This year’s Laramie Colts team features a unique aspect between two of its players.

Evan Bryant and Matt Lawver have been playing baseball together since they were both in little league. The two have even gone through junior high, high school, college and now a summer league together.

It all started back as youth when they two players were excelling on their different little league teams and were brought together to play with each one another on an all-star team. Since then, Bryant and Lawver have seen quite a lot of each other.

“It pretty much started back in little league when we would both make the all-star team,” Lawver said. “We were actually on the same team when we were in junior high and we both dressed varsity as underclassmen in high school.”

Both Bryant and Lawver said when they went to college to play baseball it added a comfort level knowing that there is already someone there they could ask questions and rely on.

“I think it’s really good to play with the same person your entire life,” Bryant said. “Not just baseball wise but getting to know them on another level; it’s something that you can’t really beat.

After being able to play on the same team with each other for over a decade, Lawver and Bryant can say they have reached almost every baseball milestone together. This last year they even reached the pinnacle of college baseball.

“We won the USCAA,” Lawver said. “Evan and I both went (with Lindenwood-Belleville) to Springfield, Illinois and won the World Series.”

The United States Collegiate Athletic Association is an association of 90 small independent college teams.

Laramie Colts manager James Clark, who has known the two players for the last four years, had nothing but praise for Lawver and Bryant.

“Most of the time I have been batting them back to back, I think they are kind of used to that,” Clark said. “They get along pretty well. They probably aren’t the best of friends but they have been friends for their whole life pretty much.”

Laramie will be the home of both Bryant and Lawver for the duration of the summer and they both said they have been really enjoying their time here. They want to thank the community for all of its hospitality and making it a fun couple of months for them.

“The people are really nice out here. The weather is actually pretty nice compared to back in Illinois this time of year,” Bryant said. “I really do like it out here.”

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