Improving Mustangs win three games this week

The Lovell Mustangs were competitive at the Buffalo Wild Wings Tournament over the weekend in Billings, playing to a 2-3 record as the young team continues to improve.

The Mustangs beat the Billings Cardinals 17U team 9-1 and fell to Helena on Thursday, 13-4, fell to the Sheridan Jets 6-4 Friday, stopped Lethbridge Saturday, 9-5, and fell to Green River Sunday, 11-0.

They then split a conference doubleheader at Powell Tuesday.

Lovell built an early 6-0 lead against the Cardinals Thursday, scoring two runs in the first inning and four in the second, then added three runs late. Cash Wassmer went 3 for 4 at the plate with a triple and drove in two runs. Mac Morgan went 2-3 with three RBIs, Dallin Bischoff 2-2 with two RBIs and Dax Mangus and Rocco Rael 2-3 apiece.

Wassmer went the distance on the mound for the ‘Stangs, allowing just one run in six innings of work on four hits, striking out three.

Game two was all Helena, who plated five runs in the second inning and six in the third to pull away early against Lovell starter Bischoff and reliever Easton Morgan. Kyle Wilson threw two innings in relief.

The Mustangs could manage just one hit, a double by Wilson, though they only struck out two times.

Lovell jumped on the Jets Friday with three runs in the bottom of the first inning on RBI singles by Wilson and Mac Morgan and a bases-loaded walk to Bischoff. The Mustangs led 4-1 after three but didn’t score again while allowing three runs in the fourth and single tallies in the fifth and sixth.

Wassmer and Wilson had two hits each for the Mustangs, and Wilson, Mac Morgan, Rocco Rael and Bischoff each drove in a run.

Rael was solid on the mound, allowing four runs, three earned, in four innings, and Kannon Owens allowed two runs in the final two innings.

Saturday, Lovell topped the Lethbridge Miners 9-5. Leading 5-4, the Mustangs scored four runs in the bottom of the third to take charge of the game, and Mac Morgan came on in relief to shut down the Lethbridge bats, allowing just one run on one hit in 4 1/3 innings of relief. Lethbridge got to starter Wilson for four runs early.

Owens led the Mustang hitting attack, going 3-4 and scoring three runs. Wassmer and Wilson were 2-3 each, Wilson driving home two runs, Wassmer one. Owens, Mangus and Baxendale had one RBI apiece.

The Mustangs brought up players from the B/C team to face Green River Sunday, and the young squad took it on the chin, outscored 11-0 and outhit 8-3. Mangus, Mac Morgan and Baxendale had the three hits for the Mustangs. Bradley Mickelson and Easton Morgan handled mound duties.

Two at Powell

Playing in Powell Tuesday evening for a conference doubleheader, the Mustangs won game one 2-1 and dropped the nightcap 9-1.

Rael twirled a gem in game one, allowing just one run on five hits and three walks in seven innings of work, fanning three, as his teammates played errorless ball behind him.

The game was scoreless until the top of the sixth inning when Owens walked, advanced on an error and scored on Powell’s second error of the inning when Wassmer grounded out. Mangus reached on the first error, advanced to third on the second error and scored on a wild pitch as the Pioneers were their own worst enemy in the inning. Powell responded with a run in the bottom of the frame, but Rael got a Powell batter, Teten, on a pop-up to end the inning. He retired the Pioneers in order in the bottom of the seventh.

Wilson had Lovell’s only two hits in the game.

Game two was a different story as Powell took charge with a five-run second to lead 7-1, then went on to win 9-1. Powell pitchers allowed just three hits, one each from Owens, Wassmer and Wilson, a double that drove in Lovell’s only run in the first inning.

Now 5-13, the Mustangs are scheduled to host the Sheridan Jets Friday at 1 p.m. for a doubleheader and the Sheridan Troopers Saturday, also at 1 p.m. They are then set to drive to Gillette Tuesday to meet the Gillette Rustlers at 3 p.m. for a pair.