Laramie Rangers Take Two From North Platte

Early offense helped the Laramie Rangers sweep a doubleheader against North Platte, NE Tuesday at Cowboy Field.

Laramie (26-22) won the first game 13-1 and game two 16-6. Both games ended early due to the 10-run mercy rule. The Rangers have won seven of their last eight games.

Manager Brandon Ruckman said their offense was the key to the sweep.

“The bats were on today (Tuesday). We saw a couple of long balls or deep shots anyway, some bunting, the whole nine, some stealing bases. I thought we were aggressive on the base paths. We saw 14 hits there in game two, I can’t remember what it was in game one, but when you have the bats going it makes pitching a lot easier. We saved some pitchers today because the bats were on.”

In the opener, Reid Baty smashed his ninth home run of the season and a pair of RBI-doubles, as Laramie rolled 13-1 in just four-and-a-half innings. Baty finished with five RBI’s.

Baty said, “I’m just seeing the ball really well right now. I’m getting my timing down, and I’m not being selfish or undisciplined at the plate, so it’s been good, for sure.”

He added it started with slowing down his load when at-bat.

“I think I’ve been rushing myself a little too much, and that’s making me not see the ball and making me out front a lot, so I just slowed my timing down and made sure I see the ball, and yeah, just put the bat on the ball.”

Even coach Ruckman has seen the change.

“He’s getting his timing down, using the whole field. If you’ve noticed lately, he’s been even been hitting balls up the middle and before he was hitting a lot out front. Even saw the other day at Pioneer Park (in Cheyenne), one went opposite field. We’re seeing a lot more of him using the whole field, be a little bit more patient, get his pitch, and he’s doing well.”

The Rangers scored 10 runs in the first highlighted by Baty’s three-run home run to left field and a Michael Schutterle two-run double to left. Ramon Gomez picked up his fourth win on the mound this season. He went four and one-third innings and allowed an unearned run on two hits. Gomez walked two and struck out four.

Game one did feature a 29-minute rain delay.

The nightcap of the twin bill saw North Platte take an early 2-0 lead after two hit batters, a walk and a single. Laramie answered with three runs in the first inning and took the lead for good. A six-run second and two in the third made it 11-2. North Platte came back with four in the fifth and cut it to 11-6. A pair of runs in the fifth and three in the sixth created the mercy rule.

David Coulthard had three hits to lead a 14-hit attack. Blake Moore, Albert Steiner, and Ramon Gomez added two hits apiece. Moore and Gomez had two RBI’s apiece, while Caleb Eaton drove in three runs with an RBI-groundout and a two-run single. Logan Pickard went four innings for the victory on the mound. He allowed the two runs on one hit over four innings. Pickard had three walks, hit three batters, but also struck out nine.

The Rangers return to action Wednesday versus Wheatland. The doubleheader has been changed to a single, nine-inning game. It starts at 5 p.m. from Cowboy Field in Laramie. KOWB (AM 1290) will carry the game live. Coverage starts at 4:45 p.m. with David Settle on the broadcast. You can also listen online or take the game mobile with our KOWB app.