by Bobby Abplanalp
Wyoming Sports.org
Some days you got it and some days you don’t.
That was the case for the Laramie Rangers AA American Legion baseball team against the WESTCO (Scottsbluff, Neb.) Zephyrs at Cowboy Field Thursday night in the first day of the annual wood bat Firecracker Invitational.
The cool and windy opening night for the home team did not go well for the Rangers, as they were thumped the Zephyrs 9-2.
Zephyrs manager and former Ranger and Laramie native Mark Moran got the better of his former team.
“I always love coming back to Laramie. It’s a great place to play,” Moran said. “It’s a good tournament and we see good competition here. Every year four or five people come out of the stands and say 'hi' that I haven’t seen for years, so it’s always fun for me to come back.”
Laramie, 17-9, has now lost two straight and seemed to be still hung over from last weekend's Dooley Oil Classic championship loss to Colorado Springs Baseball Club. The Rangers never got going against the Zephyrs.
“Uninspiring. We were uninspired tonight,” Rangers manager Sean McKinney said. “We are just not in a good place right now and I need to get that corrected. We’re just not playing baseball, we’re not doing the little things right and we need to get that figured out quickly.”
WESTCO, 15-17, came off a hard-fought 5-4 loss just 25 minutes before this game to the Loveland, Colo., Indians. Yet, the Zephyrs wasted no time against the Rangers, jumping out to a 3-0 lead after two innings, as Laramie pitcher Nolan Carter gave up five hits. Rylan Harding relieved Carter in the fourth inning.
Both teams would play even for a while, until a six-run fifth inning by WESTCO broke the game open. The Zephyrs had four hits in the inning and took advantage of one big Laramie error for a 9-0 lead.
Laramie would avoid the five-inning mercy rule by scoring two runs off of bases-loaded walks by Zephyrs pitcher Michael Hoppes in the bottom of the fifth for the final margin.
“I was impressed with the way our kids bounced back, because that was a tough game to lose in game one,” Moran said of WESTCO'S loss to Loveland, as the Zephyrs took a two-run lead into the bottom of the seventh.
Hoppes would get the complete-game win for the Zephyrs, with seven strikeouts, only giving up three hits.
“(Michael) Hoppes had pretty good stuff today and Laramie really couldn’t solve him,” Moran said.”
Center fielder Coleton Wilson, Harding and pinch hitter Kevin Dooley all had singles for the Rangers.
“He only threw five curve balls, so the rest were fast balls,” McKinney said of Hoppes. “We weren’t ready to hit that. We just stood there and watched him pitch it and we weren’t aggressive with it and the kid just kept doing it, and we weren’t able to hit it.”
The Rangers will try to rebound Friday against the Loveland Indians at 7 p.m. at Cowboy Field.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Drillers stop Rangers A twice
By Wyoming Sports.org
Things started pretty well for the Laramie Rangers A team in both games of a doubleheader Wednesday against the Casper Drillers at Cowboy Field.
It wasn’t a good ending, however, both times out. The Drillers took the twinbill , 11-6 and 7-6.
In both games, Laramie either led or were within one run until the final couple of innings.
In the opener, the Drillers led 3-2 heading into the sixth inning before scoring eight runs for a nine-run lead. In the second game, Laramie led 3-0 going into the seventh before the Drillers scored seven times.
Tommy Johnson and Tyler Loose led the Laramie offense with two hits each in the first game, as the Rangers finished with 10 hits.
Abel Casas took the loss on the mound, giving up 13 hits in six innings. Only four of the 11 runs allowed were earned. Ryan Spiker pitched a scoreless seventh.
In the second game, Kevin Dooley had a one-hit shutout going through six innings and got two outs in the seventh before the roof caved in. A couple of errors kept the inning going and five hits later, the Drillers had a commanding lead.
Laramie did come back with three runs in the bottom of the seventh, but came up just short. Dooley and Alex Jordan had three hits each for the Rangers, with Kyle Alexander adding a pair of hits.
