by Bobby Abplanalp
Wyoming Sports.org
Consistency continues to plague the Laramie Colts, as they fell to the Fort Collins Foxes 7-4 Tuesday night at Cowboy Field. The loss came a day after the Colts swept a doubleheader over the first-place Grays in Greeley, Colo.
Laramie, 12-13, failed to get over .500 and continues to sit in third place of the Mountain Collegiate Baseball League standings.
Through the first three innings, the Colts would have two players caught on steal attempts and center fielder Josh Warren would be tagged out at home plate in the first inning to get Fort Collins out of the threats with only giving up one run. The Foxes certainly did not help their case with four errors through the first three innings setting up the Colts base runners.
“That was a pretty bad baseball game,” Colts manager Ryan Goodwin said. “If I was a fan, I’d be a little pissed off if I spent money on that both ways, because they (Fort Collins) played lazy and we matched them laziness for laziness. They tried to give us the game early by giving us base runners off of walks and errors, but of course we’re mistiming and we’re not paying attention. That’s just a terrible effort on our part.”
Both teams were locked 1-1 heading into the fifth inning until Fort Collins shortstop Edder Morales singled home third baseman Michael Garza home.
Fort Collins, only 8-12, but 4-2 against the Colts, would get some breathing room in the sixth inning as Laramie starting pitcher Branden Jamison gave up three hits and three earned runs as the Foxes took a 5-1 lead.
Jamison was replaced in the sixth inning by Marco Mejia after ix strikeouts and giving up five hits.
The Colts would hang in there with a big seventh inning as Warren brought right fielder Kolt Browder with an RBI double. Two batters later, Warren would score off of an RBI single by Tyler Kipke to cut the lead to 5-3.
However, the Foxes would close the door on Laramie in the ninth inning, highlighted by catcher Matt Collins's two-run triple for a 7-3 lead. Pitcher Jared Hopper would close it out in the bottom of the ninth, but not before Warren got his second RBI double of the day that scored Colts shortstop Eric Cain for the final margin.
Warren was 2-for-4 on the day with two RBI doubles.
“We had a lot chances and we weren’t coming up with the big hits when we needed it,” Warren said. “When we get those opportunities with the bases loaded, we need to find a way to score them.”
Pat O’Donnell got the win for the Foxes, with four strikeouts, while allowing four hits.
“The guy throwing didn’t have great stuff, but he threw strikes and they made plays behind him,” Warren said of O’Donnell’s pitching.
The Colts had won three out of their last four games coming into tonight, but failed to capitalize on recent success. “We’re not ready to turn the corner,” Goodwin said. “We’re a lackadaisical lazy team and that reflects me as a coach, too.”
The two teams will face off again on Wednesday with a doubleheader in Fort Collins that begins at 3:30 p.m.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Colts get back on track with win
by Bobby Abplanalp
Wyoming Sports.org
Nearly 16 hours after the Laramie Colts fell at home to the first-place Greeley Grays, they suited up again to take on the second-place Cheyenne Grizzlies Thursday at Cowboy Field.
The Colts, 9-10, showed some signs of life after two previous defeats, stopping the Grizzlies 6-5. Cheyenne is now 9-8. The Colts have taken three of the four meetings with the Grizzlies so far this season.
The Colts would strike first, beginning with a two-run double by second baseman Tyler Kipke. Laramie would tack on one more to end the inning with a 3-0 lead.
“I was just looking for a good pitch to hit,” Kipke said. “I was just looking for that fast ball to hit and he (Cheyenne starting pitcher Josh Boyer) threw it up and left it in the zone, and I drove it up the middle.”
However, Cheyenne would come right back. The Colts led 3-1 in the top of the fourth with two outs, until an error by Laramie short stop Tyler Park allowed two Grizzlies to score to tie the game.
The score would remain tied going into the bottom of the fifth when the game was stopped for 80 minutes because of lightning.
The Colts would load the bases in the sixth inning and capitalize off of a sacrifice bunt by catcher Jesse Tierney, scoring two runs for a 5-3 lead.
The bases would be loaded again for the Colts in the seventh inning, but this time they could only manage one run off of a walk from Cheyenne pitcher Leo Rosetti for a 6-3 lead.
Cheyenne would come back in the eighth inning and load the bases and score two runs to get within one, but a double play by the Colts halted the Grizzlies rally with Laramie clinging to a 6-5 lead.
The Colts would call on pitcher Ryan Forest to close the game out in the top of the ninth, and he stopped Cheyenne in order to preserve the win.
“Today, our goal was to go out and get the first guy out pitching and get some good plays on defense and let the hitting take care of itself,” Kipke said. “Him (Forest) going and getting that first guy out is big and not allowing any runs in that last inning was big, not only for our teams morale, but for our defense as well.”
“We get the unconventional double play to get out of the inning and that allowed us to bring Ryan (Forest) in,” Colts manager Ryan Goodwin said. “I know being an ex-closer myself, you always love coming in with nobody on so you can work in your own jams, and so we decided to change the lookup for Ryan and he did a fine job in the ninth.”
The Colts will be in action again Friday, beginning a four game road trip starting in Greeley, Colo., against the Grays at 6:35 p.m.
Wyoming Sports.org
Nearly 16 hours after the Laramie Colts fell at home to the first-place Greeley Grays, they suited up again to take on the second-place Cheyenne Grizzlies Thursday at Cowboy Field.
The Colts, 9-10, showed some signs of life after two previous defeats, stopping the Grizzlies 6-5. Cheyenne is now 9-8. The Colts have taken three of the four meetings with the Grizzlies so far this season.
The Colts would strike first, beginning with a two-run double by second baseman Tyler Kipke. Laramie would tack on one more to end the inning with a 3-0 lead.
“I was just looking for a good pitch to hit,” Kipke said. “I was just looking for that fast ball to hit and he (Cheyenne starting pitcher Josh Boyer) threw it up and left it in the zone, and I drove it up the middle.”
