Green River surprises Rangers AA

By Wyoming Sports.org

ROCK SPRINGS -- The Laramie Rangers AA American Legion baseball team hadn’t played in two weeks. It might have shown in the Western Conference Tournament opener Friday against Green River.

The Rangers were shocked by the Knights 7-6 in the nine-inning game as their hopes for a No. 1 seed going into next week’s state tournament in Gillette were dealt a serious setback. Laramie did bounce back to crush Evanston 24-5 in seven innings.

The last time the Rangers played a game was in an easy doubleheader sweep of the Knights on July 17 at Cowboy Field. There was nothing easy this time around.

Behind starting pitcher Coleton Wilson, Laramie led for most of the game, including 4-3 after seven innings. But Green River scored four times off of reliever Mike Garner in the eighth inning, including a two-run home run by Kelly Garvin that proved to be the game-winner. Garvin and teammate Cameron Otter both had solo home runs earlier in the game in this smallish Rock Springs diamond.

Laramie scored twice in the top of the ninth on a throwing error by the Knights and on a double-play ground ball. Those two outs proved to be critical as Green River pitcher Kyle Calkins got Ryan Ivy to ground out to end the game.

Garner led the 12-hit Laramie attack with three hits and three RBI. Ivy also had three hits in the game for Laramie.

The Rangers, 22-23, took their frustrations out on Evanston later in the afternoon, scoring 15 runs in the first three innings. Laramie belted four home runs in the game, including two jacks by Garner and one each by Jason Rodriguez and Rylan Harding. Garner had seven RBI in the contest as the Rangers finished with 19 hits.

Rodriguez had three hits and five RBI, with Jon Sorenson adding four hits and five RBI. Max Schoen, Mike Hudson and Harding all pitched in the game for Laramie.

Action continues on Saturday at 9 a.m. against the loser of Friday night's Green River-Rock Springs game. Laramie would have to win three games on Saturday get the No. 1 seed.