The Rangers A team, 9-12 on the season, returns to action Saturday at Riverton.
Things started pretty well for the Laramie Rangers A team in both games of a doubleheader Wednesday against the Casper Drillers at Cowboy Field.
It wasn’t a good ending, however, both times out. The Drillers took the twinbill , 11-6 and 7-6.
In both games, Laramie either led or were within one run until the final couple of innings.
In the opener, the Drillers led 3-2 heading into the sixth inning before scoring eight runs for a nine-run lead. In the second game, Laramie led 3-0 going into the seventh before the Drillers scored seven times.
Tommy Johnson and Tyler Loose led the Laramie offense with two hits each in the first game, as the Rangers finished with 10 hits.
Abel Casas took the loss on the mound, giving up 13 hits in six innings. Only four of the 11 runs allowed were earned. Ryan Spiker pitched a scoreless seventh.
In the second game, Kevin Dooley had a one-hit shutout going through six innings and got two outs in the seventh before the roof caved in. A couple of errors kept the inning going and five hits later, the Drillers had a commanding lead.
Laramie did come back with three runs in the bottom of the seventh, but came up just short. Dooley and Alex Jordan had three hits each for the Rangers, with Kyle Alexander adding a pair of hits.
The Rangers A team, 9-12 on the season, returns to action Saturday at Riverton.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Colorado Springs edges Rangers for title
by Bobby Abplanalp
Wyoming Sports.org
The two best teams in the Dooley Oil Classic battled at Cowboy Field Sunday night for the tournament title, and it was just that -- a battle that lasted into extra innings.
Both Laramie and the Colorado Springs Baseball Club won their respective pools with 3-0 records to get to the championship. Colorado Springs, 9-4, was the better team Sunday night and won the tournament, 7-2 in eight innings over the Rangers.
The game was closer than the score indicated, as Laramie gave up two quick runs, then battled back to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh inning before Colorado Springs pulled away.
Rangers' manager Sean McKinney decided to shake up the pitching rotation and start closer Skyler Joy, but the first two innings did not go so well for Joy, as Colorado Springs earned three hits and two Laramie errors led to two runs for a 2-0 Colorado Springs lead.
“Coley (Wilson) was unable to start,” McKinney said. “We thought it would be better to have him finish. We had Skyler (Joy) throw two innings, so it wasn’t anything different for him.”
Coleton Wilson replaced Joy at the mound in the third inning and the game was neck and neck after that, as Wilson and Colorado Springs pitcher Todd Brazell were locked in a duel. Wilson had four strikeouts and gave up one hit through seven innings, while Brazell got the win with four strikeouts and allowed five hits in seven innings.
“Coley did a good job,” McKinney said. “He did a good job for us and kept us in the game.”
The Rangers would threaten in the sixth inning, as Wilson singled and Joy broke out of his hitting slump with an RBI double that sent Wilson home to cut the lead to 2-1.
Laramie would threaten again in the seventh, as third baseman Nick Armijo reached first and moved to second on an errant pick-off play by Brazell. Armijo, however, was caught at third when he tried to advance on an error when Tyler Mitchell struckout, but reached first base on a passed ball.
Right fielder Brody Hilgenkamp then gave the Rangers a lift when he belted a big two-out triple that scored Mitchell from first, sending the game to extra innings.
“I was just looking for a good pitch to hit and I got one,” Hilgenkamp said. “It was a real team effort to get back in this one. I was just happy to be a part of this team fighting back to get in the game.”
“That was exciting,” added McKinney. “He (Hilgenkamp) did a good job. He got his foot down and squared the ball up and put his motion into it. That’s just a bit time hit by Brody.”
As excited as the Rangers were to keep the game going, the wheels would come off for Laramie in the eighth inning.
Colorado Springs wore down Wilson with three hits and two costly Laramie errors, which led to five runs for the final margin. Armijo would come in to relieve Wilson and close it out.
