Tied at 5-5, the Riverton Raiders erupted for five runs in the top of the seventh inning to take an opening season 10-6 win over the Wheatland Lobos in Platte County Sunday afternoon. A late game with Buffalo was called after the opening inning due to rain.
Riverton opened with Beau Anderson on the mound, he yielded just three hits, but they were well placed by the Lobos. Wheatland took a 1-0 run lead after the first inning but the Raiders rallied in the third with a pair of runs to take a brief 2-1 lead.
Christopher Reinig reached first on a single with Nathan Hutchison scoring him on a double driven into left center. Hutchison had a solid game at the plate, hitting on four of five appearances with three singles and this second inning double.
“The ball was hit pretty well, there were a lot of placement hits, and we got some breaks on the field with good bounces,” Raiders manager Wally Loftus said. “We did swing the bats well, we were aggressive.”
Uriah Hines looped a single into left that scored Hutchison for the 2-1 advantage.
The Lobos knotted the game at 2-2 in the third, then added three more in the fourth inning for a 5-2 advantage.
The Raiders chipped away with a run in the fifth when Hutchison reached on a single, then was advanced by singles from Hunter Hauck and Brayden Baker for the score.
Riverton knotted the game at 5-5 in the sixth inning when Joel Bever was hit by a pitch. Reinig drilled a single into left but was called out at second on a fielder’s choice from Hutchison to the same spot. Hauck hit into left once more, this time picking up a pair of RBIs when Bever and Hutchison scored.
Riverton’s defense held in the sixth, setting up the five-run outburst in the top of the seventh.
Bever, Reinig, and Hutchison all scored in the final inning, with Beau Anderson and Branson Saltsgaver adding two more steps on home plate for a 10-5 Riverton lead.
With Hutchison on the mound in relief, the Raiders yielded just one run and took the opener, 10-6.
Anderson and Hutchison combined for just a single strikeout, but the Raiders played solid defense behind their pitchers. “Our philosophy is we’re going to pitch to contact,” Loftus said.
Riverton swatted the ball all over the field for 13 hits, 12 of them singles with the one double by Hutchison.
“Communication is a key, and our players were spot on, it was our purpose all week in practice,” Loftus said. “They really did a great job. They were aware of what was going on, and they had fun and played well as a team.”
The Raider’s C team hosts Lander Wednesday at 4:45 p.m. and the A team returns to action on Saturday with a noon and 2 p.m. doubleheader against Cody. Both games are at Roy Peck Field.
Riverton Raiders 0 0 2 0 1 2 5 – 10 13 0
Wheatland Lobos 1 0 1 3 0 0 1 – 6 7 1
Riverton: Joel Bever 1-4 S, Christopher Reinig 3-5 3S, Nathan Hutchison 4-5 3S 2B, Hunter Hauck 2-5 2S, Uriah Hines 1-3 S, Brayden Baker1-5 S, Beau Anderson 0-4, Branson Saltsgaver 1-4 S, Bryce Mason 0-2. Totals 13-37
Wheatland: Totals 7-26
Winning Pitcher: Beau Anderson (51) 3H, 0K, 4BB, Nathan Hutchison (54) 4H, 1K, 1BB