Rangers A plays well, but falls to Torrington varsity in Kleppinger opener

Richard Anderson photo
The Laramie Rangers A American Legion baseball team reacts after a good play on the field Thursday against Torrington in the first game of the annual Kleppinger Klassic at Cowboy Field. The Torrington varsity team won the hard-fought game, 3-1.

By Richard Anderson
Wyoming Sports.org

The Laramie Rangers A American Legion baseball team was a hit or two away from pulling off a nice upset to begin the annual Kleppinger Klassic Thursday at Cowboy Field.

The Rangers dropped a tough 3-1 decision to AA Torrington, stranding 11 batters. Laramie 10-17, had six hits in the game, but left seven baserunners in scoring position.

“We left too many people on base,” Laramie coach Brandon Ruckman said. “I guess we have to work out those kinks for the next two games that we have.”

Laramie got off to a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Tyler Boggess singled home Abel Casas, who had reached on a single. Laramie, however, left the bases load for the first of two times on Thursday.

The Tigers took the lead with a pair of runs in the third inning and added one run in the fifth to conclude the scoring.

The Rangers left the bases loaded in the third inning and had runners in scoring position in the fourth, fifth and seventh innings without scoring.

Despite the loss, Ruckman was pleased with how his young team played against an older team.

“We’ve played them for three years and I’ve seen the same names for three years,” Ruckman said. “They are definitely and older team. I told them to leave it on the field and that is exactly what they did – they left 100 percent out on the field and we still came away with a loss. It’s too bad, but I thought they played well. Their coach commented on our players and said we did a great job, and I thought we did a great job.”

The more the Rangers stayed in the game with the Tigers, Ruckman said the more his young team felt like it could win the game. They just came up a little short.

“I think they knew going in that this would be a tough game,” Ruckman said. “We’re hanging in there, 3-1 with Torrington, and I think they felt that they could do it, they could take it to the next step. We’re going to take this into the next games, and hopefully what we did today, we can take into the state competition.”

Casas, who took the loss on the mound, had two hits for the Rangers offensively, as did Dylan Watson. Boggess and Tyler Loose also had singles for Laramie.

Casas pitched four innings for the Rangers, giving up four hits and two runs (one earned). Lance McCartney pitched the final three innings, giving up three hits and one run.

“They did great. They did everything that we asked them to do,” Ruckman said of Casas and McCartney. “They threw strikes and held them to three runs, which is great. They did a great job today.”

The tournament will continue on Friday, although the Rangers won’t see the field until a pair of games on Saturday. Laramie takes on Green River at 2 p.m. and Lovell at 7 p.m.

“I’m ready to go … I think this whole team is ready to go,” Ruckman said. “After our Gillette tournament (Laramie was 1-4), I think we’re ready to roll for the next two games.”

Rangers split with Wheatland

WHEATLAND -- The Laramie Rangers didn’t settle any seeding questions with a split against Wheatland on Wednesday.

The Lobos routed the Rangers 13-5 in the opener, with the Rangers holding on for a 12-11 victory in the nightcap.

Laramie hosts the South District Tournament from July 23-25 and will wait on a vote from the district coaches for the tournament seeding.

Things looked promising in the first game, with the Rangers and Lobos tied at 3-3 heading into the bottom of the fourth inning. The Lobos, however, roughed up Laramie ace Coley Wilson with six runs in the bottom of the fourth and never looked back. Wheatland added a run in the fifth and three more in the sixth.

Wilson gave up eight hits and 10 runs (eight earned) in 4 1/3 innings. Nick Armijo and Brody Hilgenkamp also pitched in the game for Laramie.

The Rangers had just six hits in the game, with left fielder Nolan Carter leading the way with a single and home run.

The Laramie offense picked things up in the second game with 11 safeties, led by Carter’s two home runs and five RBI, including a grand slam blast in the fourth inning. Hilgenkamp and Rylan Harding both added two hits each and Jon Sorenson belted a three-run home run, while Tyler Mitchell had two RBI in the contest.

The Rangers trailed 5-2 before exploding for six runs in the fourth inning and adding on four more in the sixth for some insurance.

Carter started the game on the mound, giving up eight hits and eight runs (six earned) in 4 2/3 innings. Skyler Joy picked up the win in relief, pitching the final 2 1/3 innings, giving up two hit and three runs (one earned). Joy ended the game with a strikeout and a Wheatland base runner on third base.