However, Cheyenne would come right back. The Colts led 3-1 in the top of the fourth with two outs, until an error by Laramie short stop Tyler Park allowed two Grizzlies to score to tie the game.
The score would remain tied going into the bottom of the fifth when the game was stopped for 80 minutes because of lightning.
The Colts would load the bases in the sixth inning and capitalize off of a sacrifice bunt by catcher Jesse Tierney, scoring two runs for a 5-3 lead.
The bases would be loaded again for the Colts in the seventh inning, but this time they could only manage one run off of a walk from Cheyenne pitcher Leo Rosetti for a 6-3 lead.
Cheyenne would come back in the eighth inning and load the bases and score two runs to get within one, but a double play by the Colts halted the Grizzlies rally with Laramie clinging to a 6-5 lead.
The Colts would call on pitcher Ryan Forest to close the game out in the top of the ninth, and he stopped Cheyenne in order to preserve the win.
“Today, our goal was to go out and get the first guy out pitching and get some good plays on defense and let the hitting take care of itself,” Kipke said. “Him (Forest) going and getting that first guy out is big and not allowing any runs in that last inning was big, not only for our teams morale, but for our defense as well.”
“We get the unconventional double play to get out of the inning and that allowed us to bring Ryan (Forest) in,” Colts manager Ryan Goodwin said. “I know being an ex-closer myself, you always love coming in with nobody on so you can work in your own jams, and so we decided to change the lookup for Ryan and he did a fine job in the ninth.”
The Colts will be in action again Friday, beginning a four game road trip starting in Greeley, Colo., against the Grays at 6:35 p.m.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Colts lose second straight
by Bobby Abplanalp
Wyoming Sports.org
The Laramie Colts original Mountain Collegiate Baseball League's home season opener with Greeley was postponed by rain on May 31, so the two teams tried again, a little over three weeks later.
It looked like a blessing for the Colts, as they trailed 6-3 in that contest. It didn't turn out any better on Wednesday, with the Grays prevailing 9-6. Greeley (10-6) has won four of seven games with Laramie this season, as Colts fall to 8-10.
Wednesday's game would start off like the first time with Greeley taking the early lead. Three Laramie errors led to a 3-0 Grays lead going into the fifth inning. Greeley would add onto its lead with a two-run single by left fielder Darren Lattomus for a 5-0 lead.
It appeared that the Colts were dead in the water as they did not seem to have an answer for Grays pitcher Matt Kohorst. However, Laramie would rally in the bottom of the fifth to score four runs behind a two-run double from third baseman Keith Towne.
The Colts would carry that momentum into the top of the sixth inning, getting three quick outs. Laramie would threaten in the bottom of the sixth, but would leave two runners stranded as the Grays got out of the inning with their one run lead. Colts left fielder Brock Guetzke had a single and a stolen base in the sixth.
“I thought we had the momentum there,” Guetzke said. “We were one hit away from taking the lead.”
Unfortunately for the Colts, Greeley would tack on five more runs in the seventh for some much needed breathing room to lead 9-4.
“If momentum gets turned away from us, then we don’t know how to handle it,” Colts manager Ryan Goodwin said. “Any time you strike out 16 times in a game, you’re not giving yourself a chance.”
“They (Greeley) just put the ball in play,” Guetzke added. “They kept working hard and their hits were falling. They were hitting line drives and that’s what you need to do to score runs.”
Laramie would rally in the ninth inning with five hits, which scored two runs, but that would be as close as it would get.
“It shows we’re not going to quit, we’ll play all nine (innings),” Guetzke said. “That’s what you need to be a successful team. We all believe in each other and we’re just a couple hits away from breaking this season open.”
Added Goodwin: “That’s why Greeley and Cheyenne are on top right now. Both those teams know that they can play the game, but they might not be quite as talented as us and Fort Collins, but us and Fort Collins don’t play hard from pitch one to the last pitch.”
The Colts will try to get back on track Thursday at Cowboy Field against the first-place Cheyenne Grizzlies, beginning at 1 p.m.
Wyoming Sports.org
The Laramie Colts original Mountain Collegiate Baseball League's home season opener with Greeley was postponed by rain on May 31, so the two teams tried again, a little over three weeks later.
It looked like a blessing for the Colts, as they trailed 6-3 in that contest. It didn't turn out any better on Wednesday, with the Grays prevailing 9-6. Greeley (10-6) has won four of seven games with Laramie this season, as Colts fall to 8-10.
Wednesday's game would start off like the first time with Greeley taking the early lead. Three Laramie errors led to a 3-0 Grays lead going into the fifth inning. Greeley would add onto its lead with a two-run single by left fielder Darren Lattomus for a 5-0 lead.
It appeared that the Colts were dead in the water as they did not seem to have an answer for Grays pitcher Matt Kohorst. However, Laramie would rally in the bottom of the fifth to score four runs behind a two-run double from third baseman Keith Towne.
The Colts would carry that momentum into the top of the sixth inning, getting three quick outs. Laramie would threaten in the bottom of the sixth, but would leave two runners stranded as the Grays got out of the inning with their one run lead. Colts left fielder Brock Guetzke had a single and a stolen base in the sixth.
“I thought we had the momentum there,” Guetzke said. “We were one hit away from taking the lead.”
Unfortunately for the Colts, Greeley would tack on five more runs in the seventh for some much needed breathing room to lead 9-4.
“If momentum gets turned away from us, then we don’t know how to handle it,” Colts manager Ryan Goodwin said. “Any time you strike out 16 times in a game, you’re not giving yourself a chance.”
“They (Greeley) just put the ball in play,” Guetzke added. “They kept working hard and their hits were falling. They were hitting line drives and that’s what you need to do to score runs.”
Laramie would rally in the ninth inning with five hits, which scored two runs, but that would be as close as it would get.
