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Outside Press Releases

Colts sweep Foxes

Laramie moves into second place in MCBL By DAVID WATSON / dwatson@wyosports.net • Saturday, July 23, 2011

The standings in the Mountain Collegiate Baseball League are now a lot tighter.

Normally impossible to pick up four wins in one day, the Laramie Colts did just that to vault back in the thick of things with one more week in the regular season.

Two wins for the Colts were earned on the field Friday with a doubleheader sweep of the Fort Collins Foxes, 9-6 and 6-1, in both seven-inning games.

Also on Friday, the MCBL granted three forfeited wins for the remaining games Laramie had scheduled with Triple Crown of Fort Collins. Triple Crown of Fort Collins backed out of the games due to not having enough players to field a team.

The Colts originally had four more games left with Triple Crown that included a rainout game earlier in the season. But the MCBL decided on three forfeited wins that were to be played last Wednesday and Thursday and this coming Sunday. The win on Sunday will not be official and in the standings until that day.

“Wins are not the important factor, but it is about the amount of losses because Cheyenne and Fort Collins have played more games,” Laramie coach Marty Berson said.

The  Colts (19-14) leapfrogged the Foxes (20-16) for second place in the standings. League-leading Cheyenne (21-13) was idle.

The Colts scored five runs in the fifth inning in the opener to break a 3-3 tie. Fort Collins coach Brad Averitte was also tossed from the game after a heated argument with the field umpire on a call at first base when Adam Miller singled in Max Price for the fifth run in the inning.

Colts catcher Hayden Chick, a senior at University of Texas at Tyler from Waco, Texas, had three singles and four RBIs. He came into the contest batting .286 with 12 hits and nine RBIs in the last 10 games before Friday.

“I am seeing the ball real well right now, and I love day games,” Chick said. “I also changed some things with my hand placement that is keeping me through the ball.”

Going the distance for the win on the mound was Jacob Ricossa, a right-handed junior from Sour Lake, Texas, who plays for University of Texas at Permian Basin. He gave up seven hits, six runs (three earned), four walks and struck out six.

“In the first couple of innings, it took a little while to get loose in the first couple of innings,” Ricossa, who entered with nine innings of work for a 0.82 ERA in the previous 10 games, said. “I just had to bear through the errors (four) and keep pitching. The team then picked me up with some great defensive plays and hits. You should always win with nine runs.”

Chick picked up where he left off by driving in the first two runs by singling Mickey Phelps and Brody Hilgenkamp in the first inning of the second game. He ended the day 5-for-5 at the plate for six RBIs, one walk and was hit once.

He also should have had another RBI with another single in the third inning, but Hilgenkamp was called out at home on a controversial call by the umpire.

Hilgenkamp, a Laramie native, was inserted in the lineup for the second game and also had a hot bat with three singles and an RBI in his three at bats.

“You just have to hit good pitches when they come,” Hilgenkamp, who batted .250 in the previous 10 games, said. “Once I had the first hit, I could just play and react and the game gets easier from there.”

Another Laramie native, Jon Sorenson, showed his range in left field with a diving catch for the third out in the top of the sixth to rob Kirk Pruitt of an extra-base hit.

Dan Maurer a senior lefty at Valley City State, N.D., University and from Klamath Falls, Ore., got the start and the win. He worked four innings for five hits, one run that was earned, four walks and three strikeouts.

Cory Klinger relieved Maurer and blanked the Foxes with no hits or runs, one walk and four strikeouts.

“It was just throwing fastballs to get hitters into ground outs and fly balls,” Klinger said. “I also got lucky with a few strikeouts. It was the team behind me, not just me.”

The Colts hit the road today for a split doubleheader at 1 p.m. against the Foxes in Fort Collins and 6:30 p.m. against the Grizzlies in Cheyenne. Both games will be the full nine innings.

—

COLTS 9, FOXES 6

(First Game)

Fort Collins   021  003  0 – 6  7  1

Laramie         201  051  X – 9  8  4

Fort Collins hitting: Matt Dobbins, 2B, Alex Padilla, 1B, RBI; Brad Parsons, 1B; Ryan Javech, 1B; Tyler Zaidel, 2B, 2B, RBI; Anthony Ragos, 1B, 2RBI. Laramie hitting: Mickey Phelps, 1B, ; Anthony Razo, 1B; Hayden Chick, 1B, 1B, 1B, 4RBIs; Will Pierce, 1B, 2RBIs; Max Price, 1B; Adam Miller, 1B, RBI . Fort Collins pitching:  Zach McElroy, 4 1/3 IN., 4H, 5R, 4ER, 5BB, 4K, 2WP; Miguel Salayandia, L, 1/3 IN., H, 3R, 3ER, 3BB, 0K, WP; Andres Caraveo, 1/3 IN., H, 0R, 0ER, 0BB, 0K; Josh Reynolds, IN., H, R, ER, 0BB, K, WP, 2HB. Laramie pitching: Jacob Ricossa, W, 7IN., 6R, 3ER, 4BB, 6K, BK.

