The Laramie Rangers got a sweep on the road in their make-up doubleheader against North Platte in Nebraska Thursday.

Laramie won the opener 8-3 and the second game 19-10. The Rangers improved to 12-16 on the season.

Manager Brandon Ruckman was highly pleased with the two victories.

"The boys played very well. We saw good approaches at the plate, which led to multiple base hits. Pitching was good with minimal walks. Defense is coming along. We still need to work on being prepared before the pitch and expect the ball."

Blake Moore had four hits, while Albert Steiner was solid on the mound in game one. Moore had three singles and a double with two RBI’s. Steiner threw all seven innings. He allowed three runs on six hits with four walks and three strikeouts.

Laramie took the lead in the second inning with four runs. A Matt Smith sacrifice bunt was followed by an RBI-single from Moore and then bases loaded walks were issued to David Coulthard and Caleb Eaton.

After North Platte pulled within 4-3, the Rangers added a run in the fourth on an error. They tacked on three more in the fifth, as Moore, Will Yates and Coulthard came through with RBI hits.

Game two saw Laramie explode in the first inning for 11 runs. They sent 17 batters to the plate in that inning. The Rangers had nine hits, with four walks and a hit batter. Baden Jordan and Reid Baty each had two-run singles, while two errors also contributed in the big frame.

North Platte rallied with six runs in the first and third innings. Laramie came back with three in the fourth and five in the fifth. Yates, Eaton, and Baty had RBI’s in the fourth, while Jordan and Eaton added RBI hits in the fifth. The Rangers also capitalized on two North Platte errors in the fifth and a sacrifice fly by Coulthard.

Ruckman added, "It was good to put North Platte away early during the second game."

Steiner and Eaton led an 18-hit attack with three hits apiece. Baty had two hits and four RBI’s, while Coulthard added two hits and drove in three runs. Baty was the starting pitcher, went four innings and go the victory. He surrendered six runs on seven hits with a walk and three strikeouts.

Laramie’s next games will be on Tuesday, June 19 when the Rangers host Torrington for a twin bill starting at 5 p.m. from Cowboy Field. They will stay at home next weekend and host their annual Dooley Oil Classic wood bat baseball tournament June 21-24.

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