“It shows we’re not going to quit, we’ll play all nine (innings),” Guetzke said. “That’s what you need to be a successful team. We all believe in each other and we’re just a couple hits away from breaking this season open.”
Added Goodwin: “That’s why Greeley and Cheyenne are on top right now. Both those teams know that they can play the game, but they might not be quite as talented as us and Fort Collins, but us and Fort Collins don’t play hard from pitch one to the last pitch.”
The Colts will try to get back on track Thursday at Cowboy Field against the first-place Cheyenne Grizzlies, beginning at 1 p.m.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Colst come out flat in loss to Grizz
by Bobby Abplanalp
Wyoming Sports.org
The highs and lows of the Laramie Colts season continued Monday night at Cowboy Field with a 9-2 loss to the Cheyenne Grizzlies in Mountain Collegiate Baseball League (MCBL) action.
The loss comes one night after the Colts beat the Grizzlies on the road in an 18-15 slug fest. Laramie had an opportunity to pull into a virtual first-place tie with Cheyenne with a win, but the Grizzlies had other plans and pulled away in the third inning for the win. The Grizzlies remain in first-place with a 9-6 record, while Laramie falls to 8-9.
Laramie's troubles began in the top of the third with one throwing error.
Cheyenne first baseman Michael Surina grounded to Laramie shortstop Tyler Park for what appeared to be the final out of the inning. But Park's throw to first base was out of Casey Martin’s reach and Surina was safe, scoring John Hattabaugh to give the Grizzlies a lead in which they would never relinquish. Before the Colts could get out of the inning, they trailed 4-0.
“The whole thing starts in the third inning,” Colts coach Ryan Goodwin said. “We get lazy on two balls and make a couple errors. It’s very frustrating.”
Laramie would get on the board from a dropped fly ball hit by Martin that scored left fielder Tyler Kipke to make it 4-1. But that was as close as the Colts would get. Martin crossed home plate in the sixth inning off of a sacrifice fly by center fielder Josh Warren to make the score 7-2, but Cheyenne quickly stopped the threat to end the inning. Cheyenne would add two more runs for the final margin.
“There is an old saying that there is three facets to the game; you hit, you pitch, and you play defense. If you do two of the three well, then you’re typically going to win,” Goodwin said. “I felt we were terrible in all three, to be honest with you.”
Despite the long slugfest the night before, Goodwin and Martin thought they would be ready to go on Monday, mentally and physically.
“It (fatigue) shouldn’t have been (a factor),” Goodwin said. “If it is, then we’re in deep trouble, because starting Thursday, we have 10 games in eight days. I think part of it is we got guys that need to grow up; they come ready to play one day, then the next day they don’t.”
“There was just a lot of mental errors’ going on,” Martin said. “That’s just not an excuse for the way we’re playing right now.”
Consistency has been all too much of a problem for the Colts this year, which is something the Grizzlies have been better at.
“They come out and play hard every day and swing the bats well, and they always have pitchers come out and throw strikes,” Martin said. “That’s what you got to do to win games.”
“They’re (Cheyenne) the most consistent,” added Goodwin. “I think Cheyenne is a well-rounded team. They’re not an explosive team, but every single hitter makes you battle if you’re pitching and their pitchers come at you and throw strikes.”
Laramie and Greeley will make up an earlier rainout on Wednesday at 6:35 p.m. at Cowboy Field, before the Colts host the Grizzlies again Thursday at 1 p.m.
Wyoming Sports.org
The highs and lows of the Laramie Colts season continued Monday night at Cowboy Field with a 9-2 loss to the Cheyenne Grizzlies in Mountain Collegiate Baseball League (MCBL) action.
The loss comes one night after the Colts beat the Grizzlies on the road in an 18-15 slug fest. Laramie had an opportunity to pull into a virtual first-place tie with Cheyenne with a win, but the Grizzlies had other plans and pulled away in the third inning for the win. The Grizzlies remain in first-place with a 9-6 record, while Laramie falls to 8-9.
Laramie's troubles began in the top of the third with one throwing error.
Cheyenne first baseman Michael Surina grounded to Laramie shortstop Tyler Park for what appeared to be the final out of the inning. But Park's throw to first base was out of Casey Martin’s reach and Surina was safe, scoring John Hattabaugh to give the Grizzlies a lead in which they would never relinquish. Before the Colts could get out of the inning, they trailed 4-0.
“The whole thing starts in the third inning,” Colts coach Ryan Goodwin said. “We get lazy on two balls and make a couple errors. It’s very frustrating.”
Laramie would get on the board from a dropped fly ball hit by Martin that scored left fielder Tyler Kipke to make it 4-1. But that was as close as the Colts would get. Martin crossed home plate in the sixth inning off of a sacrifice fly by center fielder Josh Warren to make the score 7-2, but Cheyenne quickly stopped the threat to end the inning. Cheyenne would add two more runs for the final margin.
“There is an old saying that there is three facets to the game; you hit, you pitch, and you play defense. If you do two of the three well, then you’re typically going to win,” Goodwin said. “I felt we were terrible in all three, to be honest with you.”
Despite the long slugfest the night before, Goodwin and Martin thought they would be ready to go on Monday, mentally and physically.
“It (fatigue) shouldn’t have been (a factor),” Goodwin said. “If it is, then we’re in deep trouble, because starting Thursday, we have 10 games in eight days. I think part of it is we got guys that need to grow up; they come ready to play one day, then the next day they don’t.”
“There was just a lot of mental errors’ going on,” Martin said. “That’s just not an excuse for the way we’re playing right now.”
Consistency has been all too much of a problem for the Colts this year, which is something the Grizzlies have been better at.
“They come out and play hard every day and swing the bats well, and they always have pitchers come out and throw strikes,” Martin said. “That’s what you got to do to win games.”