Colorado Springs reliever Jerid Huggins closed the game out with three strikeouts and a walk.
“It did get away from us there at the end, but the game was not out of hand,” said McKinney. “The score has no indication of what the game was like.”
Despite the loss, McKinney said that they battled with a very good ballclub.
"What that tells me is the kids are doing a good job and we’re right there," he said. "We had some mind lapses early on that affected us late, so we just got to get those corrected and learn from them, so they don’t make those mistakes again.”
“Playing everyday for four straight days can kind of get tiring,” Hilgenkamp added. “I think it will help with the endurance factor for us and staying mentally focus. I think we played very well this tournament; we got a lot of good pitching, played some good D (defense), and we know we’re there.”
The Rangers, 17-8, will get another chance for a tournament title, as they will host the annual wood bat Firecracker Tournament at Cowboy Field July 2-5.
Wyoming Sports.org
The two best teams in the Dooley Oil Classic battled at Cowboy Field Sunday night for the tournament title, and it was just that -- a battle that lasted into extra innings.
Both Laramie and the Colorado Springs Baseball Club won their respective pools with 3-0 records to get to the championship. Colorado Springs, 9-4, was the better team Sunday night and won the tournament, 7-2 in eight innings over the Rangers.
The game was closer than the score indicated, as Laramie gave up two quick runs, then battled back to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh inning before Colorado Springs pulled away.
Rangers' manager Sean McKinney decided to shake up the pitching rotation and start closer Skyler Joy, but the first two innings did not go so well for Joy, as Colorado Springs earned three hits and two Laramie errors led to two runs for a 2-0 Colorado Springs lead.
“Coley (Wilson) was unable to start,” McKinney said. “We thought it would be better to have him finish. We had Skyler (Joy) throw two innings, so it wasn’t anything different for him.”
Coleton Wilson replaced Joy at the mound in the third inning and the game was neck and neck after that, as Wilson and Colorado Springs pitcher Todd Brazell were locked in a duel. Wilson had four strikeouts and gave up one hit through seven innings, while Brazell got the win with four strikeouts and allowed five hits in seven innings.
“Coley did a good job,” McKinney said. “He did a good job for us and kept us in the game.”
The Rangers would threaten in the sixth inning, as Wilson singled and Joy broke out of his hitting slump with an RBI double that sent Wilson home to cut the lead to 2-1.
Laramie would threaten again in the seventh, as third baseman Nick Armijo reached first and moved to second on an errant pick-off play by Brazell. Armijo, however, was caught at third when he tried to advance on an error when Tyler Mitchell struckout, but reached first base on a passed ball.
Right fielder Brody Hilgenkamp then gave the Rangers a lift when he belted a big two-out triple that scored Mitchell from first, sending the game to extra innings.
“I was just looking for a good pitch to hit and I got one,” Hilgenkamp said. “It was a real team effort to get back in this one. I was just happy to be a part of this team fighting back to get in the game.”
“That was exciting,” added McKinney. “He (Hilgenkamp) did a good job. He got his foot down and squared the ball up and put his motion into it. That’s just a bit time hit by Brody.”
As excited as the Rangers were to keep the game going, the wheels would come off for Laramie in the eighth inning.
Colorado Springs wore down Wilson with three hits and two costly Laramie errors, which led to five runs for the final margin. Armijo would come in to relieve Wilson and close it out.
Colorado Springs reliever Jerid Huggins closed the game out with three strikeouts and a walk.
“It did get away from us there at the end, but the game was not out of hand,” said McKinney. “The score has no indication of what the game was like.”
Despite the loss, McKinney said that they battled with a very good ballclub.
"What that tells me is the kids are doing a good job and we’re right there," he said. "We had some mind lapses early on that affected us late, so we just got to get those corrected and learn from them, so they don’t make those mistakes again.”
