Rangers fall to Roughriders

By Wyoming Sports.org

GILLETTE -- The Laramie Rangers slugged it out with the pre-tournament favorite before Gillette rallied late for a 14-9 victory in the quarterfinals of the Wyoming AA State American Legion baseball tournament.

The host Roughriders (48-9) rallied behind the arm and bat of Ryan Hutchison to move into the semifinals Friday (7:30 p.m.) against seven-time state champion Cheyenne, which blasted Sheridan 23-2 earlier in the day.

The loss dropped the Rangers, 1-1 in the tournament and 24-25 overall, to the loser-out bracket as they will face Green River Friday at 12:30 p.m. The Knights fell to Cheyenne 15-1 in the first round and received a bye when Rock Springs was disqualified from the tournament.

Laramie, which was outscored 24-8 in two losses to the Roughriders early in the season, stayed with Gillette nearly the entire game until Hutchinson blasted a big three-run home run in the eighth inning to break a 9-9 tie. Gillette would add two more runs on the scoreboard and then hold on for the win.

Gillette jumped on Laramie starting pitcher Jordan Rhodine for four runs in the top of the first inning, only to see the Rangers bounce right back to tie the game on one swing of the bat -- on a grand slam home run by catcher Jon Sorenson.

Each time the Roughriders would regain the lead, the Rangers would battle back -- until the eighth inning. Gillette was up 8-5 before the Rangers scored three times in the fourth to tie the game and another run in the fifth for a 9-8 lead.

In the fourth inning, shortstop Skyler Joy hit a two-run single and Laramie would add another run on a Gillette error. In the fifth, Sorenson drew a bases-loaded walk to give Laramie a 9-8 lead. The Rangers, however, left the bases loaded and never got going again offensively.

Hutchison not only had the big hit for Gillette, but he picked up the win on the mound, with five innings of relief, giving up two unearned runs and striking out 14 Rangers.

Offensively for the Rangers, Coleton Wilson had three hits to lead the way, with Sorenson adding two hits and four RBI. Jason Rodriguez, Sean Gardea and Joy all had one hit each. Joy knocked in three runs.

Mike Garner took the loss, giving up four runs in one inning of relief. Rhodine, Rodriguez and Rylan Harding also pitched in the game as Gillette had 18 hits against Laramie pitching.
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Roughriders 14, Rangers 9
Gillette 420 201 050 -- 14 18 4
Laramie 401 310 000 -- 9 8 3

Gillette hitting: Seth Means (1b), Austin Cowen (1b,1b,1b, 2RBI), Ryan Hutchison (1b, HR, 3RBI), Jared Wass (1b,2b,2b,2b, RBI), Bubba Hamilton (2b, RBI), Ryan Iliff (1b,2b,2b, 2RBI), Mick Peters (1b,1b,2b, RBI), Garrett Jackson (1b, RBI), Dalton Cowen (1b). Laramie hitting: Jason Rodriguez (1b), Sean Gardea, (1b), Skyler Joy (1b, 3RBI), Jon Sorenson (hr, 3b, 4RBI), Coleton Wilson (1b,1b,1b, RBI). Gillette pitching: Mick Peters (3IP, 6H, 7R, 7ER, 2BB, 0K, 3HBP), Ryan Hutchison (W, 5IP, H, 2R, 0ER, 2BB, 12K, 1HBP), Austin Cowen (1IP, 0H, 0R, 0ER, 0BB, 3K). Laramie pitching: Jordan Rhodine (3 1/3IP, 7H, 8R, 4ER, 5BB, 2K) Jason Rodriguez (3IP, 4H, 1R, 1ER, 4BB, 2K) Mike Garner (L, 1IP, 4H, 4R, 4ER, 0BB, 0K), Rylan Harding (1 2/3IP, H, 1R, 1ER, 2BB, 2K).