Rangers close Rapid tourney with split

By Wyoming Sports.org

RAPID CITY, S.D. -- The Laramie Rangers AA American Legion baseball team closed the Rich Hinseth Agency Tournament with a big 11-2 win over Denver PlayBall Sports on Sunday at Floyd Fitzgerald Stadium.

Earlier in the day, the Rangers dropped a tough 2-0 decision to host Rapid City Post 22.

Laramie, 14-7 overall, finished 2-3 in the tournament.

As was the case on Saturday when the Rangers battled back from two opening losses and jumped on Cherry Creek, Colo., Laramie opened strong again against Denver PlayBall Sports.

Trailing 1-0, the Rangers scored twice in the second and five times in the third before putting the game away with two runs in each of the fourth and fifth innings.

Jon Sorenson, Nick Armijo and Tim Deibert all had two hits in the game for the Rangers, while Nolan Carter, Coley Wilson and Jordan Rhodine all drove in a pair of runs. Laramie had 12 hits in the game, which ended in the fifth inning because of the eight-run rule.

Rhodine picked up the win on the mound, throwing two scoreless innings in relief of starter Rylan Harding, who lasted just one inning, struggling with his control. Armijo pitched the final two innings, giving up one run on one hit.

The Rangers were locked in a tough pitching battled against Rapid City, but Post 22’s Jarret Jensen was able to out-duel Wilson. Jensen threw a three-hit complete-game shutout. He struck out five and walked just one Ranger.

Wilson have up just six hits in the game, but yielded single runs in the fourth and sixth innings. One of those runs allowed was unearned.

The Rangers will begin an eight-game home series Thursday when they host the Dooley Classic Tournament Thursday through Sunday and the annual Firecracker Invitational July 2-5. The Rangers were to host the Casper Pilers on Tuesday, but that doubleheader was canceled.