COLTS 6, FOXES 1

(Second Game)

Fort Collins   001  000  0 – 1  5  2

Laramie         200 400  X – 6  9  0

Fort Collins hitting: Thomas McAlpine, 1B; Travis Parsons, 2B; Danny Haley, 2B, RBI; Tyler Zaidel, 1B, ; Kirk Pruitt, 1B. Laramie hitting: Mickey Phelps, RBI; Brody, Hilgenkamp, 1B, 1B, 1B, RBI; Hayden Chick, 1B, 1B, 2RBIs; Tyler Creek, 1B; Max Price, 2B; Jon Sorenson, 1B; Adam Miller, 1B. Fort Collins pitching: Derek Rodriguez, L, 3 2/3 IN., 7H, 6R, 4ER, 3BB, K; Josh Reynolds, 1 1/3IN., 0H, 0R, 0ER, 0BB, 2K, 2WP, HB; Andrews Caraveo, IN., 2H, 0R, 0ER, 0BB, 0K. Laramie pitching: Dan Maurer, W, 4IN., 5H, R, ER, 4BB, 3K; Cory Klinger, 3IN., 0H, 0R, 0ER, BB, 4K, WP.

Bombs away

Threw, Miller connect for home runs for lopsided Colts win By DAVID WATSON / dwatson@wyosports.net • Friday, July 15, 2011

The Laramie Colts solved their recent offensive slump in a big way Thursday night at Cowboy Field — mostly sparked by just two players.

Although everyone contributed in some way against the shaky pitching of the Triple Crown Bandits, Colts shortstop James Threw and left fielder Adam Miller put the team on their backs for the 18-5 win.

Threw, a freshman at Menlo College from Santa Clarita, Calif., had an eye-popping line of 4 of 6 for six RBIs and scored four runs. He had a hand in 10 of the runs for Laramie.

He also got the hardest part of the cycle (triple and home run) out of the way by the fifth inning and was just a double shy as he walked and flew out to centerfield in his last two at bats.

He homered between the pine trees and the scoreboard in the fourth inning to plate two runs and knocked a triple to the same fence for a two-run triple in the next inning.

“I wasn’t trying to think anything of it and trying to sit back to see the ball well,” Threw said. “It’s nice to get ahead and be looking for the cycle, but I got a little ahead of myself and probably should’ve focused on getting more singles.”

Miller, a University of Texas at Brownsville senior from Stevensville, Mich., came on in the sixth inning and added a three-run bomb over the scoreboard in the seventh.

“That felt great. It’s sort of been a monkey on my back as I haven’t hit one all year,” Miller said.

“I got down in the count, 0-2, on really bad curve balls and calls. I saw the pitcher shake (the next pitch off) and I knew he was throwing me a fastball and he tried to blow it by me.”

The Colts (14-12) are now just two games back of Mountain Collegiate Baseball League leaders Forth Collins Foxes (17-11), which took over the top spot from the Cheyenne Grizzlies (17-12) by a half game Thursday.

The Triple Crown Bandits of Fort Collins are a non-league opponent all three teams scheduled for the season and do not figure into the standings.

“They opened the door, and this time, we stepped through it,” Laramie coach Marty Berson said about the offensive fireworks. “It was refreshing.”

The Bandits scattered 10 hits, but only had five runs to show for it.

Brandon Wyrick got the win for Laramie in five innings with four hits, two earned runs, three strikeouts and one walk.

Parker Sheets (no walks) and Alex Zeig (two walks) came in the rest of the way to help keep the Bandits off the base paths with a combined six hits.

All the Colts pitchers benefited from a mistake-free defense backing them up.

“This was our first ball game with no errors, which was the most impressive thing for me,” Berson said.

On the flip-side, the pitching for Triple Crown fared far worse as five hurlers combined for six walks.

The hard luck pitcher for the Bandits was reliever David Boddger, who doesn’t get credit for even a 1/3 of an inning and didn’t allow a hit. But he was responsible for five runs (four earned), two walks and a hit batter.

Mike Loske took the loss in just 3 2/3 innings when he gave up eight hits, six runs (five earned) and had six strikeouts. He only had one walk, but put three Colts on base by hitting them.

One of those was Dominic Robusto with a shot to the elbow in the first inning.

His status for the rest of the season is still to be determined.

The Colts and Triple Crown will hook up again when Laramie returns the visit and travel to Fort Collins for a 2 p.m. game Saturday.

Laramie will then swing up I-25 to take on Cheyenne at 6:35 p.m. later that evening.