The Rangers will close the regular Friday with a doubleheader at Gering, Neb., beginning at 2 p.m.
　
　
　

Rangers finish 3-2 in Scottsbluff

SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb. -- with a split on Sunday, the Laramie Rangers AA American Legion baseball team finished 3-2 in the three-day Scottsbluff Screenprinting Wood Bat Classic.

On Sunday, the Rangers thumped Rock Springs 11-3, only to fall to Fort Morgan, Colo., 4-3 in their final game of the tournament.

Against Rock Springs, the Rangers came out on fire with seven runs in the first inning. Laramie plated three in the third and another in the fourth, as the came was called in the sixth because of the eight-run mercy rule.

The Rangers finished with nine hits in the game, led by Coley Wilson with two singles and to RBI, Tim Deibert with a single and double and one run knocked in and Nick Armijo with one hit and three RBI.

Kevin Dooley picked up the victory on the mound, giving up just 3 hits and one unearned run in four innings, walking one and striking out three. Tyler Mitchell pitched the final two innings, giving up three hits and two unearned runs.

The Rangers fell behind Fort Morgan 3-0 after four innings, but rallied for three runs in the fifth to tie the game. Fort Morgan, however, scored a run in the top of the seventh and Laramie couldn''t answer.

Four Rangers pitched in the game, with Armijo getting the start, lasting 2 2/3 innings, giving up three hits and one unearned run. Rylan Harding, Brody Hilgenkamp and Wilson all pitched in the contest as well, with Wilson taking the loss.

Wilson and Nolan Carter both had a pair of hits for the Rangers.

On Saturday, the Rangers edged Cody 4-2. Carter got the win on the mound, giving up five hits and two runs in 6 2/3 innings, walking four and striking out seven. Mitchell got the final out to earn the save.

Wilson and Carter had two hits each for the Rangers.

Laramie, 22-11, will face Wheatland Wednesday in Wheatland, with the twinbill beginning at 5 p.m.

Rangers stop Cody

SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb. -- The Laramie Rangers American Legion AA baseball team won its second game of the Scottsbluff Screen Printing Wood Bat Classic, stopping Cody 4-2 on Saturday.

No details of the game were available.

The win moved the Rangers to 2-1 in the tournament and 21-10 overall. On Friday, Laramie fell to WESTCO (Scottsbluff) 7-6, before defeating Denver Mullen 7-2.

The Rangers will close the tournament on Sunday, facing Rock Springs at 3 p.m. and Fort Morgan, Colo., at 5:30 p.m.

Rangers split at Scottsbluff

By Wyoming Sports.org

SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb. – The Laramie Rangers bounced back from a tough opening loss to host WESTCO, to down Denver Mullen in their second game of the Scottsbluff Screen Printing Wood Bat Classic on Friday.

The Rangers fell to WESTCO 7-6 in the first game of the day, before bouncing back behind the strong pitching from Coley Wilson for a 7-2 decision over Mullen.

Laramie, 20-10, will close the tournament against Cody at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday and against Rock Springs at 3 p.m. and Fort Morgan, Colo., at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday.

It was the second straight week that the Rangers had faced the Scottsbluff team to begin a tourney, as it hosted the Zephyrs to begin the Firecracker Invitational in Laramie. In that game, the Zephyrs rolled past Laramie 9-2.

This game was much more competitive, as WESTCO won the game with an unearned run in the bottom of the seventh. The Rangers struggled defensively in the contest, with six errors that resulted in just four earned runs.

After trailing 2-0 in the top of the first inning, WESTCO ran off six straight runs before the Rangers tied the game at 6-6 in the sixth inning. But the Zephyrs came back to win the game off of reliever Skyler Joy, who gave up three this and hit a batter in the inning.

Jordan Rhodine started the game and gave up nine hits and six runs in six innings.

The Rangers finished with 11 hits in the game, led by Joy and second baseman Rylan Harding with three hits each. Harding had a pair of RBI, with Brody Hilgenkamp, Rhodine, Nolan Carter and Kevin Dooley all driving in one run.

The second game against Mullen was a different story, as the Rangers used strong pitching from Wilson, committing just two errors and then exploding for seven runs in the fourth inning.