“They’re (Cheyenne) the most consistent,” added Goodwin. “I think Cheyenne is a well-rounded team. They’re not an explosive team, but every single hitter makes you battle if you’re pitching and their pitchers come at you and throw strikes.”
Laramie and Greeley will make up an earlier rainout on Wednesday at 6:35 p.m. at Cowboy Field, before the Colts host the Grizzlies again Thursday at 1 p.m.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Colts roll past Grays
By Bobby Abplanalp
Wyoming Sports.org
Rain has been all too familiar with the Colts this season, as the team has struggled.
Not on Friday night. It was a picture-perfect night filled with blue sky and sunshine at Cowboy Field.
The result was a 19-2 whitewashing of the Greeley Grays in Mountain Collegiate Baseball League action.
The Colts, 6-7 on the season, are right behind the second-place Grays, who are 6-6.
“Sometimes when you get those gray skies, it can take the emotion out of a team a little bit,” Laramie manager Ryan Goodwin said. "I think maybe we are a warm-weather team. We just came ready to play tonight with a better attitude.”
Greeley scored the first run of the game in the opening inning, but it was all Laramie from that point on. The Colts answered with 10 runs in the bottom of the first and never looked back. Second baseman Tyler Kipke got things going with a RBI single, but it was third baseman Keith Towne’s three-run home run that sparked Laramie, which finished with six hits in that first inning.
“I think it was a good team effort,” Towne said. “I think we came out ready to go. We concentrated really hard today in batting practice to go out and put the ball in play a little more, and we worked on being a little more aggressive. I think it really paid off tonight.”
Towne was 4-of-5 from the plate, with three singles and the home run. Kipke also had four hits on the night with three singles, a triple and three RBI. The Colts out-hit the Grays 17-10 in the game.
Laramie pitcher Taylor Henry picked up the victory, striking out two in seven innings. Brandon Jamison pitched the final two innings.
The Colts are now 3-3 against the Grays this season.
“We really made a statement,” Towne said. “We really put it to them tonight and we needed to after the games we played against them this year. We showed them the kind of caliber ball club that we are, rather than the way we’ve been playing. It was (previously) not representative of the Laramie Colts.”
Goodwin agreed and said his players just woke up and realized that they were underachieving.
“We put our concentration on a couple of areas,” Goodwin said. “For example, we’ve been striking out way too much, especially with runners in scoring position. We only had one strikeout tonight and I think the guys took it upon themselves to come out and play with energy and passion.”
The Colts will return to action on Saturday, as they host rival Fort Collins in a doubleheader that begins at 1 p.m. The second game is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.
Wyoming Sports.org
Rain has been all too familiar with the Colts this season, as the team has struggled.
Not on Friday night. It was a picture-perfect night filled with blue sky and sunshine at Cowboy Field.
The result was a 19-2 whitewashing of the Greeley Grays in Mountain Collegiate Baseball League action.
The Colts, 6-7 on the season, are right behind the second-place Grays, who are 6-6.
“Sometimes when you get those gray skies, it can take the emotion out of a team a little bit,” Laramie manager Ryan Goodwin said. "I think maybe we are a warm-weather team. We just came ready to play tonight with a better attitude.”
Greeley scored the first run of the game in the opening inning, but it was all Laramie from that point on. The Colts answered with 10 runs in the bottom of the first and never looked back. Second baseman Tyler Kipke got things going with a RBI single, but it was third baseman Keith Towne’s three-run home run that sparked Laramie, which finished with six hits in that first inning.
“I think it was a good team effort,” Towne said. “I think we came out ready to go. We concentrated really hard today in batting practice to go out and put the ball in play a little more, and we worked on being a little more aggressive. I think it really paid off tonight.”
Towne was 4-of-5 from the plate, with three singles and the home run. Kipke also had four hits on the night with three singles, a triple and three RBI. The Colts out-hit the Grays 17-10 in the game.
Laramie pitcher Taylor Henry picked up the victory, striking out two in seven innings. Brandon Jamison pitched the final two innings.
The Colts are now 3-3 against the Grays this season.
“We really made a statement,” Towne said. “We really put it to them tonight and we needed to after the games we played against them this year. We showed them the kind of caliber ball club that we are, rather than the way we’ve been playing. It was (previously) not representative of the Laramie Colts.”
Goodwin agreed and said his players just woke up and realized that they were underachieving.
“We put our concentration on a couple of areas,” Goodwin said. “For example, we’ve been striking out way too much, especially with runners in scoring position. We only had one strikeout tonight and I think the guys took it upon themselves to come out and play with energy and passion.”
The Colts will return to action on Saturday, as they host rival Fort Collins in a doubleheader that begins at 1 p.m. The second game is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Tough night for Colts
Richard Anderson photos
The Laramie Colts continued to struggle, dropping two official games on Sunday to Cheyenne. The two teams completed Friday's suspended game and the first-place Grizzlies prevailed 10-5. In the regular-scheduled game, Cheyenne, which is now 7-2 on the season, rolled to an 18-4 win. Laramie has now lost five of its last six games and stands at 4-6 on the season. Pictured at top, manager Ryan Goodwin (22), talks to pitcher Andrew Schied (81) and he rest of the Laramie infield. At left, first baseman Casey Martin watches a foul ball before getting a base hit. The Colts will return to action Monday night when they host Greeley, beginning at 6:35 p.m. at Cowboy Field.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Colts continue to struggle in the rain
Richard Anderson photo
Laramie outfielder Jesse Tierney slides in safe at third Friday against Cheyenne before the rains came to postpone the matchup to Sunday at 4 p.m.
By Richard Anderson
Wyoming Sports.org
Mother Nature turned on the Laramie Colts once again … literally.
What was appearing to be a decent Friday night for baseball, changed in a hurry when the weather system that was south of Laramie moved east, then bounced back, returning with vengeance for a good 25-minute rainstorm that proved to be too much for Cowboy Field to handle. It was called with two outs in the top of the sixth and Cheyenne lead Laramie 5-3.
