Colts Drop Opener, Fall to Cutthroats 12-7

The 2012 Laramie Colts season began with great excitement, enthusiasm and energy, but the season opener ended with a disappointing 12-7 loss.

The Sunday afternoon game in Laramie was one of firsts; it was the first regular season and home game for the Colts, the first time any of the Colts players suited up in the blue and white pinstripes, but perhaps most significantly, the first time Laramie faced the Casper Cutthroats, the newest member of the Mountain Collegiate Baseball League.

Ean McNeal from North Iowa Area Community College was the pitcher who was given the season opening nod for the Colts and ambitiously took the mound despite the unknowns of the 2012 season, throwing to a catcher he had only tossed to once before in practice. McNeal was rattled early, giving up a leadoff double to Colt McLaughlin who was swiftly brought around home by his Casper teammates.

The newest team in the league played like they had been there before, and the Cutthroats continued to send runners home, running away with a 12-7 victory.

Trailing by 5 or more through most of the game, Laramie did make it interesting, bringing the score to 5-4 in the third inning, but that was as close as they would come for the remainder of the contest. The Cutthroats continued to swing the bats well, and receive help from Laramie pitchers who threw a combined 5 wild pitches and walked 7 Casper hitters.

Laramie's 7 runs came on 16 hits, three each from Brian Sims, TJ Briggs and Matthew Boswell who also combined for 3 runs and 4 RBI.

The bright spot for the Colts pitchers came from Matt Banks, who entered in the 8th and threw two scoreless innings in relief, tallying a strikeout and giving up only one hit.

Laramie will try to get their first win of the season tonight as they host the Fort Collins Foxes in a game that begins at 6:05.