—

COLTS 18, BANDITS 5

Triple Crown    000 200 120 –    5  10  4

Laramie    202 335 30X –  18  15  0

Triple Crown hitting: Richard Smohls, 1B; Dakota Holcomb, 1B, 1B; Jake Brunner, 1B, 1B, 2B, RBI; Nick McLimons, 2B; Hoden Sakota, 1B, 1B; Cory Tovar, 2B, RBI. Laramie hitting: Mickey Phelps, 1B, RBI; James Threw, 1B, 1B, 3B, HR, 6RBI; Hayden Chick, 1B, 1B, 2RBI ; Will Pierce, 1B, 1B; Tyler Creek, 2RBI; Max Price, 1B; Anthony Razo, 1B, 1B, RBI; Jon Sorenson, 1B, 2RBI; Adam Miller, HR, 3RBI; Grant Dunnegan, 1B. Triple Crown pitching: Mike Loseke, L, 3 2/3 IN., 8H, 6R, 5ER, BB, 6K, HR, 3HB; Zac Custer, 1 1/3 IN., 2H, 4R, 3ER, 2BB, 2K; David Boddger, 0+ IN., 0H, 5R, 4ER, 2BB, 0K, HB; Dominick Yeast, 1 1/3 IN., 3H, 3R, 3ER, 2bb, 0K, HR, WP; Richard Smohls, 1 2/3IN., 2H, 0R, 0ER, 0BB, 0K. Laramie pitching: Brandon Wyrick, W, 5IN., 4H, 2R, 2ER, BB, 3K; Parker Sheets, 2IN., 3H, R, ER, 0BB, 0K, WP; Alex Zeig, 2IN., 3H, 2R, 2ER, 2BB, 0K.

Colts let one slip away

By DAVID WATSON / dwatson@wyosports.net • Thursday, July 14, 2011

The Laramie Colts connected at the plate, but just couldn’t come up with a key hit during a rainy Tuesday night at Cowboy Field.

The Colts left nine runners on bases at pivotal times in a 6-4 loss to the Fort Collins Foxes.

“When we hit them, it did go right at them,” Laramie coach Marty Berson said. “But we are not getting that real clutch hit. We are also consistently giving the other team that two-out hit, which is really difficult and not the way you want to play the game.

“We are in that kind of a slump right now, and hopefully we can get it going because this is still a good ball club and there are a lot of games to play yet.”

The Colts slipped further down in the Mountain Collegiate Baseball League standings. The Cheyenne Grizzlies (17-10 overall) lead the league, followed by the Foxes (15-11) at 1½ games back and the Colts (13-12) at three games back.

The Colts scored first in the bottom of the first inning on a RBI single from Hayden Chick to score James Threw.

Threw was the only consistent batter for Laramie with a 3-for-5 night (all singles).

“I was just sitting back, letting the ball get deep and seeing it well,” Threw, a sophomore shortstop from Saugus, Calif., who plays for Menlo College, said. “I was just putting balls in play and seeing what would happen.”

The Foxes answered with a two-out rally for two runs in the top of the second when Brad Parsons came around from first base on a double to the left-center gap from Tyler Zaidel, who was plated on a single from Matt Dobbins.

Laramie had a chance to do damage in the bottom of the inning but left runners on third and second.

Colts starting pitcher Jake Heissler ran his pitch count to 99 after a five-pitch walk to leadoff hitter Alex Padilla in the top of the fifth.

Heissler, who got the loss, and Colts’ reliever Jacob Ricossa, had tough outings trying to find a tight strike zone with 11 walks in the game.

A leadoff walk in the fifth hurt when Fort Collins designated hitter Thomas McAlpine drove home a run from first with a drive to the left-center fence and a 4-1 lead.

The Foxes scored three runs in the fifth inning (only one earned by Heissler) after Threw bobbled the ball on a line drive by Zaidel on what would have been the third out.

The tough luck continued for the Colts when they had the bases loaded and left them there when Chick struck out and Will Pierce popped out to center field.

Looking to spark the offense, Berson brought in Laramie native Jon Sorenson as a pinch hitter in the sixth after Grant Dunnegan singled and Adam Miller came in as a pinch runner. Sorneson got to first on an error. Another error loaded the bases.

Another Laramie hometown player, Brody Hilgenkamp, came into the contest but struck out swinging. Mickey Phelps sacrificed Miller in on a fly ball to centerfield and Threw plated Sorenson.

When Threw was called safe on a bang-bang play from a throw from Padilla at third base, the Foxes were arguing the call and Price tried to sneak from second to third, but was thrown out to end the inning after the Colts cut the lead to 6-3.