The game will pick up Sunday at 4 p.m. before the regularly-scheduled 6:35 p.m. matchup again with the Grizzlies.
Laramie manager Ryan Goodwin has not only been frustrated with some struggles with his team, but with the uncharacteristic weather that has plagued them in this early going. The Colts (3-3), have played just one game -- the season opener at Cheyenne -- where there hasn’t been a rain delay or rain out.
“It’s always been something every single time,” Goodwin said. “It has just been horrendous so far. I’m actually telling the guys, ‘wait until July.’ We need July to get here a lot sooner.”
Goodwin has also been a little displeased with the way things have turned against the Colts, who dropped a weather-hampered doubleheader to Greeley on Wednesday.
The Colts seem to be in an early funk, for whatever reason. The team’s struggles are on the mental side, Goodwin said.
“There is a lot of stuff going on that maybe to the naked eye, you don’t understand or see what is going on,“ he said. “Those little small things. We’re not doing well right now. We’re trying to get by on pure talent and I think we are starting to realize that you can’t do that. We have to pick it up with the mental aspects of the game. If and when we do, we’ll be a talented team. Right now we’re going through that funk and hopefully the lights will pop on here pretty soon.”
Typically, Goodwin said that the Colts, in his previous two years at the helm, have gone through a little funk at about Jubilee Days in early July.
“Usually, we have gone out to a big lead and everybody gets comfortable. I don’t know if we just aren’t comfortable, but it is a situation where we aren’t playing very good,“ Goodwin said. “We’re trying to figure it out. To me, it is not am physical effort thing. I believe the physical effort is there. The mental aspect has to turn on sometime. When it does, we’ll be a really good team.”
Friday against Cheyenne, the Grizzlies seized the momentum in the sixth on a RBI triple by Kaleb Browner and a run-scoring single by Sam Radhill. Browner also had a two-run double in the fourth.
Laramie, which had just three hits, scored twice in the third and once in the fifth to tie the game. Second baseman Eric Cain ha a two-run double in the third for the Colts.
Laramie pitcher Nathan Hardy was struggling with his control, as he had four walks and four hit batters to go along with the 10 Cheyenne hits.
“Nathan Hardy is a guy, with his fastball, who tries to live on the inner third (of the plate),” Goodwin said. “The umpire we had behind the plate tonight doesn’t give the inner third. When the umpire doesn’t give him the inner third, he is going to struggle. We’re going to have to finds a way for him to adjust.”
The Colts will try again on Saturday at Greeley with a doubleheader (3:30 p.m.), before resuming their matchup against the Grizzlies on Sunday.
Despite their struggles, Goodwin said that if they can get locked in mentally, they can come back and win this game.
“If we can get that first guy out, then we will have 12 outs to play with. Our lineup is explosive enough where we can easily do that,“ he said.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Grays outlast Colts to sweep doubleheader
By Bobby Abplanalp
Wyoming Sports.org
The Colts and Grays had their own Laramie marathon Wednesday at Cowboy Field.
The Colts finished second.
In a scheduled doubleheader that was to begin at 1 p.m., the two teams finally left the field at 10:30 p.m. when it was all said and done. It was Greeley that battled the hardest as it swept the Colts 13-10 and 5-4 in Mountain Collegiate Baseball League action. Both clubs now sit at 3-3. Laramie falls to 1-3 at home.
The twinbill got off to a late start with the umpires stuck in traffic on Interstate-80 because of an accident. The first pitch of the contest did not happen until 2:05 p.m.
The game was tied at 2-2, until the weather reared its ugly head once again and a delay was called in the bottom of the first inning. The game would resume at 3:20 p.m., with the Colts clinging to a 3-2 lead. The Colts would increase their lead to 9-2 heading into the seventh inning and rain would disrupt the game again. The umpires discussed to call the game in the seventh, but both coaches opted to play a full nine innings if the weather permitted.
“Yeah, when we pulled up that very last time, we decided if we got anything else, then we were probably going to be done,” Laramie manager Ryan Goodwin said. “It just wasn’t quite enough to end it, so we just kept going. I mean, you got to play.”
This turned out to be a great decision for Greeley coach Dan Zuberbier, but not so much for Goodwin, as the Grays would come back to tie the game at 9-9 to force extra innings.
The Grays would score four runs in the 10th off of three hits to take a 13-9 lead. The Colts would have one last chance to tie or win the game as center fielder Jonathon Olla got things started with a double, followed by designated hitter Kyle Roliard hitting an RBI single, which sent Olla home to cut the lead to 13-10. However, that would be as close as Laramie would get as the Colts could not match the Grays comeback.
Laramie concluded game one with 14 hits, but it was not enough.
“To me, if the weather played a factor, then that shows me that we’re a weak team mentally,” Goodwin said. “It didn’t affect Greeley. They came out and kept plugging away and they kept fighting around adversity. Game one; we had no business losing that game, that’s just a poor job on our part.”
“You just got to show up to play, regardless of the weather,” Olla said. “I mean, we probably had a rain delay three or four times, but the other team (Greeley) didn’t have a problem coming out focused and coming out hot still. That is just a lack of focus on our part.”
It was still raining when game two got underway at 7:15 p.m. The contest would be close from the get-go. It was 2-2 after three innings and then Greeley went up 4-2, but Laramie crawled right back and tied it after the fifth inning.
Greeley would retake the lead at 5-4 in the sixth-inning off of a wild-pitch from Alex Alemann that got past catcher Jesse Tierney, as Greeley second baseman Adam Victorn stole third and crossed home plate. However, this time Laramie could not answer Greeley’s run, which resulted in the final score.
“It was a lack of execution,” Goodwin said. “We never could seem to keep their lead hitter off base and we never seem to get ours on. That was a major difference to me right there.”