Wilson finished with a complete-game five-hitter, giving up single runs in the first and seventh innings. He didn’t walk a batter, striking out four.

Harding paced the Rangers with two hits and an RBI, with Hilgenkamp driving in two runs. Joy, Wilson, Carter and Nick Armijo all had RBIs in that fourth inning.

Rain washes out Rangers, Bandits

by Bobby Abplanalp
and Richard Anderson
Wyoming Sports.org

The Laramie Rangers and Colorado Bandits will not try again afterall on Sunday to finish their Firecracker Invitational matchup.

The American Legion baseball game between the Rangers and the Bandits (Parker, Colo.), 26-9, was stopped Saturday night due to rain. The game was tentatively scheduled to resume at 9 a.m. on Sunday at Cowboy Field, but late Saturday night it was determined that the field conditions would not be suitable for play on Sunday and the rest of the tournament was canceled.

Laramie, 19-9, was credited with the victory, as the game was reverted back to the fifth inning and the Rangers up 1-0.

The Rangers took a 1-0 lead in the third inning off of a RBI single by catcher Jon Sorenson that sent left fielder Brody Hilgenkamp home.

Behind the strong pitching from Jordan Rhodine, the Ranger lead would last up until the sixth when Colorado left fielder Nate Holt hit a two-out fly ball to right field where Tyler Mitchell couldn't quite hang on during a diving attempt. The drop allowed Bandit center fielder Alex Schrupp to score the go ahead run.

Rangers thump Loveland

Richard Anderson photos
Rangers shortstop Skyler Joy slides into third base safely Friday night against Loveland, Colo., in the annual Firecracker Invitational at Cowboy Field. At left, Coley Wilson shows the form that earned him the 13-0 shutout victory.

by Bobby Abplanalp
Wyoming Sports.org

One day made all the difference in the world for the Laramie Rangers Friday, as they shut out the Loveland (Colo.) Indians 13-0 in American Legion baseball action at Cowboy Field.

The game ended after the fourth inning due to lightning.

Laramie, 18-9, is now 1-1 in the Firecracker Invitational and can play its way into the tournament championship with a win over the 2-0 Colorado Bandits on Saturday.

The Rangers were coming off of their uninspiring defeat to the WESTCO (Scottsbluff, Neb.) Zephyrs on Thursday, but they turned things around with a near perfect game against Loveland.

“Last night we had a team meeting,” Rangers second baseman Rylan Harding said. “We just flushed everything and figured out all the problems, and then we came out and just really forgot about that loss (to WESTCO) and came out with our sticks just fired up and ready to play.”

Rangers manager Sean McKinney said his team came out aggressive on Friday, something they didn't do on Thursday.

“There were some guys today early on that went over some hitting stuff and they just responded well," McKinney said. "It has nothing to do with me, they just responded well.”

The Rangers dominated offensively and defensively from the start, as they retired the first three batters for the Indians and then scored five runs in the bottom of the inning with two big hits off of Loveland starting pitcher D.J. Arebalo for a 5-0 lead. Harding got things going with a RBI double, followed by a two-run single by right fielder Tyler Mitchell.

Ryan Baca took over pitching duties for the Indians in the second inning, but he didn't fare much better, as the Rangers continued to dominate.

Laramie refused to let up, as it rallied behind pitcher Coleton Wilson to quickly get out of each inning. Wilson got the win in the four-inning, 39-pitch shutout, allowing just two hits.

“Coley pitched a great game and that’s what happens when good pitching beats good hitting,” McKinney said.

The Rangers would put the game out of reach in the second inning, as Harding hit his second RBI double of the day that sent catcher Jon Sorenson home.

Harding was 2-for-3 with two doubles and three RBI, while Sorenson, Jordan Rhodine and Nolan Carter all had two hits. Carter had a three-run double to highlight a six-run fourth inning. Laramie finished with 11 hits in the game.

The Rangers will celebrate Independence Day when they take on the Colorado Bandits at Cowboy Field Saturday, beginning at 4:30 p.m.

“We really want to win the Firecracker Tournament,” Harding said. “It’s been a long time since a Laramie home team won the Firecracker Tournament. We’re working hard and we need a few things to go right here and there and hopefully we can get to that championship game.”