Troopers Take Two From Rangers in Laramie

Two good pitching performances propelled the Sheridan Troopers to a sweep of a conference doubleheader of the Laramie Rangers Monday.

Laramie (13-32, 0-2) lost both games at Cowboy Field by scores of 8-4 and 4-3. The Rangers have dropped 10 straight going back to July 5.

Manager Aaron Lozano referenced run support for his pitchers as a key contributing factor.

“I wonder if that’s what happened to Reston (Morehouse) tonight because, not Tyler’s (Oppie) most efficient night on the mound in game two, but he got a little more offensive support early on in the game. The team scrapped and fought and stayed in it. Kind of a weird couple of games. Not a great game one, but I was pleased overall with game two.”

In the opener, Sheridan held a 1-0 lead through the first three innings. The Troopers scored six unearned runs in the fourth and broke it open. Laramie didn’t have a hit until the fourth inning. It was 8-0 Sheridan when the Rangers rallied in the seventh for four runs on five hits. Jaykob Ahrenholtz had an RBI-single, Caleb Eaton an RBI-sacrifice fly, and Aidan Morris a two-run single, but it was too little, too late.

Sheridan’s Quinn McCafferty held Laramie in check. He threw all seven innings and only 93 pitches. He allowed the four runs on seven hits. McCafferty walks one and struck out six.

No Ranger had more than one hit. Morehouse went six innings but suffered the loss. He allowed eight runs, one earned, on nine hits. Morehouse walked five and finished with two strikeouts.

Game two saw Laramie take an early 1-0 on an RBI-single by Aidan Morris. Sheridan scored twice in the third for a 2-1 lead. The Rangers responded with a big two-run single from Ben Ruckman and went back in front, 3-2.

The Troopers tied it in the fourth and took the lead in the fifth on a hit by Dalton Nelson. That made it 4-3. Laramie had only two baserunners after that.

Ayden Roush went 6.2 innings and got the win. He held the Rangers to three runs, one earned, on six hits. Roush struck out eight and walked only two.

Ruckman led Laramie with two hits and two RBI’s. Oppie started but was chased in the fifth inning. He gave up all four runs on seven hits. Oppie had five strikeouts, but also five walks.

Lozano knew from his time with the Laramie Deputies as their manager a year ago that Sheridan had some younger talent.

“Sheridan was a really solid ‘B’ team last year, and I think we’re seeing some of those guys (play well). (They are) really similar to us. We played them in the opening round of the ‘B’ tournament last year and had a really close game against them. It could be the makings of a good rivalry over the next couple of years.”

With the losing streak at 10 in a row, it is raising concerns for Lozano.

“Hoping that these guys can go home, get a break, get some rest, and just show up ready to go tomorrow, ready to go to work.”

Lozano added, “I thought the guys really bounced back well, though, in that second game. I think that’s what I take away from this, more than anything. When they go out there and scrape and scrap, they can be in a 4-3 game with anyone in the state. We saw it at CABA against Cheyenne. We saw it tonight against Sheridan. When we put our best foot forward, we’re pretty good.”

The Rangers will host Cheyenne Post Six in what is now a non-conference doubleheader because Post Six has opted to head to the Connie Mack World Series instead of the Wyoming Class ‘AA’ American Legion Baseball State Tournament.

The doubleheader is slated for 4 and 6 p.m. at Cowboy Field. These are the final two home games of the season. Laramie’s senior class of Jaykob Ahrenholtz, Juddson Church, Alex Flores, Ramon Gomez, Lucas Roberts, and Michael Schutterle will be honored in-between games.

KOWB (AM 1290) will air both games of the doubleheader. Coverage will start at 3:45 p.m. with David Settle calling the games.