On the day, Olla was 4-for-8 with three singles and a double.
“We just got to do the little things,” Olla said. “Pitchers have to get the lead-off hitter, we can’t keep giving them walks. Hitters have to do the little things like bunting; we missed two sac-bunts today, that’s big. When we have runners on third base with two outs, we got to score them (runners) and not strike out.”
Laramie left fielder Daniel “Ike” Eichelberger did not play on Wednesday, as he was selected in the 20th round of the 2009 Major League Baseball (MLB) draft by the Los Angeles Angels.
“It’s pretty rewarding,” Goodwin said. “To know where he came from, and to think that myself and all of us could help make that difference someday of helping him reach his dream of making it to the major leagues. That’s why you do this, it’s why you’re around it, and you’re hoping you can help that guy. I know Ike from when he came to us a couple summers ago to where his now as a player and as a person. I can’t help but wish him the best.”
The Colts will be in action again Friday at Cowboy Field against the Cheyenne Grizzlies, beginning at 6:35 p.m.
Wyoming Sports.org
The Colts and Grays had their own Laramie marathon Wednesday at Cowboy Field.
The Colts finished second.
In a scheduled doubleheader that was to begin at 1 p.m., the two teams finally left the field at 10:30 p.m. when it was all said and done. It was Greeley that battled the hardest as it swept the Colts 13-10 and 5-4 in Mountain Collegiate Baseball League action. Both clubs now sit at 3-3. Laramie falls to 1-3 at home.
The twinbill got off to a late start with the umpires stuck in traffic on Interstate-80 because of an accident. The first pitch of the contest did not happen until 2:05 p.m.
The game was tied at 2-2, until the weather reared its ugly head once again and a delay was called in the bottom of the first inning. The game would resume at 3:20 p.m., with the Colts clinging to a 3-2 lead. The Colts would increase their lead to 9-2 heading into the seventh inning and rain would disrupt the game again. The umpires discussed to call the game in the seventh, but both coaches opted to play a full nine innings if the weather permitted.
“Yeah, when we pulled up that very last time, we decided if we got anything else, then we were probably going to be done,” Laramie manager Ryan Goodwin said. “It just wasn’t quite enough to end it, so we just kept going. I mean, you got to play.”
This turned out to be a great decision for Greeley coach Dan Zuberbier, but not so much for Goodwin, as the Grays would come back to tie the game at 9-9 to force extra innings.
The Grays would score four runs in the 10th off of three hits to take a 13-9 lead. The Colts would have one last chance to tie or win the game as center fielder Jonathon Olla got things started with a double, followed by designated hitter Kyle Roliard hitting an RBI single, which sent Olla home to cut the lead to 13-10. However, that would be as close as Laramie would get as the Colts could not match the Grays comeback.
Laramie concluded game one with 14 hits, but it was not enough.
“To me, if the weather played a factor, then that shows me that we’re a weak team mentally,” Goodwin said. “It didn’t affect Greeley. They came out and kept plugging away and they kept fighting around adversity. Game one; we had no business losing that game, that’s just a poor job on our part.”
“You just got to show up to play, regardless of the weather,” Olla said. “I mean, we probably had a rain delay three or four times, but the other team (Greeley) didn’t have a problem coming out focused and coming out hot still. That is just a lack of focus on our part.”
It was still raining when game two got underway at 7:15 p.m. The contest would be close from the get-go. It was 2-2 after three innings and then Greeley went up 4-2, but Laramie crawled right back and tied it after the fifth inning.
Greeley would retake the lead at 5-4 in the sixth-inning off of a wild-pitch from Alex Alemann that got past catcher Jesse Tierney, as Greeley second baseman Adam Victorn stole third and crossed home plate. However, this time Laramie could not answer Greeley’s run, which resulted in the final score.
“It was a lack of execution,” Goodwin said. “We never could seem to keep their lead hitter off base and we never seem to get ours on. That was a major difference to me right there.”
On the day, Olla was 4-for-8 with three singles and a double.
“We just got to do the little things,” Olla said. “Pitchers have to get the lead-off hitter, we can’t keep giving them walks. Hitters have to do the little things like bunting; we missed two sac-bunts today, that’s big. When we have runners on third base with two outs, we got to score them (runners) and not strike out.”
Laramie left fielder Daniel “Ike” Eichelberger did not play on Wednesday, as he was selected in the 20th round of the 2009 Major League Baseball (MLB) draft by the Los Angeles Angels.
“It’s pretty rewarding,” Goodwin said. “To know where he came from, and to think that myself and all of us could help make that difference someday of helping him reach his dream of making it to the major leagues. That’s why you do this, it’s why you’re around it, and you’re hoping you can help that guy. I know Ike from when he came to us a couple summers ago to where his now as a player and as a person. I can’t help but wish him the best.”
The Colts will be in action again Friday at Cowboy Field against the Cheyenne Grizzlies, beginning at 6:35 p.m.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Colts avenge loss to Foxes
by Bobby Abplanalp
Wyoming Sports.org
The young Mountain Collegiate Baseball League (MCBL) season has so far been plagued by inclement weather; Monday’s game between the Laramie Colts and Fort Collins Foxes was no exception. Rain, lightning, and some hail fell onto Cowboy Field, which caused a rain delay in the middle of the fifth inning.
However, a little ray of sun shined from the baseball Gods on Cowboy Field and the game continued on, ultimately resulting in a 10-3 victory for the Colts. With the win the Colts now sit atop the MCBL standings at 3-1, while the Foxes drop to 2-3.
The Colts jumped out to a 1-0 lead after the first inning and never looked back, largely in part to great hitting. Laramie compiled 14 hits on the day for eight runs batted in.
