Rangers Complete So-So Road Trip in Northern Wyoming
The long road swing up north finished with a 2-3 record for the Laramie Rangers American Legion Baseball team.
Laramie (19-21) won their first game over Powell last Thursday, 19-5. They followed that with a 1-3 mark in the Cody Lions Club Wood Bat tournament that concluded Sunday.
Manager Brandon Ruckman felt there were two keys to their weekend results.
“I was a little disappointed in ending up 1-3. We had too many walks on Friday. Other than Reid’s grand slam, the bats were pretty silent Sunday. We couldn’t get things going. We are a much better team than our performance this weekend. I really enjoy this team, but it’s frustrating that we are so inconsistent at times.”
Before tournament play, things started off with a solid victory last Thursday in Powell. Logan Pickard had two hits, including his first home run of the season, and drove in six runs to lead the Rangers past the Pioneers, 19-5. The nine-inning game was stopped in the seventh due to the 10-run mercy rule.
Laramie got out to a 6-0 lead in the second inning. They were ahead 9-5 after six innings, and then the Rangers exploded for 10 runs in the seventh. Pickard had a three-run home run and a two-run single in the frame.
Laramie finished with 12 hits but also took advantage of five Powell errors, 14 walks, and six stolen bases. Michael Schutterle started and got the win on the mound.
In the tournament this past weekend, the Rangers opened with two games last Friday. They lost both to Laurel, MT and the host Cody Cubbies.
Laurel beat Laramie 5-3. They broke through with two runs in the fifth inning and added three in the seventh. The Rangers rallied with three in the seventh but fell short. They scored on an error, Blake Moore RBI-single and an RBI-sacrifice fly by Albert Steiner. Matt Smith took the loss in relief on the mound.
Cody turned the tables on Laramie in a 14-5 victory. The Cubs had lost at Rangers’ Dooley Oil Classic June 23 by the same score. Laramie had a 5-4 lead after Moore was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the fourth. Cody responded with seven runs and tacked on three more in the sixth for the victory. Moore suffered the loss as a relief pitcher. Will Yates had three hits, which included a double. Reid Baty hit his fifth home run of the season, a two-run shot in the third inning.
In their last two games, Laramie took on Gallatin Valley, MT and split their action. Saturday, Baty went the distance on the mound and held Gallatin Valley down in a 7-3 victory. Baty allowed three runs on eight hits. He had one walk, three strikeouts and tossed only 89 pitches. Moore had three hits, including two doubles, while Steiner added two hits and three RBI’s.
Sunday saw Gallatin Valley rally late for an 11-4 win over the Rangers. Baty hit a grand slam, his sixth home run this season, in the sixth inning. That gave Laramie a 4-3 lead, but Gallatin Valley answered with eight runs in the bottom of the frame. Matt Smith took another loss while pitching in relief.
The Rangers return home briefly for one game Tuesday. They will face Omaha South at 6 p.m. from Cowboy Field.
KOWB (AM 1290) will broadcast Tuesday game with coverage starting at 5:45 p.m.