The Eagle River Wolves fell into an early hole and never recovered in a 10-2 loss to Cheyenne (WY) on Day 1 of the Northwest Regional in Gillette, Wyoming.

Cheyenne used five walks, an error, a two-run triple and a two-run single to plate six runs in the bottom of the first inning – all without recording an out.

The only reason the game went seven innings was because of Wolves’ relief pitcher Jack Molloy, who was nothing short of spectacular, especially under the circumstances.

He entered the game in the first with his team trailing 4-1 and the bases loaded with no outs.

Molloy gave up a single to the first batter he faced before striking out the next two batters looking and the next on a grounder to end the 35-minute first frame.

He retired 15 of 18 batters on his way to providing a fabulous five-inning stint. The southpaw allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits and zero walks. He struck out six.

Molloy gave up a run in the second inning on a two-out balk and another in the fourth after the leadoff batter reached on a three-base error and came home on a wild pitch.

Three Eagle River pitchers combined for nine wild pitches and two balks.

Molloy pitched 1-2-3 innings in each of the third and fifth in a 60-pitch performance that deserved praise.

Molloy also went 2-for-2 at the plate and scored a run. Have a day, young man.

Two-time defending state champion Eagle River led 1-0 on Noah Lower’s sac fly three batters into the game.

Dallin Roberts led off with a single, moved to second on Liam Lierman’s sac bunt and went to third on a wild pitch to set up Lower.

In the fourth inning, the Wolves scored against after Molloy singled, stole second, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on Landon Hudson’s sac fly.

Hudson also drew an eight-pitch at-bat in the seventh inning before getting erased on a game-ending 6-4-3 double play.

Eagle River dropped to 28-11 overall and fell to 0-7 against Lower 48 competition this season.

The loss snapped the Wolves’ eight-game winning streak.

Cheyenne improved to 65-10 and advanced in the winner’s bracket and will face two-time defending Legion World Series champion Idaho Falls (ID) on Thursday.

Cheyenne’s stats read like a minor-league team.

First baseman Zack Costopoulos drove in his 75th run of the season and has combined for 18 home runs and 165 RBIs in the last two summers.

Eagle River fell into the loser’s bracket and will face Fort Collins (CO) in an elimination game Thursday morning.

Get your coffee ready. First pitch is at 7:30 a.m. Alaska time.