Miller led off the eighth inning with a bloop single in short centerfield and stole second to get into scoring position. He rounded around to home plate on a RBI hit by Hilgenkamp to right-center field. Hilgenkamp was then picked off at first to end the inning and the rally at 6-4.

The Colts are scheduled to next play Triple Crown of Fort Collins at 6:35 p.m. Thursday at Cowboy Field.

—

FOXES 6, COLTS 4 

Fort Collins   021 030 000 – 6  10  2

Laramie         100 002 010 – 4  12  2

Fort Collins hitting: Matt Dobbins, 1B; Alex Padilla, 1B, 2B, RBI; Alfredo Brito, 1B, RBI; Danny Haley, 1B; Brad Parsons, 1B; Tyler Zaidel, 2B, RBI; Kirk Pruitt, 1B, 1B, 1B, RBI. Laramie hitting: Mickey Phelps, 1B, RBI; James Threw, 1B, 1B, 1B, RBI; Dominic Robusto, 1B; Hayden Chick, 1B, RBI; Grant Dunnegan, 1B; Tyler Creek, 1B; Max Price, 1B; Anthony Razo, 1B; Adam Miller, 1B; Brody Hilgenkamp, 1B, RBI. Fort Collins pitching: Joe Mills, W, 9H, 3R, 2ER, 2BB, 2K, WP, HB; Josh Reynolds, 1IN., 2H, R, ER, 0BB, 2K; William Patti, 1IN., H, 0R, 0ER, 0BB, 2K, WP. Laramie pitching: Jake Heissler, L, 5IN., 7H, 6R, 4ER, 8BB, 2K, WP, Jacob Ricossa, 4IN., 5H, 0R, 0ER, 3BB, K.

Colts topple Grizzlies

Laramie moves a game closer to Cheyenne By DAVID WATSON / dwatson@wyosports.net • Friday, July 08, 2011

Once again, the rain rolled in when Laramie and Cheyenne locked horns in Mountain Collegiate Baseball League action Thursday night at Cowboy Field.

But the skies didn’t open up until the sixth inning, which was a pivotal time in the game as Laramie scored five runs to blow open a close contest for a 10-3 win.

At this point in the second half of the MCBL season, the games are becoming more important as the Colts (13-9) inched to 1½ games behind league-leading Cheyenne (15-8).

After an early 2-0 lead for the Colts in the first inning, every time the Grizzlies scored a run in the top frame, the Colts answered in the bottom half.

In dry conditions, the Colts were clinging to a 3-2 lead when they batted around the order on Cheyenne starting pitcher Derek Johnson, who was credited with the loss.

“(Johnson) is (an NCAA) Division III All-American and a very good pitcher,” Laramie coach Marty Berson said. “He usually has great command of the strike zone, but (Thursday) we capitalized on a few mistakes he made when he was a little wild.”

Eight different Colts recorded at least a hit, led by James Threw and Will Pierce, who were both 3-for-4 on the night. It was Pierce’s two-run double to the left field fence in the sixth that took the wind out of Cheyenne’s sails.

“Everybody was getting pitches to hit and doing their job by driving the ball. We found some holes early and when we got runners on, we drove the ball deep,” Pierce said.

Jake Heissler earned the win as he gave up five hits, two earned runs with four walks and six strikeouts in six innings.

“I had a lot of run support and I was able to hit my spots from early on. I was able to place my fastball really well,” Heissler, who retired the first eight batters he faced, said.

The Grizzlies got their first hit when Jordan Howe knocked a double with two outs in the bottom of the third. But he was stranded when Weston Lewis struck out.

Cheyenne got on the board to cut the lead to one run at 2-1 in the fourth inning when Jon Cavender lined a single to centerfield on a full count to score Dalton Hewitt, who reached on a leadoff walk and then stole second.

The Colts got the run back in the next frame when Mickey Phelps laid down a bunt for the suicide squeeze to score Tyler Creek from third.

 As if it were on cue, the deluge began in the sixth inning and the teams played through it until the top of the ninth when the game was called with no outs and two Cheyenne base runners. Since the contest went past the fifth inning, it became official.

The Colts and Grizzlies are scheduled to hook up again 6:35 p.m. tonight at Pioneer Park in Cheyenne.