“Playing everyday for four straight days can kind of get tiring,” Hilgenkamp added. “I think it will help with the endurance factor for us and staying mentally focus. I think we played very well this tournament; we got a lot of good pitching, played some good D (defense), and we know we’re there.”
The Rangers, 17-8, will get another chance for a tournament title, as they will host the annual wood bat Firecracker Tournament at Cowboy Field July 2-5.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Rangers rout Sand Creek to move into Dooley Oil Classic title game
Richard Anderson photos
At top, Laramie third baseman Nick Armijo tags out a Sand Creek player in a steal attempt on Saturday. At left, Brody Hilgenkamp, 3, signals manager and third base coach Sean McKinney, with first base coach Kyle Deck looking on.
by Bobby Abplanalp
Wyoming Sports.org
After scoring just three runs in two previous close wins at the Dooley Oil Classic, the Laramie Rangers had plenty to spare Saturday night against Sand Creek, Colo., at Cowboy Field
The Rangers AA American Legion squad trailed for the first time in the tournament, 1-0 to the Scorpions after the top of the first inning. However, Sand Creek's lead would be short lived as the Rangers would send 18 batters to the plate in the bottom of the first inning to score 12 runs and Laramie pulled away for a dominating 25-2 win that was called in the fifth inning due to a mercy rule.
“Sand Creek just didn’t have it tonight, but they’re a good ball club,” Rangers manager Sean McKinney said. “They win ball games and they just didn’t have it tonight.”
The Rangers got five hits that accounted for six RBIs in the first inning, the rest of the scoring came off of RBI-walks by Sand Creek pitcher’s Brad Perez and Matt Ninemire.
The first two wins of the tournament for Laramie were pitchers duels, but Saturday was certainly not, as the bats were flying for the Rangers, with Sand Creek pitchers, Perez, Ninemire and Sean Anderson having no answers. Laramie catcher and center fielder Jon Sorenson was 2-for-2 in the first inning and 3-for-5 overall with six RBIs, highlighted by a three-run home run over the left field wall in the fourth inning.
“I think all the hard work throughout the season comes back and shows on the field like it did tonight,” Sorenson said. “We’re on our rise up, and we’re peaking. “We don’t want to peak down, but we’re getting to the summit I think.”
“Sorenson has been pulling off a little bit, so we’re trying to get him to stay on pitches a little more and he finally did a good job of that,” McKinney added. “For him to come out and have success today, that’s going to help him mentally.”
Laramie finished with 13 hits in the game and also took advantage of 13 Sand Creek walks, five errors and three hit batsmen.
Jordan Rhodine got the win for the Rangers on the mound, with four strikeouts, while allowing just three hits through four innings. He also hit 2-for-2 with a double and a single for three RBIs.
“It’s good to win the close ball games 1-0 and 2-1, but it’s also great to know that you can completely get a good team like that,” Rhodine said. “We’re classy, but we’re not going to let up and let them (Sand Creek) get back into it.”
“I’m proud of the guys for getting up by 12 runs and then getting up by another 12 runs and not letting down,” McKinney added.
Reliever Tyler Mitchell would close things out in the fifth.
Laramie, 17-7, will face the winner of Colorado Springs and Fort Morgan Colo., Sunday for the championship at 7 p.m. at Cowboy Field.
“This late in the tournament, it’s going to come down to pitching. Pitching is the back-bone of the game,” Rhodine said. “We have a strong pitching staff for getting deep into tournaments, so that should help us out tomorrow.”
McKinney said winning the Dooley Oil Classic would definitely put his team in the right direction.
“Our ultimate goal is to win a state title,” he said. “Winning the (tournament) championship would give us a taste of what it’s like to win a championship. This can get us to our ultimate goal.”
Colorado Springs and Fort Morgan will face off at 9 a.m. on Sunday in the final game of pool play.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Rangers win another pitching duel
by Bobby Abplanalp
Wyoming Sports.org
It was another pitcher’s duel Friday night at Cowboy Field in American Legion baseball action at the Dooley Oil Classic.
