Richard Anderson photo
Jon Sorenson watches the flight of the ball Saturday against Green River in the South District Tournament at Cowboy Field.
by Richard Anderson
Wyoming Sports.org
The Laramie Rangers brushed off the rain from the bill of their caps and the Green River Knights at the same time.
Whatever it took to get to the state tournament.
The Rangers AA American Legion baseball team needed to get the consolation bracket game in Saturday afternoon; they needed to win. After two rain delays, the Rangers did just that in dumping Green River 11-6, before thumping Riverton 18-4 to finish third in the South District Tournament at Cowboy field.
“I’m so happy for the kids that we get to go to state,” Laramie manager Sean McKinney said. “All of the credit goes to them. I’m so happy that we all of the work that they have done, they can get rewarded like this.”
In a do-or-die situation, the Rangers will live to play again and compete in the state tournament next week in Rock Springs.
Laramie, 26-14, had to beat the Knights on Saturday after suffering their first loss of the tournament Friday to Cheyenne Post 6.
“We knew that the Green River game was a big game, not only to get another game, but to make the state tournament for a few more games,” Laramie first baseman/pitcher Jordan Rhodine said. “We came out lackadaisical, not how we wanted to. In the end, we just started hitting the ball and feeling more comfortable and our pitching came around. We were able to just settle in and just out-play them.”
For a while, it looked as if the Rangers would let this opportunity slip through their fingers, with Green River leading 4-1 heading into the bottom of the fourth inning. Laramie, however, cut the lead to 4-3 before a steady rain forced the two teams back to their dugouts with a 30-minute rain delay.
Coming back out, the Rangers would grab the lead and never let go, scoring five runs in the inning. Two more runs in the sixth and three in the eighth, after a second rain delay, cemented the victory.
“Once we jumped on them, it was all downhill from there,” Laramie centerfielder Coley Wilson said.
Laramie pounded out 18 hits in the game, led by Jordan Rhodine's four hits. Jon Sorenson, Rylan Harding and Brody Hilgenkamp all added three hits, with Sorenson, Harding and Wilson all knocking in a pair of runs each. Wilson and Tim Deibert both had a pair of hits as well.
“It’s a big confidence booster knowing you have that two or three-run lead,” Rhodine said. “It just makes it easier to hit easier to field behind your pitcher and it gives your pitcher confidence.”
Nolan Carter picked up the win on the mound, scattering nine hits and all six runs in seven innings. Wilson and Rhodine both pitched a scoreless inning to close the game.
"Nolan was a little nervous at the beginning, he wasn’t sure what he was going to do with the ball,” McKinney said. “But he really settled in to getting back to what he does best. Coley did a great job, Jordan did a great job. We close with Jordan and then he comes back and pitches seven. That was an unbelievable job for him, I’m really proud of him.”
Rhodine and the Rangers were far from finished, though, as they went on to clobber the Raiders for the second time in the tournament. Rhodine picked up the win, giving up just six hits and four runs (two earned) in seven innings, walking two and striking our seven. The big right-hander also had two more hits and three RBI in the contest.
"I hadn’t thrown in a few days and my arm was fresh. I was willing to step up," Rhodine said. "Throwing about 15 pitches wasn’t too bad. I was loose for the second game and I was ready to go. I felt confident with that."
Despite just playing nine innings, the Rangers had all of the energy in the second game, essentially putting the game away with a big seven-run second inning. Leading 12-3 after six innings, the Rangers got over the mercy-rule hump with a six-run seventh.
Again, the Laramie bats went wild with 13 hits, including seven extra-base knocks. Joy had a single and triple and two RBI, with Tyler Mitchell doing the same with one run knocked in. Hilgenkamp added two doubles and three RBI, while Harding's two singles also capped a big day.
"Jordan was great on the mound and we all knew we were going to state,” Wilson said.
The Rangers will face Casper on Wednesday in the first round of the state tournament. Casper fell to Powell 6-5 in the North District title game on Saturday in Casper.
Cheyenne Post 6 belted Wheatland 16-5 to win the South District title. The game was played in Cheyenne because of the two delays in Laramie.
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First Round State Tournament Matchups
Wednesday's Games
(#3 North) Gillette Roughriders vs. (#2 South) Wheatland Lobos, 9 a.m.
(#3 South) Laramie Rangers vs. (#2 North) Casper Oilers, noon
(#4 South) Riverton Raiders vs. (#1 North) Powell Pioneers, 3:30 p.m.
(#4 North) Cody Cubs vs. (#1 South) Cheyenne Post 6, 7:30 p.m.
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