EVANSTON — With conference play now in full swing, the Evanston Legion A baseball team sits atop the Southwest Conference at 8-0, following a pair of twin bill sweeps last week against Green River and Rawlins.

The Outlaws (12-14) swept a day/night conference doubleheader at Green River on Tuesday, June 18, by scores of 7-2 and 7-6. That was followed by a sweep Sunday afternoon at home against Rawlins, 16-0 and 17-0.

“We’re taking care of business with our conference games, which is good,” said Outlaws skipper Nick Small. “Those two games against Green River were great baseball games — every time we play Green River, it’s a dogfight. Their coach has those kids ready to go every time we play them. It was a fun couple of games, for the kids and fans.”

The Boys of Post 41 are back on the road this weekend at Elko for a tournament, with games beginning Thursday and running through Sunday.

“We’ve been going to the Elko tournament for a couple of years now — it’s kind of our ‘get-out-of-town, go and play some good teams’ trip of the summer,” Small explained. “It’s a multiple-night stay, and as far as expectations, I hope we continue to just get better. — control what we can control, have a good approach at the plate and for pitchers, keep throwing strikes. Let your defense play for you. It’s good baseball when all of that is put together.”

Outlaws 7,

Green River 2

In game one of Tuesday’s day/night doubleheader at Green River, the Outlaws pounded out eight hits and rode the arm of starting pitcher Walker Wilson to a 7-2 win.

Wilson gave up two runs on six hits (none earned) over 6.2 innings, striking out six. Gavin Oliver pitched an inning in relief, giving up just one hit.

“Walker’s coming along really well for us — he’s one of our main dudes,” Small said. “Good things happen for us when he’s on the mound.”

Wilson also helped his own cause at the plate, going 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored. Ryder Wilson, Oliver, Braxton Bauer, Jacson Osborne, Brecken Rich and Tyson Bateman each had a hit, with Ryder Wilson knocking in a pair of runs; Oliver and Bauer each had an RBI.

Outlaws 7,

Green River 6

The Outlaws made it a sweep in Tuesday’s nightcap, taking a 5-0 lead, then holding off a late charge by the Knights to win 7-6.

Ryder Wilson got the start and the win on the bump for the Outlaws, allowing three runs on five hits (one earned), and striking out four over three innings of work.

Damian Kamen pitched 2.1 innings in relief, giving up three runs on one hit, and striking out four; Gavin Oliver also struck out four, and picked up the save.

“Ryder’s usually one of our relievers, but we started him in this game, just to give him a different look,” Small said. “Gavin came in and closed it out for us. All three of those kids [Walker and Ryder Wilson, Gavin Oliver] are pitching really well for us. We have a team full of kids that like to pitch, and I’m very pleased with where our pitching is at right now.”

Ryder Wilson also had the hot bat, going 4-for-5, with two RBI. Walker Wilson (3-for-4, double, RBI) and Brecken Rich (2-for-4, double, run scored) also had multi-hit games, while Braxton Bauer, Jacson Osborne, Tyson Bateman and Damian Kaman had a hit apiece, with Kaman smacking a double. Jaden Windley scored three runs for the Outlaws.

Outlaws 16,

Rawlins 0

Powered by 11 hits – plus a combined 1-hitter thrown by pitchers Gavin Oliver, Braxton Bauer and Walker Wilson — the Outlaws won game one of Sunday’s doubleheader at Rawlins, 16-0.

Gavin Oliver got the start and the win for the Outlaws, striking out the first six batters he faced and giving up just one hit over three innings. Braxton Bauer and Walker Wilson each pitched an inning of hitless ball in relief, with two strikeouts apiece.

“Rawlins is Rawlins, but the kids showed up and took care of business,” Small said. “Gavin was very dominant in this game — coach [Cody] Moore set it up where each starter of these two games would get three innings, with a kid coming in for relief in the fourth, and a kid to close in the fifth. I thought all six of the kids that pitched Sunday pitched really well.”

Ryder Wilson went 1-2 with a double and 4 RBI to lead the Outlaws at the plate. Bauer and Jaden Windley collected two hits apiece in the contest, with Bauer hitting a RBI double. Oliver, Jacson Osborne, Brecken Rich, Tyson Bateman and Josh Moio had a hit apiece, with Rich hitting a double. Damian Kaman knocked in three runs.

Outlaws 17,

Rawlins 0

Outlaws pitchers Brecken Rich, Ryder Wilson and Damian Kamen combined to throw a two hitter — with Rich picking up the win — as Evanston completed the sweep of Rawlins Sunday with a 17-0 shutout.

Rich gave up just one hit over three innings, striking out seven in the winning effort; Wilson and Kamen pitched an inning in relief, with Kamen allowing one hit and striking out two; Wilson struck out one.

The Outlaws cranked out 10 hits in the contest, led by a 4-for-4, two doubles and 3 RBI performance from Walker Wilson. Gavin Oliver, Braxton Bauer, Josh Moio, Rich, Tyson Bateman and Jaden Windley collected a hit apiece, with Oliver hitting a double and knocking in two runs. Bauer, Moio, Rich, Bateman and Windley finished with an RBI apiece.

“Our guys at the top of the order are getting on base, and the guys following are knocking them in, so our lineup is working pretty well right now for us,” Small said. “Top to bottom, each kid has his strengths, and when we get in the right scenario, its a pretty dangerous lineup.”