Laramie's Nolan Carter and Erie (Colo.) Tigers pitcher Wade Miatt almost matched pitch-for-pitch, and the Rangers would score two runs in the first inning -- and like Thursday -- those first-inning runs would be all they needed for a hard fought 2-1 win.
On Thursday, Laramie starting pitcher Coley Wilson threw a three-hitter to beat Broomfield, Colo., 1-0.
Miatt had five strikeouts and only gave up four hits, while the 16-year-old Carter, the Rangers home-run leader (three), got the win with 11 strike outs and allowed just two hits in the defensive battle. The final strike out of the day for Carter came against Erie pinch hitter Tyler DeSanto for the third and final out of the seventh inning.
The 11 strikeouts are a career best for Carter.
“If we play our game, get outs, throw strikes, I’m pretty sure we can win every game,” Carter said.
“Nolan Carter. What an unbelievable job,” Rangers manager Sean McKinney said. “A 16-year-old struck out 11 guys on a team (Erie) that is very, very good. We made some key defensive plays behind him and they’re playing hard; they’re playing the game the right way and good things are happening for us.”
Laramie's two runs in the first came on a RBI triple by catcher Jon Sorenson, who scampered home on a wild pitch.
Erie and Laramie, 16-7, will both face Sand Creek Colo., on Saturday at 4:30 and 7 p.m. respectively.
“The first time we ever played them was last year in this tournament and we beat them,” McKinney said. “It’s a new team; I don’t know all the guys. I tried to watch them today, but their game got rained out, but we’re going to go after them.”
“We always assume that teams are good, so we don’t come out here with a lazy mind thinking we can beat everybody,” Carter added. “We’ll come out thinking they’re the best team here and we’ll battle with them.”
NOTES
Friday night's game was originally scheduled to start at 7 p.m., but due to inclement weather earlier games were delayed pushing the schedule behind. The Broomfield-Sand Creek game that was rained out will not be made up ... Jordan Rhodine will be the starting pitcher for the Rangers against Sand Creek on Saturday.
Wyoming Sports.org
It was another pitcher’s duel Friday night at Cowboy Field in American Legion baseball action at the Dooley Oil Classic.
Laramie's Nolan Carter and Erie (Colo.) Tigers pitcher Wade Miatt almost matched pitch-for-pitch, and the Rangers would score two runs in the first inning -- and like Thursday -- those first-inning runs would be all they needed for a hard fought 2-1 win.
On Thursday, Laramie starting pitcher Coley Wilson threw a three-hitter to beat Broomfield, Colo., 1-0.
Miatt had five strikeouts and only gave up four hits, while the 16-year-old Carter, the Rangers home-run leader (three), got the win with 11 strike outs and allowed just two hits in the defensive battle. The final strike out of the day for Carter came against Erie pinch hitter Tyler DeSanto for the third and final out of the seventh inning.
The 11 strikeouts are a career best for Carter.
“If we play our game, get outs, throw strikes, I’m pretty sure we can win every game,” Carter said.
“Nolan Carter. What an unbelievable job,” Rangers manager Sean McKinney said. “A 16-year-old struck out 11 guys on a team (Erie) that is very, very good. We made some key defensive plays behind him and they’re playing hard; they’re playing the game the right way and good things are happening for us.”
Laramie's two runs in the first came on a RBI triple by catcher Jon Sorenson, who scampered home on a wild pitch.
Erie and Laramie, 16-7, will both face Sand Creek Colo., on Saturday at 4:30 and 7 p.m. respectively.
“The first time we ever played them was last year in this tournament and we beat them,” McKinney said. “It’s a new team; I don’t know all the guys. I tried to watch them today, but their game got rained out, but we’re going to go after them.”