The Colts were cruising along a 7-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth with the bases loaded and two outs, when a bizarre sequence took place. With third baseman Eric Krznaric at the plate, each Laramie base runner ran half way to their next bases and were all tagged out for a triple-play to end the inning. Why did this happen? Coach Ryan Goodwin told his players to get tagged out on purpose.
“I intentionally killed our momentum,” Goodwin said. “I knew if we didn’t get through that (fourth) inning, if the rain was heavier than what actually came, then we could totally have to make that whole game up. I ran us into that triple-play; I’m not proud of what I did, but I knew for us to get that win, to assure it; I wanted to do that.”
If a game goes to a fifth inning, then the contest becomes conclusive, meaning the team who is winning at that point will win the game if the game cannot be continued. Anything less, then the game would be postponed or cancelled. Cancellation would take away any chance of a win for that game.
Pitcher Taylor Henry quickly got the Colts out of the top of the fifth with three straight outs to end the inning. The game was delayed after that.
Nearly 45 minutes later, the rain cleared up enough to play ball with the Colts up to bat. However, it was the Foxes who came out of the delay fired up. After quickly getting out of the fifth-inning, the Foxes dominated the sixth. Fort Collins scored three runs off of four hits to cut the margin to 7-3 and drew the Colts into a 6-4-3 double play in the bottom the sixth to get out of the inning unscathed.
“In a way I kind of screwed up, because I gave them a reason to come back fired up after the rain delay,” Goodwin said. “I just have to commend our guys, especially the guys that came in. I felt like we were flat once we got going again and when we brought our reserves in, they picked us right back up.”
By the seventh inning tempers started to flair between the two rivals as F0rt Collins pitcher Ryan Kruse beaned Laramie in fielder Eric Dejong. To Dejong’s dismay he threw down his helmet and started to walk toward the mound, while Kruse threw down his glove and started walking toward home plate. Both men were separated and Dejong took his base, while having a few words with Fort Collins catcher Nick Wiggins.
The eighth inning saw the Colts retake control of the game as Kruse was ejected for beaning Laramie second baseman Lucas Calderon. From there the Colts would score three runs off of three hits for three RBI against Fort Collins pitcher Bobby Kelley to take a 10-3 lead. The Foxes would get no closer.
“It was basically a complete turnaround. The score was very similar, but we were on the losing end last time,” Colts hitting coach Mike Overman said. “We came out and swung the bats good, we got really hot, but the rain delay hurt us a little bit. We had a lot of momentum heading into the rain delay.
“We attacked fastballs tonight and hit them for the most part, we didn’t miss fastballs when there was a good pitch to hit, so we did really well."
One of the better hitting performances for the Colts came from catcher Robert Greene. He was 3-for-3 on the day with a single and two doubles, one of which bounced over the center field wall for a ground-rule double, which sent a runner home.
“We’ve been coming out and hitting on our own and getting a lot of swings in,” Greene said. “We’ve been anxious to play against some real pitchers. We’re just trying to see good pitching and put the ball in play and we’re doing that pretty well.”
The Colts will be in action again Wednesday when they take on the Greeley Grays at Cowboy Field with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.
Wyoming Sports.org
The young Mountain Collegiate Baseball League (MCBL) season has so far been plagued by inclement weather; Monday’s game between the Laramie Colts and Fort Collins Foxes was no exception. Rain, lightning, and some hail fell onto Cowboy Field, which caused a rain delay in the middle of the fifth inning.
However, a little ray of sun shined from the baseball Gods on Cowboy Field and the game continued on, ultimately resulting in a 10-3 victory for the Colts. With the win the Colts now sit atop the MCBL standings at 3-1, while the Foxes drop to 2-3.
The Colts jumped out to a 1-0 lead after the first inning and never looked back, largely in part to great hitting. Laramie compiled 14 hits on the day for eight runs batted in.
The Colts were cruising along a 7-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth with the bases loaded and two outs, when a bizarre sequence took place. With third baseman Eric Krznaric at the plate, each Laramie base runner ran half way to their next bases and were all tagged out for a triple-play to end the inning. Why did this happen? Coach Ryan Goodwin told his players to get tagged out on purpose.
“I intentionally killed our momentum,” Goodwin said. “I knew if we didn’t get through that (fourth) inning, if the rain was heavier than what actually came, then we could totally have to make that whole game up. I ran us into that triple-play; I’m not proud of what I did, but I knew for us to get that win, to assure it; I wanted to do that.”
If a game goes to a fifth inning, then the contest becomes conclusive, meaning the team who is winning at that point will win the game if the game cannot be continued. Anything less, then the game would be postponed or cancelled. Cancellation would take away any chance of a win for that game.
Pitcher Taylor Henry quickly got the Colts out of the top of the fifth with three straight outs to end the inning. The game was delayed after that.
Nearly 45 minutes later, the rain cleared up enough to play ball with the Colts up to bat. However, it was the Foxes who came out of the delay fired up. After quickly getting out of the fifth-inning, the Foxes dominated the sixth. Fort Collins scored three runs off of four hits to cut the margin to 7-3 and drew the Colts into a 6-4-3 double play in the bottom the sixth to get out of the inning unscathed.
“In a way I kind of screwed up, because I gave them a reason to come back fired up after the rain delay,” Goodwin said. “I just have to commend our guys, especially the guys that came in. I felt like we were flat once we got going again and when we brought our reserves in, they picked us right back up.”
By the seventh inning tempers started to flair between the two rivals as F0rt Collins pitcher Ryan Kruse beaned Laramie in fielder Eric Dejong. To Dejong’s dismay he threw down his helmet and started to walk toward the mound, while Kruse threw down his glove and started walking toward home plate. Both men were separated and Dejong took his base, while having a few words with Fort Collins catcher Nick Wiggins.
The eighth inning saw the Colts retake control of the game as Kruse was ejected for beaning Laramie second baseman Lucas Calderon. From there the Colts would score three runs off of three hits for three RBI against Fort Collins pitcher Bobby Kelley to take a 10-3 lead. The Foxes would get no closer.
