Mustangs battle during tough stretch, host Cody Saturday

After sweeping the Arapahoe High School Warriors at home last Monday, July 13, the Lovell Mustangs found themselves in a bit of a spiral this week before finishing a six-game string with a win.

Hosting Cody on Wednesday, July 15, the Mustangs fell to the Cubs 5-4 and 8-4. They then traveled to the Bomber Mountain Dogfight in Sheridan Friday and Saturday, falling to the Billings Bandits 11-3 and the Sheridan Jets 6-4 on Friday, then falling to the Bandits again 5-2 on Saturday before finishing the tournament with a 7-5 win over the Casper Drillers.

Cody losses

One bad inning spelled doom for the Mustangs in game one against Cody July 15. Starter Rocco Rael was throwing a gem on the mound, and the Mustangs were leading 3-1 after plating three runs in the bottom of the fourth when a four-run fifth put the Cubs ahead 5-3. Lovell got one back in the bottom of the fifth, but neither team scored again.

Cash Wassmer beat out an infield hit to start the three-run fourth for the Mustangs, and after Kyle Wilson hit a single, Rael reached on a bunt single to load the bases. Dax Mangus hit a sacrifice fly to score Wassmer, and Aaiden Walker was hit by a pitch. Jaxen Baxendale drew a bases-loaded walk to score Wilson, and Dallin Bischoff executed a perfect suicide squeeze to plate Rael.

Cody got to a tiring Rael in the fifth for four runs, aided by an error and a passed ball. Trailing 5-3, Lovell scored a run in the bottom of the frame when Wassmer got picked off first base with two outs but evaded Cody infielders long enough for Mac Morgan to score from third before a tag that ended the inning.

Reliever Bischoff blanked Cody in the sixth and seventh, but the home team couldn’t cross the plate in either frame, leaving the final score 5-4.

Wassmer led the Mustangs with two hits in four trips to the plate, and Kannon Owens, Morgan, Wilson, Rael and Mangus had one hit apiece. Rael pitched five innings, allowing five runs on nine hits and one walk while striking out three. Bischoff didn’t allow a hit and walked four in his two innings, fanning one.

In game two, Cody shut down the Lovell bats for three innings and scored three in the second and one in the third off Lovell starter Owens. Down 5-1, Lovell plated three in the bottom of the fifth to make the score 5-4, but the Mustangs didn’t cross the plate again as Cody added a run in the sixth and two in the seventh.

Wassmer had two hits including a triple and scored two runs for the Mustangs, and Owens hit a triple for his lone hit. Morgan, Wilson and Mangus had singles for the Mustangs.

Owens allowed six runs, four earned, in 5 2/3 innings of work on nine hits and no walks, striking out five. Wilson allowed two runs in the final inning and a third on two hits and a walk, fanning one.

Sheridan tournament

Game one for the Mustangs in the Bomber Mountain Dogfight was all Billings as the Bandits beat Lovell 11-3, out-hitting the Mustangs 13-5 and breaking up a tight game with a seven-run fourth.

Morgan had two of Lovell’s five hits, and Wassmer drove in two runs, Morgan one.

Mac Morgan threw 3 2/3 innings, allowing 11 runs, and brother Easton pitched the final scoreless 3 1/3 frames.

The second game Friday was called after four innings due to weather with the Sheridan Jets up 6-4. Lovell scored all four runs in the top of the second to lead 4-2, but the home team plated one in the second and three in the third.

Mac Morgan, Wassmer and Rael had two hits each for the Mustangs, and Owens ripped a two-run homerun in the second. Wilson took the loss on the mound, allowing six runs on seven hits and three walks in 3 1/3 innings of work, striking out one.

Saturday, Lovell played the Billings Bandits again and fell 5-2 despite out-hitting the Billings squad 7-4. Four errors hurt the Lovell cause. Owens was 2-3 at the plate with a double, and Rael had two singles, Mac Morgan, Wassmer, Wilson one apiece.

Bischoff started and took the loss, allowing five runs, three earned, in seven innings of work on four hits and four walks, fanning five.

The Mustangs battled from behind in the second game Saturday to top the Casper Drillers. Trailing 5-2, Lovell scored five runs in the bottom of the fifth to take the lead and shut out the Drillers over the final two innings to seal the win.

A walk to Bischoff and three consecutive singles by Baxendale, Owens and Mac Morgan got the Mustangs rolling in the fifth, and Wassmer hit a two-run double. After a strikeout, Rael rapped a two-run single.

Owens and Walker had two hits each for the Mustangs, and Rael and Wassmer had two RBIs apiece, Walker and Baxendale one “ribbie” each. Walker and Mangus joined Wassmer with a double each.

Wassmer started and picked up the win on the mound, allowing five runs, just two earned, on six hits and two walks in 6 1/3 innings, fanning 10. Bradley Mickelson got the final two outs on strikeouts.

Last home games

With his team now 15-25, coach Michael Jameson has added some games to tune up for the upcoming Division II state tournament in Green River.

Lovell will host Riverton for a doubleheader Saturday at 1 p.m. and will travel to Cody Monday for a single nine-inning game with the first pitch set for 6 p.m.

The Division II state tournament is scheduled for July 30 through August 3 in Green River. Lovell will open against the Wheatland Lobos July 30 at 1 p.m.