WHEATLAND – The Wheatland Lobos have played eight baseball games in the past week and have come up just short of a .500 record for the beginning of July.

The Lobos began the month of July at the Westco Tournament in Scotts Bluff, Nebraska. They ended up 2-2 on the weekend upending Westco 8-0 in a game that saw Ryland Petroski pitch a one-hitter while harvesting eight strikeouts and Buckley 13-9 where the Lobos scored an eight-run seventh to rally for the win. Hicks was the winning pitcher while Goodrich got the save. Wheatland dropped a pair to Alliance 10-2 where JP Anderson took the loss and 9-1 where Aric Suko was the losing pictcher.

On a home Wednesday night double header, the Lobos dropped two close games to Spearfish 10-8 where Anderson took the loss and 10-6 where Goodrich took the loss.

In the final two games of the long week, the Lobos split a double header with Westco at home, losing 15-7 with Kade Preuit taking the loss and then rebounding in the nightcap 6-3 with Petroski back on the bump taking the win and Goodrich earning the save.

“We have been playing a lot of very good competition in the last few weeks,” Lobos manager Braden Fagenbush said. “When we went over to Scottsbluff we played 3 very tough team and the toughest team at the tournament we played twice. (Alliance) I have always had the option of having a tough schedule prepares you for the post season. We could run around and play a softer schedule and probably have a good record to look at but to me playing tough times is what gets you prepared for the postseason. I loaded this week up with games to force us to get everyone some work on the mound before districts to see where we are at. Our young guys continue to step up every day and rise to the occasion. I feel that we are getting closer every inning to hitting our stride and I am thinking it is going to hit at the right time.” 

Wheatland 8 – Westco 0

TB: A Suko, J Hicks, K Preuit, L Goodrich 2, N Whitfield, R Petroski, SB: J Hicks 2, LOB: 10

Alliance 10 – Wheatland 2

TB: J Hicks, N Whitfield, L Goodrich, K Preuit, SB: R Petroski, J Hicks, N Whitfield, K Preuit, LOB: 4

Alliance 9 – Wheatland 1

2B: J Hicks, TB: N Whitfield, J Hicks 4, J Anderson, SAC: N Schaffner, CS: J Hicks 2, HBP: A Suko, LOB: 3

Wheatland 13 – Buckley 9

2B: A Suko, TB: J Anderson, J Hicks, A Suko 3, K Preuit 3, L Goodrich 2, N Whitfield, R Petroski, SAC: L Goodrich, CS: K Raser, HBP: K Raser 4, L Goodrich, A Warren, SB: J Anderson, J Hicks, K Raser 2, A Suko, N Whitfield, A Warren, LOB: 7

Spearfish 10 – Wheatland 8

2B: J Hicks, 3B: J Hicks, TB: R Petroski, J Hicks 6, K Preuit, L Goodrich, J Anderson, N Schaffner, SF: K Preuit, HBP: K Raser, SB: R Petroski, J Hicks, K Preuit, LOB: 9

Spearfish 10 – Wheatland 6

2B: N Whitfield 2, TB: N Whitfield 5, K Preuit 3, N Schaffner, J Anderson, J Hicks 2, A Warren, R Petroski, SAC: A Warren 2, CS: K Preuit, SB: J Anderson, A Warren 2, LOB: 9

Wheatland 6 – Westco 3

2B: K Preuit, 3B: J Hicks, TB: N Schaffner 2, K Preuit 2, L Goodrich, J Anderson, A Suko 2, J Hicks 4, A Warren, N Whitfield, SAC: J Anderson, SF: J Anderson, SB: N Schaffner, A Suko 2, LOB: 6

Westco 15 – Wheatland 7

TB: J Anderson 2, K Preuit, A Suko, N Whitfield 2, L Goodrich, K Raser, J Hicks, CS: J Hicks, HBP: K Raser, SB: J Anderson, A Suko, LOB: 8