit and one walk, striking out five. Files threw the final 3 1/3 innings, allowing two runs, one earned, on three hits while walking none and fanning six.

A doubleheader with Lockwood, Montana, Tuesday was cancelled. The Mustangs will travel to Evanston this weekend to meet the Outlaws in a conference doubleheader Friday at 5 and 7 p.m.

Evanston will be a strong opponent, Jameson said, noting the addition of Ben and Brackin Lail, who joined the team after playing previously in Green River.

The Mustangs will stay in Evanston and meet the Outlaws again at 10 a.m. Saturday and Pocatello, Idaho, at 12:30 p.m.

They then host the Riverton Raiders for a conference twin bill Wednesday, June 11, at 4 and 6 p.m. at the Legion Field in Cowley.