15-5: final record Young Mustangs finish season strong

The Lovell B/C American Legion Mustangs wrapped up the regular season this week with four wins in their final six games.

Lovell hosted the Cody Cubs last Wednesday, July 8, and split a doubleheader, winning the first game 8-7 and dropping the second. They then hosted Buffalo Friday and won the first game of the twin bill 6-5 but dropped the second 13-2.

The team added one more doubleheader Tuesday in Sheridan against the 14U Bombers, and the Mustangs swept the doubleheader, winning game one 19-3 and taking the second game 4-1.

Cody

Game one against the Cubs last Wednesday was a nail-biter. Lovell took an early 6-1 lead after the second inning, but Cody scored two in the third and three in the fourth to knot the score 6-6. Lovell scored a run in the bottom of the fourth, Cody matched it in the fifth and Lovell won the game with a run in the bottom of the fifth.

Trailing 1-0, Lovell scored four runs in the bottom of the first inning. Bradley Mickelson and Madden Cooley got the inning started with back-to-back singles. Mickelson raced home on an error, and Harper Morgan singled home Cooley. Jaxen Baxendale sent Morgan home with a double and scored on a wild pitch. Baxendale singled to score Mickelson during Lovell’s two-run second.

Mickelson singled to plate Brhysan Henton in the fourth, and Trey Clark singled to score Taysen Yates with the winning run in the bottom of the fifth.

Mickelson got the start on the mound and allowed six runs, three earned, in four innings of work on three hits and six walks, striking out seven. Morgan threw the fifth to pick up the win, allowing one run while walking three in the inning.

Lovell out-hit Cody 9-3 led by Mickelson and Baxendale with two hits each. Morgan and Baxendale had two RBIs apiece, Mickelson and Clark one each.

Game two was tied 4-4 after two innings, but Cody plated six runs in the third inning and five in the fourth, with Lovell adding two in each inning to make the final score 15-8, although Cody only out-hit Lovell by one, 11-10.

Cooley, Easton Morgan, Henton and Camden Blain shared mound duties, allowing 11 hits and walking 11. Cooley, Henton and Adam Hill had two hits apiece, and both Henton and Easton Morgan ripped triples in the game.

Buffalo

Lovell hosted the Buffalo Bulls Friday, and game one was a battle as Buffalo built a 5-4 lead after four innings. But the Mustangs tied the score with a run in the fifth and won it by plating one in the sixth when Mickelson was hit by a pitch, stole second and third and scored on a single by Baxendale.

Aaiden Walker started on the hill for Lovell and allowed four runs, two earned, in three innings on three hits and four walks with three strikeouts. Easton Morgan picked up the win, throwing the final three innings and allowing one run on one hit and three walks, fanning three.

Baxendale was the big hitter for the Mustangs, going 3-4 with three runs and two RBIs.

Game two was all Buffalo as the Bulls plated four runs in the first inning, one in the second, two in the third and six in the fourth before Lovell finally got on the board with two in the bottom of the fourth, after which the game was called with Buffalo up 13-2.

Lovell only had two hits in the game, one each by Easton Morgan and Baxendale. Dane Wilson and Cooley pitched for the Mustangs.

Sheridan

Tuesday in Sheridan, the Mustangs exploded for 19 hits in the 19-3 game one route. Leading 6-2, Lovell plated 13 runs in the top of the fourth inning to put the game out of reach.

Mickelson and Wilson had three hits apiece for the Mustangs, Easton Morgan, Hill, Henton and Baxendale two hits each. Henton hit a triple, Wilson and Easton Morgan two double each, Mickelson one. Wilson and Baxendale had three RBIs apiece, Harper Morgan and Henton two each.

Dax Mangus started on the hill and allowed two runs, one earned, in three innings of work on three hits and three walks, fanning four. Harper Morgan threw one inning, allowing one run and no hits with one walk and one strikeout.

In game two, Lovell scored one run in the first inning, one in the second and two in the third to lead 4-0 before Sheridan responded with a run in the bottom of the fourth. Yates doubled home Walker, and Yates scored on a grounder off the bat of Hill in the two-run Lovell fourth.

Neither team scored in the fourth or fifth.

Wilson picked up the win on the mound, allowing one run on one hit and two walks in three innings, fanning five. Baxendale threw the final two innings, blanking the Bombers while allowing one hit and walking two while striking out two.

Cooley and Yates led the Mustangs with two hits each, and Yates and Hill each drove in a run.

The Mustangs finished the season with a 15-5 record but will not play in any postseason tournaments since so many members of the squad are needed on the Lovell A team.