Last season the Lobo baseball team went 16-11 overall before losing in the first round of the 3A State playoffs. This year Head Coach Bryan Long has his team off to an 0-2 beginning, with both games being close contests.
Players currently on the varsity roster include freshmen Brevin Matthews, Ashton Munger and Braden Frost; sophomores Jace LeSueur, Ryan Caskey, Caden Cantrell and Justin Baldwin; juniors Caleb Lyman, Nathaniel Owen, Chase Ervien, Garret Rapier and Garrett Wood; and the only senior on the team is Ricky Munger.
Snowflake opened the season last week vs Fountain Hills coming up short in a 7-3 home field loss. The Falcons scored once in the top of the first, then added two more in the third and another in the fourth to lead 4-0. The Lobos battled back with a pair in the home half of the fourth cutting the lead in half. After a scoreless fifth, the Falcons tacked on three more runs in the sixth to lead 7-2. The Lobos scored their final run in the bottom of the sixth.
Hillier went two for three and scored once for the Lobos. LeSueur was one for four scoring twice. Caskey went one for three including a double and two RBI. Cantrell was one for three, with one RBI. Munger went one for four and stole one base.
The Lobos utilized a trio of pitchers. Cantrell started the game working five innings. He allowed four runs on five hits, with four walks and four strikeouts. Baldwin pitched one inning giving up three runs on one hit, with three walks. Owen also worked one inning allowing no runs or hits with one strikeout.
The Lobos were in Chino Valley on Saturday where they dropped a 3-2 close contest. Snowflake pitchers gave up just two hits in the game, however, Chino Valley’s pitchers kept the Lobos at bay at the plate striking out 10 Lobo batters.
After hosting Safford on Tuesday, the Lobos will compete in the Kingman Tournament beginning on Thursday. They open the tournament against Spring Creek NV at 11 a.m. Following the tournament, the Lobos will travel to Florence next Tuesday.