—

COLTS 10, GRIZZLIES 3 

Cheyenne    000 101 10x –   3   9  3

Laramie    200 105 20x – 10 15  1

Cheyenne hitting: Weston Lewis, 1B; Dalton Hewitt, 1B; KC Judge, HR, RBI; Jon Cavender, 1B, RBI; Tommy Cunningham, 1B; Curtis Baker, 1B, 1B, RBI; Jordan Howe, 1B, 2B. Laramie hitting: Mickey Phelps, 1B, 2RBI; James Threw, 1B, 2B, RBI; Dominic Robusto, 1B, 2RBI; Hayden Chick, 1B, RBI; Will Pierce, 1B, 1B, 1B, 2RBI; Tyler Creek, 1B, 1B, 3B; Max Price, 1B, 1B; Anthony Razo, 1B, 3B, RBI. Cheyenne pitching: Derek Johnson, L, 6IN., 12H, 8R, 6ER, 2BB, 3K; Bryan Wachtel, 1IN., H, 2R, 2ER, 2BB, 0K; Michael Geminger, 1IN., 2H, 0R, 0ER, 0BB, 3K. Laramie pitching: Jake Heissler,  W, 6IN., 5H, 2R, 2ER, 4BB, 6K; Dan Maurer, 1IN., H, R, ER, 0BB, 0K, HR; Alex Zeig, 1+IN., 3H, 0R, 0ER, 0BB, 2K, HB.

Brogan's Gem Beats Grizzlies

Wednesday June 15

LARAMIE — The last time Laramie Colts righthander Devin Brogan was dominating the Cheyenne Grizzlies, Laramie coach Marty Berson took his starter out after seven innings to give some other pitchers an opportunity.

And the Colts let an 11-4 lead get away in a 12-11 loss.

Berson said he wasn’t about to make the same mistake again Tuesday night. But in all honesty, Brogan wasn’t about to give him the chance.

The Hutchinson Community College freshman struck out 13 Grizzlies for the second time in a row, this time pitching a complete-game gem as Laramie beat Cheyenne 6-3.

The Colts (5-5) also snapped a three-game losing streak to the Grizzlies (6-5) and pulled within a half game of first place in the Mountain Collegiate Baseball League.

Brogan threw exactly 150 pitches in the win and retired 16 of the last 19 batters he faced.

“My fastball didn’t have quite the life it did last time (against Cheyenne), but I made a change to my curveball and it really had depth to it,” Brogan said. “That made a big difference, because then they had to worry about the curveball and the fastball and not just worry about one pitch.”

Brogan, who walked only one Grizzlie, also had a message for his coach.

“After the seventh inning I went up to (Berson) and told him that I was going to finish the game,” he said. “I knew he had confidence in me and I knew I could do it.”

Brogan really ran into trouble only once, in the fourth. Cheyenne scored one run to tie the game at 3-3 and had the bases loaded with two outs. But Brogan struck out Weston looking for the final out.

“He did a good job filling up the strike zone and he competed,” Cheyenne coach Nick Signaigo said. “That’s the difference. He competed and we didn’t.”

Laramie scored twice in the bottom of the fourth to take the lead for good and added an insurance run in the seventh.

Colts first baseman Will Pierce had three hits while third baseman Dominic Robusto drove in three runs and Anthony Razo had two RBI.

“I thought our starting pitcher Tyler Stefan had phenomenal stuff,” Signaigo said. “He competed his butt off on four days rest. Defensively we had a let down. We’re better than that.”

Lewis and Bret Fanning had two hits each to lead Cheyenne’s offense.

Stefan took the loss, giving up seven hits and five runs (four earned) in six innings.

But Tuesday belonged to Brogan.

“Complete games are really hard to get,” Brogan said. “Usually your coaches look to pull you after you start losing velocity, but that didn’t seem to happen tonight.”

—

LARAMIE 6, CHEYENNE 3

Cheyenne    002    100    000 – 3    9    2

Laramie    111    200    10x – 6    10    1

Cheyenne hitting: Weston Lewis (1B, 2B); Bret Fanning (1B, 1B, RBI); Jon Cavender (1B); Jacob Montoya (2B); Cody Ridinger (1B); Jordan Howe (1B, RBI). Laramie hitting: James Threw (2B, 3B); Dominic Robusto (1B, 3 RBI); Hayden Chick (1B); Grant Dunnegan (2B); Will Pierce (1B, 1B, 3B); Anthony Razo (1B, 1B, 2 RBI). Cheyenne pitching: Tyler Stefan (L, 6 IN., 7H, 5R, 4ER, 2BB, 2K); Brock Jacobo (2 IN., 3H, 1R, 1ER, 0BB, 0K). Laramie pitching: Devin Brogan (W, 9 IN., 9H, 3R, 2ER, 1BB, 13K).

BOX FOR CHEYENNE

—

LARAMIE 6, CHEYENNE 3

Cheyenne    002    100    000 – 3    9    2

Laramie    111    200    10x – 6    10    1

Stefan, Jacobo (7) and Montoya; Brogan and Chick.

WP—Brogan.

LP—Stefan.

2B—Cheyenne, Lewis, Montoya; Laramie, Threw, Dunnegan.

3B—Laramie, Threw, Pierce.

HR—none.

