Richard Anderson photosThe dark clouds approach Cowboy Field as Greeley's Kyle Mack gets ready for a pitch Sunday. A left, the Colts celebrate a run by Erik DeJong.
by Richard Anderson
Wyoming Sports.org
The Laramie Colts' home opener was a wipeout ... literally.
Rain and lightning hit Cowboy Field in the bottom of the second inning against Greeley on Sunday night and eventually canceled the game that had the Grays up 6-3. All statistics and results were wiped out and the two teams will try to make it up on either June 8 or 9.
"The game was basically canceled like it never happened," Laramie manager Ryan Goodwin said. "We have to look at the field availability. I think that Tuesday (June 9), we will be able to make this game. We'll go from there, it starts fresh."
For the Colts, that is probably a break, as Greeley jumped on Laramie starting pitcher Andrew Scheid for five runs in the first inning.
The Colts did strike offensively in the bottom of the first with a two-run single by third baseman Erik DeJong and a RBI single by right fielder Kolt Brewer. Laramie also had runners on first and second with no outs in the second when the rains came.
“I really love what this team is capable of at the plate,” Goodwin said. “I know my past two summers here, both teams had an average over .300 and averaged around seven or eight runs a game. This team is capable of averaging double digits.”
Goodwin told the team in the middle of the first that five runs wasn’t going to beat them and they were going to stick to their game plan.
“We put up the three-spot and answered them," he said. "Yeah, they got another run back, but when the game got called, we’re sitting there with no outs and runners on first and second. If the game didn’t get called there, I think we would have taken the lead in that inning. I feel that confident in the way we swing (the bat) one through nine. We’re pretty salty offensively.”
The Colts proved that Saturday night against Cheyenne, scoring 10 runs in the fifth and sixth innings after trailing 3-1. Laramie would win the game, 12-5.
“You’ll find out with a lot of college pitchers that if you cruise through the first trip through the order and you lift off the gas at all with the lineup that we have, you’re going to be in trouble," Goodwin said. "These guys can flat-out swing it.”
Nobody was probably more relieved that the game was called than Scheid, who struggled from the get-go in his first start. Scheid got just two outs, giving up three hits and walking three batters. Four of the five runs he allowed were earned.
“He’s definitely going through some mechanical issues right now,” Goodwin said. “He’s not happy with the way he threw. When I announced in our team meeting that this game was going to be completely wiped out of the books, you could really see him exhale. It will be a fresh start for him. I know Andrew and coach (Justin) Wichert, our pitching coach, will get together and work on some stuff. Andrew is a great kid, he’s a competitor and he wants to do well. I think in the next week or two, he’ll find it. He will be a key force for us this year.”
The Colts will look to bounce back Monday night when they host Fort Collins, followed by Cheyenne on Tuesday. Both games at Cowboy Field begin at 6:35 p.m.
Laramie and Fort Collins have both won two league titles in the previous four years and have developed a similar rivalry that the University of Wyoming and Colorado State enjoy. It's not Cowboys versus Rams, but close enough, Goodwin said.
"I’m always up for beating some sheep," Goodwin said with a grin. “We don’t like losing to those people down there. We have to make sure we take care of business in this rivalry.”
