Rangers sweep Cats; win 7th straight

By Bobby Abplanalp
Wyoming Sports.org

The Laramie Rangers AA American Legion baseball team concluded its four-game home stand unbeaten, rallying to beat the Douglas Cats 11-10 in the second game of a doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Cowboy Field. The Rangers won the opener, 17-3.

The Rangers have now won seven straight games and are 8-1 on the season.

“It feels great,” assistant coach Kyle Deck said. “We got a good group of kids who have been with us the past three years and they really know the game now. We scored some runs, and hopefully, we can outscore some teams, which has been going on so far.”

In the second game, the Rangers led 8-3 before the Cats clawed their way back and scored seven unanswered runs to take a 10-8 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth inning.

From there, the Rangers would rally behind clutch hitting and pitching from veteran Skyler Joy, who hit a game-tying RBI double in the bottom of the sixth before scoring the winning run on a sac fly by Jordan Rhodine. Joy, who came on to get the final out in the sixth, picked up the win on the mound with a scoreless seventh.

Joy also had a single and triple in the game, knocking in three runs. In the first game, he had a single, double, triple and four RBI. On the day, Joy was 5-of-6 with seven RBI and a stolen base.

More important, it might have been Joy’s right arm that saved the day for the Rangers.

“He was huge,” Deck said. “He’s our closer. Today, especially in the second game, I was trying to give him a rest and give some other guys some work, but to have him come in and be cool, especially in the top of the sixth, it just shows his character and he’s a great baseball player, he had a big game.”

“That’s pretty much been my role for the past couple of years, the closer role and pitching and everything,” Joy said. “So they usually count on me in close games like that and every time I can come through like that it’s always a good feeling.”

Right fielder Jon Sorenson had a big day hitting the ball for the Rangers, going 3-of-5, including a home run in the second game during the third inning to push the Laramie lead to 6-2.

“I think we got a lot of confidence coming into the season with all the young guys and the way it has turned out. Eight and one is kind of a special deal for us,” Sorenson said “It’s just timely hitting, we all did very well hitting in the situations we needed.”

The Rangers dominated the first contest in a game ended in a five-inning mercy rule. Rhodine got the win, pitching four innings and only allowing two runs.

Up next for the Rangers will be a doubleheader against the Wheatland Lobos on Tuesday in Wheatland, beginning at 5 p.m.

“They (Wheatland) swept us last year, which was pretty disappointing,” Joy said. “They’re a good team, but we thought we could beat them. We’ll be looking to get back at them this year.”

Young Rangers stepping up

Richard Anderson photo

Nolan Carter pitches Wednesday in the second game of a doubleheader against Gering, Neb. In the background is first baseman Nick Armijo.

By Richard Anderson
Wyoming Sports.org

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It hasn’t taken long for several young Laramie Rangers to step in at the varsity level.

What choice do they have?

Heading into the home opener against Gering, Neb., the new look Rangers had already turned some heads. That trend continued in the twinbill sweep of Gering, 4-2 and 10-5 Wednesday at Cowboy Field.

Granted, the Ranger veterans -- Skyler Joy, Coleton Wilson, Jon Sorenson and Ryland Harding -- continue to lead the way as expected. But with three likely starters electing not to play baseball this summer, that has opened the door for the likes of Brody Hilgenkamp, Nolan Carter and Tyler Mitchell.

Last weekend’s Riders Spring Classic, the young Rangers got their feet wet as Laramie opened by winning four of five games.

Carter, with three home runs and hitting .533, smacked the ball around in Gillette, while Hilgenkamp had four hits. Mitchell struggled some offensively, but picked up valuable playing experience.

On Wednesday, Hilgenkamp made a big defensive play in the outfield and pitched two scoreless innings for the save in the opener, while Carter picked up the win on the mound in the nightcap, adding a big two-run single in the sixth inning. Mitchell exceeded his season hit output in the second game with three singles and two RBI.

“It’s huge to have those guys come in and play,” Laramie coach Kyle Deck said. “They have been playing with the older guys all winter and spring, so I don’t look at those guys as young guys, I see them as inexperienced AA guys. They have the talent and they have the ability.”

Carter admitted after the doubleheader that it feels “pretty good,” to be able to step in right away at the varsity level.

“We have pretty much stepped up when we needed to, which Coach has wanted us to do,” Carter said. “I think we’re doing a pretty good job of doing that. We’re doing what we have been asked to do and we’re making the plays.”

At this time last year, several of the Ranger youngsters were preparing for the A level.

“It’s a lot different than single A. We’ve had a lot of guys step up. It’s like a team effort,” Mitchell said. “It seems like up here everything is working smoothly.”

The difference between AA and A?

Quality pitching.

While it is early in the season and the Rangers will likely face better pitching as they go, Carter hasn’t shown any signs offensively of struggling. His two-run single in the sixth inning of the nightcap gave Laramie some breathing room.

“The pitchers are a lot better, I’ll say that,” Carter said. “They’ll put it out on the outside corner for a strike, as where in single A, it is a little more unpredictable. The speed is a lot different, so you have swing a little earlier. I’m getting used to it.”

Mitchell was just 1 of 14 hitting last weekend, but had one hit in the opener and three hits in the second game on Wednesday.

“I struggled a lot last weekend. I had never faced pitchers like that,“ Mitchell said. “I just have to get used to them and get my confidence back up and try to adapt to them. It’s pretty hard, but it just takes practice. We get BP (batting practice) every single day and the coaches are working with you.”

Talent and hard work have put many of the young Rangers into the starting lineup. The veterans continue to lead the way in many ways. Both Carter and Mitchell said that the older players have been instrumental in their development.

“They encourage you when you are down; when you make a bad play, they are like, ‘You’ll get the next one,’” Carter said. “When you do make a good play, they compliment you. They are a great team to play with.”

Mitchell agreed.

“They’re supporting us and they are behind us,” he said. “They are teaching us what to do at the same time, stepping up and being leaders. Skyler, Ryland and Coley, they are there behind you all of the time. It was nice to play with them in the off-season.”

Now, if the Rangers can only learn how to celebrate a win. After his post-game talk, Deck had the team that ended the game go back out on the field, rein act the final out and line up and high-five each other in an orderly fashion.

“It just makes it a little cleaner and a little nicer and a little bit more important,” Deck said with a grin.

At this rate, the young Rangers will learn quickly just how to enjoy victory.

First game
Laramie broke a 2-2 tie in the opener with a RBI double by Joy in the fifth. Wilson picked up the win on the mound, scattering three hits in five innings. Harding added two singles for the Rangers.

Second game
The Rangers used a five-run third to break the game open and then added three runs in the sixth for some breathing room.

Wilson and Mitchell, who both had three this in the game, had two-run singles in the third. Laramie finished with 16 hits in the game.

Carter earned the win on the mound, giving up four hits and two runs in five innings.

Up next
The Rangers, 6-1, host Douglas Saturday at Cowboy Field in a twinbill that begins at noon.