“We always assume that teams are good, so we don’t come out here with a lazy mind thinking we can beat everybody,” Carter added. “We’ll come out thinking they’re the best team here and we’ll battle with them.”
NOTES
Friday night's game was originally scheduled to start at 7 p.m., but due to inclement weather earlier games were delayed pushing the schedule behind. The Broomfield-Sand Creek game that was rained out will not be made up ... Jordan Rhodine will be the starting pitcher for the Rangers against Sand Creek on Saturday.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Rangers open Dooley with 1-0 win
Laramie pitcher Coley WilsonBy Bobby Abplanalp
Wyoming Sports.org
Coleton Wilson wasn’t at his sharpest, but the veteran Laramie Rangers ace did exactly what he needed to do in the clutch, pitching Post 14 to a 1-0 win over Broomfield, Colo., on Thursday in the first game of the Dooley Oil Classic at Cowboy Field.
Wilson walked seven Broomfield batters, but gave up just three hits and got out of a couple of jams with big strikeouts. Wilson struck out five in the game.
Broomfield opened the game with two walks and a single in the first inning, but Wilson struck out three to get out unscathed. The Eagles put a couple of runners on base in the top of the seventh, but Wilson induced a groundball to again get out of the jam.
The lone run would then come in the bottom of the first. Laramie catcher Jon Sorenson reached on an errant throw by Broomfield pitcher Hayden Underberg that sent shortstop Skyler Joy.
Joy’s run turned out to be the deciding factor in the game as Wilson and Underberg were locked in a pitcher’s duel the rest of the way.
“They’re a very solid ball club,” Rangers manager Sean McKinney said. “Their kid (Underberg) kept us off balance and he pitched a heck of a game, and luckily we had the same guy (Wilson) do it on our end. Coleton Wilson did such a great job tonight and we only needed one run to win this game, sometimes that’s what you need and I’m happy to be on this side of it.”
Underberg finished with seven strikeouts, but it was Wilson who would close out the win with a shutout.
“It felt amazing pitching a shutout,” Wilson said. “It’s my first one I think. To get it in front of the home crowd feels really good.”
Wilson is now 5-3 on the season with a 2.64 earned run average and came into Thursday’s game off a tough 2-0 loss last Sunday to Rapid City, S.D., Post 22.
“He’s (Wilson) our number one (pitcher) and he has been the last two years,” McKinney said. “I would say each week he pitches, he gets better and better. I’m proud of him; I’m proud he’s on our side.”
Laramie, 15-7, only managed three hits on the day, but allowed just three hits to Broomfield, which fell to 7-16 on the season.
The Dooley Oil Classic is played with wooden bats instead of the traditional aluminum bats. Wilson said there are some positives to playing with wooden bats.
“It’s nice pitching against wood bats,” he said. “The stuff you hit off the handle with the metal bat is a base hit, but with the wooden bat it’s a ground out, so that’s nice to pitch too.”
Up next for the Rangers will be Erie Colo., Friday at 7 p.m. at Cowboy Field.
“We’ve been on the road a lot; we were just in Rapid City (S.D.),” Wilson said. “Being in front of the home crowd is really nice.”
Game notes
The game followed a Mountain Collegiate Baseball League game between the Laramie Colts and Cheyenne Grizzlies, which was delayed earlier in the afternoon 80 minutes because of lightning. The Laramie-Broomfield game was then delayed from the start for 45 minutes because one umpire was absent … Laramie was home for the first time in 20 days, last facing Gillette on June 5. On Tuesday, the Rangers twin bill against the Casper Oilers was canceled because Casper had too many injured players.
---
Rangers 1, Eagles 0
Broomfield 000 000 0 -- 0 3 2
Laramie 100 000 x -- 1 3 2
Laramie hitting -- Brody Hilgenkamp (1b), Skyler Joy (1b), Tyler Mitchell (1b). Broomfield hitting: Hayden Underberg (1b,1b), Drew Clark (1b) Laramie pitching -- Coley Wilson (WP, 7 in., 3h, 0r, 0er, 7bb, 5k). Broomfield pitching -- Hayden Underberg (LP, 6in., 3h, 1r, 0er, 3bb, 7k).