Colts drop two to Cheyenne

By SCOTT NULPH / snulph@wyosports.net • Friday, June 10, 2011

Cheyenne right fielder KC Judge and Laramie pitcher Parker Sheets had about as opposite of nights as you could have on a baseball field.

Judge scored the winning run to conclude a suspended game from Wednesday between the teams, and then had three hits and scored twice in the regularly-scheduled contest while Sheets took the loss in both games as the Grizzlies won 12-11 in 10 innings and 5-4 in the second game.

“I didn’t have too much fun my senior school year so I just told myself that I was going to have some fun no matter what,” Judge said. “It’s working so far.”

It certainly was working Thursday at Cowboy Field.

The end to the suspended game came quickly. After the Colts (2-4) went down in order in the top half of the 10th inning, Judge started Cheyenne’s (4-2) winning rally with a one-out single. Tyler Hancock then grounded a ball that got under the glove of Laramie first baseman Will Pierce.

As Judge raced to third, Colts second baseman Rylan Harding’s throw to get Judge skipped all the way to fence and Judge scored easily to end the game.

Cheyenne coach Nick Signaigo had to watch the ending from the team’s van after being thrown out of the game in the ninth inning the night before.

“You got to honor the commitment (getting thrown out),” Signaigo said with a big laugh. “This is a veteran group of guys. We knew we just had to scratch one across and get it done. I wound up not being in the van for long, so that was good.”

The Colts answered quickly in the regularly scheduled game, scoring three times in the bottom of the first. Will Pierce delivered an RBI single and Hayden Chick doubled home two more.

But Cheyenne took control with three runs in the fourth and two in the fifth to take the lead for good off Sheets. Hancock, Sam Murphy and Jordan Howe had RBI singles in the fourth. In the fifth, John Cavender tripled home Judge and then scored on a groundout by Cody Ridinger.

Judge started both innings with hits, a triple in the fourth and a single in the fifth.

That was enough offense as three Grizzlies pitchers combined on a seven-hitter. Starter Jacob Cage went five innings for the win, giving up all three Laramie runs on five hits. Tommy Cunningham worked two innings and Brock Jacobo pitched the final two to get the save.

Sheets gave up five runs on 11 hits for the loss. A bright spot for the Colts was reliever Dan Maurer, who struck out seven and allowed just one hit in three innings of relief.

“It was very uncharacteristic the way we threw that first ball game away,” Laramie coach Marty Berson. “The second ball game, these guys (Cheyenne) didn’t give us anything. They made no mistakes and when we hit the ball it was at people.”

Laramie’s best chance to take lead came in the seventh inning. The Colts scored once to pull within 5-4 and loaded the bases with two outs. But Pierce’s line drive in the left-center field gap was chased down by Cheyenne’s Lewis for a sliding catch.

“I was really happy with how we played defensively,” Signaigo said. “Laramie is a club that runs the bases very well and are very disciplined on offense. I’m happy with the way we played catch tonight. We weren’t making mistakes and walking guys.”

—

(Thursday’s Game)

CHEYENNE 5, LARAMIE 4

Cheyenne    000    320    000 – 5    13    1

Laramie    300    000    100 – 4    7    0

Cheyenne hitting: Weston Lewis (1B); Brett Fanning (1B); KC Judge (1B, 1B, 3B), Tyler Hancock (1B, 1B, RBI); John Cavender (1B, 3B, RBI); Cody Ridinger (1B, RBI); Sam Murphy (1B, RBI); Jordan Howe (1B, RB). Laramie hitting: Mickey Phelps (1B, 2B, RBI); James Threw (1B); Dominick Robusto (1B); Will Pierce (1B, RBI); Hayden Chick (2B, 2 RBI); Grant Dunnegan (1B,). Cheyenne pitching: Jacob Cage (W, 5 IN., 5H, 3R, 3ER, 2BB, 5K); Tommy Cunningham (2 IN., 1H, 1R, 1ER, 3BB, 0K); Brock Jacobo (S, 2 IN., 1H, 0R, 0BB, 1K). Laramie pitching: Parker Sheets (L, 6 IN., 11H, 5R 5ER, 2BB, 4K); Dan Maurer (3 IN., 3H, 0R, 0BB, 7K).

Foxes rally past Colts

By DAVID WATSON / dwatson@wyosports.net • Thursday, June 09, 2011

The Laramie Colts scored four runs in the opening inning, but it was the Fort Collins Foxes who scored in the final four innings Tuesday night at Cowboy Field for a come-from-behind win.

The Foxes and Colts are now both 2-2 in the Mountain Collegiate Baseball League standings. The Colts had Monday off after losing to Fort Collins (Colo.) 7-3 on Sunday.

Down 5-3 in the bottom of the eighth, Fort Collins had the runners on the corners with no outs after Trae Wiess reached on an error by Laramie third baseman Dominick Robusto and Ryan Javech singled. Tyler Zaidel singled Wiess home and advanced the tying run to second.

