Laramie Rangers Have Up and Down Week

It’s been a busy time for the Laramie Rangers, and the action on the diamond continues with four more games this weekend.

Since the end of the Dooley Oil Classic last Sunday, the Rangers have played five games over the last three days. Laramie beat Wheatland, lost a doubleheader to Mountain View (CO) and split with Alliance, NE.

Manager Brandon Ruckman feels they’ve got to play at a more consistent level.

“I’m not super concerned about the record. I just want to make sure we try to keep these kids as healthy as we can going forward. We’ve had a few injuries, and it’s hurting, for sure. We’re definitely seeing it on the mound (pitching depth), and so just moving forward, we’ve got to keep working.”

Laramie (24-15) switched a pair of games in Wheatland Tuesday to single, nine-inning game. The Rangers’ David Coulthard tossed a four-hit shutout, as Laramie won 10-0 in seven innings. Coulthard walked none and finished with three strikeouts on 75 pitches. Will Yates had four hits, while Albert Steiner contributed three hits and two RBI’s for Laramie.

The Rangers came home Wednesday, but got swept in a twin bill against the Mountain View Mountain Lions from Loveland, CO. Laramie lost the opener 21-11. Mountain View scored seven times in the first inning, but the Rangers rallied and held a 10-7 lead. The Mountain Lions responded with nine runs in the third inning. Michael Schutterle took the loss. Coulthard had three hits and drove in four runs.

In the nightcap, Laramie lost 10-5. Mountain View jumped out to a 9-1 lead, and the Rangers couldn’t rally. Ramon Gomez suffered the loss on the mound. Steiner led the offensive attack with two hits and two RBI’s.

Thursday’s doubleheader against Alliance, NE featured the last home games for the Rangers until July 18.

Alliance took the first game in extra innings. The final score was 13-6 in eight innings. Laramie let a 4-3 lead slip away in the seventh. Alliance scored two unearned runs before the Rangers rallied and tied it on Schutterle’s RBI double. A base-running mishap with the winning run at third base and zero outs cost Laramie the victory. Alliance sent 13 batters to the plate in the eighth inning and scored eight runs.

In game two, Laramie got out to an 8-2 lead and held on for an 11-9 victory. Steiner started and got the win, while Logan Pickard got the last four outs for the save. Reid Baty led the offense with three hits and three RBI’s. Gomez added three hits and drove in a run.

Ruckman said the first game was rough, to be honest.

“We had it, and it was ours to lose, and we lost it. The guys came back in the second one. I really thought they put a good effort together midway through the second game, and closed it out. I thought they did a good job coming back (from the loss in game one).”

Next on their schedule is the Mustang Round-Up in Fort Morgan, CO with four games in two days. Laramie will play Sterling (CO) and Northridge (Greeley, CO) Saturday, July 1 at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m., respectively. They finish the tourney Sunday against the host Fort Morgan at 9 a.m. followed by a noon game against Mead, CO.

Ruckman said, “I think there’s a couple good teams in there (that tournament). Northridge, Fort Morgan, there always tough. We just got to play clean ball. We’ve been saying that since day one. If we can keep it under three errors and keep the walks down, I think we’ll hang with anybody.

The Mustang Round-Up is a wood bat tournament.