“It was basically a complete turnaround. The score was very similar, but we were on the losing end last time,” Colts hitting coach Mike Overman said. “We came out and swung the bats good, we got really hot, but the rain delay hurt us a little bit. We had a lot of momentum heading into the rain delay.
“We attacked fastballs tonight and hit them for the most part, we didn’t miss fastballs when there was a good pitch to hit, so we did really well."
One of the better hitting performances for the Colts came from catcher Robert Greene. He was 3-for-3 on the day with a single and two doubles, one of which bounced over the center field wall for a ground-rule double, which sent a runner home.
“We’ve been coming out and hitting on our own and getting a lot of swings in,” Greene said. “We’ve been anxious to play against some real pitchers. We’re just trying to see good pitching and put the ball in play and we’re doing that pretty well.”
The Colts will be in action again Wednesday when they take on the Greeley Grays at Cowboy Field with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Foxes hand Colts first loss
by Bobby Abplanalp
Wyoming Sports.org
The Laramie Colts returned home for the first time in a week to take on the rival Fort Collins Foxes in Mountain Collegiate Baseball League (MCBL) action Saturday at Cowboy Field.
The Colts homecoming was bittersweet, as they fell to the Foxes 11-5, falling to 2-1 on the season. Fort Collins improves to 2-2.
The Colts never led in the contest. The game was tied 1-1 after the first inning, but it was all Fort Collins after that as the Foxes would score 10 unanswered runs to lead 11-1 heading into the seventh. The scoring spurt by Fort Collins was highlighted with a two-run homer over the left field wall by short stop Edder Morales in the sixth-inning, making the score 10-1.
Colts manager Ryan Goodwin was very displeased with the outcome of the game as he was ejected after the fifth inning for arguing an umpire's call.
“I don’t know if we were too high on our horse or too cocky,” said Goodwin. “We came out very lackadaisical going through the motions and that carried over to the game, and that really set a lot of things in motion tonight. I’m not pleased with the effort we gave tonight; we’re a better ball club then that.”
The Colts trailed 11-3 going into the ninth and would try to rally as in fielder Eric Krznaric hit a two-run single to cut the lead to 11-5, but that was as close as Laramie would get.
Fort Collins pitcher Jared Hopper allowed two runs and three hits for seven strikeouts through seven innings.
“He was all right. He did an OK job,” Laramie center fielder Josh Warren said of Hopper. “He threw a lot of strikes, but that’s a guy we should hit; I mean this (the Colts) is a really good hitting team, we just came out flat tonight.”
The Colts do not have much time to dwell on this loss, because they have to suit up and play a doubleheader against the same team on Sunday in Fort Collins.
“We going to try and get focused right from the start,” Warren said. “We can’t come out and get in a hole like we did today. We got to have pitching come out and pound the ball and we’re going to have to make plays behind them.”
“I still believe we’re the most talented team despite what that scoreboard said tonight,” Goodwin said. “Hopefully, I think it’s a wake up call for our guys, because we came out from that layoff believing too much that we were the best team and forgot, ‘hey we still need to go prove it,’ so that’s why I’m hoping our guys will go home and take a good look in the mirror.”
The Colts will see a lot of the Foxes over the next couple days as they will meet in Fort Collins, Colo., Sunday to begin a doubleheader at 1 p.m. The Foxes will travel back to Laramie on Monday to play a makeup game beginning at 6:35 p.m.
Wyoming Sports.org
The Laramie Colts returned home for the first time in a week to take on the rival Fort Collins Foxes in Mountain Collegiate Baseball League (MCBL) action Saturday at Cowboy Field.
The Colts homecoming was bittersweet, as they fell to the Foxes 11-5, falling to 2-1 on the season. Fort Collins improves to 2-2.
The Colts never led in the contest. The game was tied 1-1 after the first inning, but it was all Fort Collins after that as the Foxes would score 10 unanswered runs to lead 11-1 heading into the seventh. The scoring spurt by Fort Collins was highlighted with a two-run homer over the left field wall by short stop Edder Morales in the sixth-inning, making the score 10-1.
Colts manager Ryan Goodwin was very displeased with the outcome of the game as he was ejected after the fifth inning for arguing an umpire's call.
“I don’t know if we were too high on our horse or too cocky,” said Goodwin. “We came out very lackadaisical going through the motions and that carried over to the game, and that really set a lot of things in motion tonight. I’m not pleased with the effort we gave tonight; we’re a better ball club then that.”
The Colts trailed 11-3 going into the ninth and would try to rally as in fielder Eric Krznaric hit a two-run single to cut the lead to 11-5, but that was as close as Laramie would get.
Fort Collins pitcher Jared Hopper allowed two runs and three hits for seven strikeouts through seven innings.
“He was all right. He did an OK job,” Laramie center fielder Josh Warren said of Hopper. “He threw a lot of strikes, but that’s a guy we should hit; I mean this (the Colts) is a really good hitting team, we just came out flat tonight.”
The Colts do not have much time to dwell on this loss, because they have to suit up and play a doubleheader against the same team on Sunday in Fort Collins.
“We going to try and get focused right from the start,” Warren said. “We can’t come out and get in a hole like we did today. We got to have pitching come out and pound the ball and we’re going to have to make plays behind them.”
“I still believe we’re the most talented team despite what that scoreboard said tonight,” Goodwin said. “Hopefully, I think it’s a wake up call for our guys, because we came out from that layoff believing too much that we were the best team and forgot, ‘hey we still need to go prove it,’ so that’s why I’m hoping our guys will go home and take a good look in the mirror.”
The Colts will see a lot of the Foxes over the next couple days as they will meet in Fort Collins, Colo., Sunday to begin a doubleheader at 1 p.m. The Foxes will travel back to Laramie on Monday to play a makeup game beginning at 6:35 p.m.
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