The bases were then loaded with one out after an error by shortstop Max Price. Laramie pitcher Cory Klinger walked in the tying run, but limited the damage by striking out the side.

Laramie committed four costly errors in the game.

The Colts took a 6-5 lead in the bottom of the frame when Robusto drove in Anthony Razo with a single.

Fort Collins started the ninth with a lead-off bunt by Anthony Ragos, who was called safe when the umpire motioned that first baseman Will Pierce’s foot came off the bag for a controversial call.

Wiess then doubled to right field to advance Ragos to third and Danny Haley drove him home with a fly ball to right field. Tyler Zaidel then knocked in the go-ahead run with a single up the middle. Kirk Pruitt added an insurance run with a triple to score Zaidel.

The Colts rallied right back to load the bases with one out in the bottom of the ninth, but pinch hitters Rylan Harding struck out and Jon Sorenson pop out on the infield to end the game.

Fort Collins pitcher Richard Lizotte, who played third base for most of the game, was credited with the win and Laramie’s Coleton Wilson was tagged with the loss.

The Colts jumped out to an early lead with four runs with one out in the first after Mickey Phelps was picked off second. The scoring was started when Will Pierce drove in James Threw and Robusto with a booming double to the left-center fence. Hayden Chick tripled in Pierce and Grant Dunnegan singled in Chick. The Colts batted through the lineup in the first inning.

The Foxes pulled within two in the top of the sixth when Brad Parsons doubled to right field and advanced to third on a double play. He scored on a single from Javech, who played for the Cheyenne Grizzlies for the last two years before going to Fort Collins this year.

The Colts take on the Cheyenne Grizzlies at 6:35 p.m. today at Cowboy Field.

—

COLTS 6, FOXES 8

Fort Collins   001 001 123 – 8 13 1

Laramie         400 001 010 – 6 12 4

Fort Collins hitting: Kirk Pruitt, 1B, 1B 3B, RBI; Matt Dobbins, 1B; Travis Parsons, 1B, 2RBI; Brad Parsons, 2B; Trae Weiss, 1B, 2B; Ryan Javech, 1B, RBI; Tyler Zaidel 1B, 1B, 2RBI; Danny Haley, 1B, RBI; Anthony Ragos, 1B. Laramie hitting: Mickey Phelps, 1B, 1B; James Threw, 1B, 1B; Dominick Robusto, 1B, RBI; Will Pierce, 1B, 2B, 2RBI; Hayden Chick, 1B, 3B, RBI; Grant Dunnegan, 1B, 1B, 1B, RBI. Fort Collins pitching: Luke Ball, 4IN., 5H, 4R, 4ER, 3BB, 3K, 2WP, 2HB; Zach McElroy, 2IN., 2H, R, 0ER, BB, 0K; Richard Lizotte, W, 2IN., 3H, R, ER, BB, 0K; William Patti, S, IN., 2H, 0R, 0ER, BB, 0K. Laramie pitching: Jacob Ricossa, 3IN., 3H, R, ER, 2K, WP; Jake Heissler, 3H, R, ER, 3BB, 2K; Cory Klinger, 2IN. 3H, 3R, 2ER, 3BB, 4K, WP; Coleton Wilson, L, IN., 4H, 3R, 3ER, 0BB, 0K.

Colts rally for first road win

By DAVID WATSON / dwatson@wyosports.net • Sunday, June 05, 2011

CHEYENNE — It was a wild finish to a wild game as the Laramie Colts strung together the second rally of the contest in the ninth inning to steal an 8-6 victory during the home opener for the Cheyenne Grizzlies.

The Grizzlies (0-2 overall) mounted the first rally with four runs in the seventh inning for a 5-3 late lead. Pitcher Matt Malott was in line for the win after a strong four innings of relief with four hits and one earned run, one walk and five strikeouts.

Cheyenne closer Kyle Harter came in the ninth and sandwiched two outs around a walk and a hit  batter. Will Pierce and Hayden Chick advanced to scoring position on a wild pitch.

Colts second baseman James Threw then worked Harter to a full count before a line drive shot into centerfield for the big hit to tie the game.

“It’s what you kind of dream about as a kid and I love being in that spot. I just tied to sit back, put a ball in play to see what happens and it went right up the middle,” Threw said.

Anthony Razo then walked, Mickey Phelps singled and Max Price worked Harter to another full count before he walked in the winning run. The Colts (2-0) added two more runs after a fielding error by shortstop Jason Blume.

“You can ask the boys. … I told them when we were down, 5-3, I had a vision of a 6 on the scoreboard,” Laramie coach Marty Berson said. “I was wrong and it was an 8.

“These guys never quit or panicked.”