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Rangers in tournament mode
Richard Anderson photo
Laramie manager Sean McKinney, left, talks with Coley Wilson at third base during an early-season game at Cowboy Field.
By Richard Anderson
Wyoming Sports.org
The Summer Solstice has finally arrived, welcoming in the official beginning of tournament baseball for the Laramie Rangers.
The Laramie AA American Legion baseball team began the first of four straight weeks of tournament play by competing in the Rich Hinseth Agency Tournament in Rapid City, S.D. On tap this week in the Dooley Oil Classic at Cowboy Field Thursday through Sunday at Cowboy Field. The Rangers will also host the annual Firecracker Invitational July 2-5, and then compete in the four-day Scottsbluff Wood Bat Tournament July 9-12 in Scottsbluff, Neb.
After a late start to the season, then an on again and off again schedule, the Rangers will get at least 17 games in (weather permitting) in a matter of 15 days of action.
While Laramie manager Sean McKinney likes to practice, he also said that the more his team gets into the flow of the game, the better they will get at it.
“Baseball is a game where you have to play every day to get better at it,” McKinney said. “Games are the best test to work on things. Then we get to come back and have practice at the beginning of the week, which I love, to correct some things from a long tournament, and then go right back and play.”
The Rangers will open the tournament Thursday at 6 p.m. against Broomfield, Colo.
Up until last week’s five games, the Rangers had played just 16 games in about one month. In fact, Laramie went eight days between games when it faced Rock Springs early last week just before beginning the Rapid City tournament.
There will be few breaks in their schedule the rest of the way.
“I think it is good for the kids,” McKinney said. “We did the schedule so we would start out to have some good results and kind of work our way into good competition and each week, the competition gets better and better. We’re trying to get better and win the state title, which is our main goal. We’re trying to climb that hill and bill our program for this year towards our ultimate goal , and I think these tournaments are great to do that in the middle of the summer.”
Laramie, 14-7 overall, finished 2-3 in the Rapid City tournament. The Rangers started slow with two losses (9-1, 7-1) to Watertown, S.D., and Albuquerque, N.M. respectively. Laramie bounced back to thump Cherry Creek, S.D., 12-1, before closing on Sunday with a split, losing to Rapid City Post 22 2-0 and defeating Denver PlayBall Sports, 11-2.
“We had a little problem with the team and that kind of hindered us that first day,” McKinney said. “Once we came out of that, I thought we started playing together against great teams and great competition. I think we rose to the challenge for the most part. That put us in position to get ready for this weekend.”
McKinney added that the Rapid City tournament was a good test for the test, with the caliber of opposition, which is exactly what the Rangers will go up against in the next three weeks.
“We have to some great teams coming to our two tournaments, so it is going to be tough. As always, the Scottsbluff tournament will have good competition, too,” McKinney said. “It’s four straight weeks of great baseball. It really gets us into the flow of the summer.”
McKinney is also getting into the flow now after arriving late in the end of May after coaching his Mesa State team in the NCAA Division II World Series. Again, while he knows his team needs games, he said he still loves those off days where he can work with the young players.
“I love getting with them every day and teaching them the game,” he said. “It is such a great game to learn. I learn something from them every day and they learn things from me every day, so it is a great relationship that we have. It’s good to get back into the flow of things and the kids have to get comfortable with me again and I understand that.”
McKinney is also enjoying bringing new coaching aspects to his Legion program from the collegiate field.
“I think one of the things that I am really happy with is the guys’ willingness to learn new things,” McKinney said. “There is no one right way to do things, but you can always different things about the game and always get better. I’m happy with the kids because they are trying to new things. That what we are trying to lean towards, becoming better ballplayers.”
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