The Grizzlies threatened with a final rally in the bottom of the frame against Laramie’s Tyler Creek.

KC Judge and Tommy Cunningham had consecutive, one-out singles and pinch hitter Justin Elmore reached on a fielder’s choice when Cunningham was thrown out at second. Jason Blume knocked in Judge and Jordan Howe reached on an error by Laramie shortstop Max Price to load the bases. Creek then struck out Weston Lewis looking to end the game.

It was the second time the Grizzlies left the bases loaded to end an inning. They left 14 runners on base and eight in scoring position for the game.

“That’s a tough loss to take,” Cheyenne coach Nick Signaigo said. “But in my opinion, that game was lost in the middle innings. We had a few defensive lapses and left a few guys on base when we didn’t clutch up with the bases loaded a couple of times. That was the difference in the game.

“That game wasn’t lost in the ninth with our closer ( Harter). I have my best guy on the mound with his best stuff and I will take that any day of the week.”

Colts pitcher Brandon Wyrick picked up the win and Creek got a save, while Harter was charged with the loss.

The Colts scored runs in the first, fourth and fifth without an RBI credited by swiping home plate for the scores.

Cheyenne scored in the first, and the four-run rally in the seventh was started when Cheyenne native Brett Fanning hit a single and he then stole second. Greg Liming got the walk and Tyler Hancock drove him in with a shot to the left center gap. After Judge reached on a fielder’s choice, Cunningham and Sam Murphy picked up the RBIs for the 5-3 lead.

Both teams opened the Mountain Collegiate Baseball league season Thursday in Laramie with a 10-5 win for the Colts. They then had the day off on Friday.

In that game, the Colts rallied from being down 3-0 and scored five runs in the fifth for an 8-4 lead en route to a 10-5 win.

—

COLTS 8, GRIZZLIES 6

Laramie    100    110    005 —  8    10    4

Cheyenne    100    000    000  — 6    00    2

Laramie hitting: Mickey Phelps, 1B, 1B; Max Price, RBI; Dominick Robusto, 1B; Caleb Marx, 1B; Will Pierce, 2B, 2B; James Threw, 1B, 1B, 1B, 2RBIs; Anthony Razo, 1B. Cheyenne hitting: Weston Lewis, 1B, 2B; Brett Fanning, 1B; Greg Liming, 1B, 1B; Tyler Hancock, RBI; KC Judge, 1B, 1B, 1B; Tommy Cunningham, 1B; Sam Murphy, RBI; Jason Blume, RBI Laramie pitching: Parker Sheets, 4IN., 5H, R, ER, BB, K, WP; Dan Maurer, 1IN., H, 0R, 0ER, BB, K, HB; Brandon Wyrick, W, 3IN., 2H, 4R, 3ER, BB, K; Tyler Creek, S, IN., 3H, R, ER, 0BB, K. Cheyenne pitching: Jacob Cage, 4IN., 4H, 2R, 2ER, 3BB, 4K; Matt Malott, 4IN., 4H, R, ER,  BB, 5K, WP; Kyler Harter, L, 2/3IN., 2H, 3R, 3ER, 3BB, K, WP, HB; Bryan Wachtel, 1/3IN., 0H, 2R, 0ER, 0BB, 0K.

Colts’ opening day festivities

By WYOSPORTS • Thursday, June 02, 2011

Several activities are planned before and during the season opener today between the Laramie Colts and Cheyenne Grizzlies when the baseball clubs open Mountain Collegiate Baseball League competition at 6:35 p.m. at Cowboy Field.

The gates will open at 5:30 p.m. with an admission of: $5 for adults; $3 for children and seniors; $4 for students with ID; free for active military with ID. Concessions and beer (with valid ID) will be available for sale during the game.

About 10 minutes before the first pitch, some events include:

— a ribbon cutting at home plate by the Laramie Chamber of Commerce Red Carpet Committee and Colts’ owners Kent and Nicko Kleppinger.

— introduction of all players

— National Anthem to be performed by Terena Main.

— ceremonial first pitch by representatives from Pence and MacMillan and the Curiosity Shoppe, which are also the “We Own the Game” sponsor for the game.

The Colts will also host the University of Wyoming club baseball team as a special guest and recognize members of the club on the field during the game.

The UW team recently completed a run at the 2011 Division II National Club Baseball Association World Series at Point Stadium in Johnstown, Pa. The Cowboys (23-5 overall) advanced to the title game against Penn State (22-0) and lost a 7½-hour marathon game with multiple weather delays, 13-11.

Laramie Colts players will also be available after the game for autographs and to meet the fans.

The Colts tuned up for the opener with an exhibition double-header sweep of the Rocky Mountain Rebels, 11-4 and 12-3, Tuesday at Cowboy Field.

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