LEGION BASEBALL: Laramie splits road games to start season

Apr. 22—The Laramie Post 14 American Legion baseball team started the season splitting a pair of games at the Cheyenne Icebreaker on Sunday in Cheyenne.

The Rangers beat Rock Springs 14-10 and lost 6-3 to the Cheyenne Hawks at Powers Field.

Laramie tallied 10 hits against the Stallions, but were held to one hit against the Hawks. Laramie's eye at the plate was evident, as the team collected 11 walks in game one and seven more in game two.

Against Rock Springs, Rangers starting pitcher Jace Moniz struck out six while allowing three earned runs on three hits and four walks. Aidan Buchanan and Kaige Schriner added an inning in relief, while Bracen Gruver went to the bump for 1/3 of an inning.

Laramie fell behind in the first inning after Rock Springs' Prestyn Harvey plated a run an RBI single. The Rangers wouldn't trail for long, as they claimed the lead in the third inning.

Sam Hoyt drove in T.R. Richardson on an RBI single, and Hoyt later scored after a wild pitch later in the inning.

Rock Springs struck back quickly with four more runs in the next inning after three walks and a double. The Rangers didn't help their cause, allowing runs to score on an error and a passed ball.

Gruver tied the game in the fourth with a single that scored Will Harris. Laramie followed with three consecutive hits, including a triple from Diego Herrera and a single from Richardson that both scored runs.

The Rangers' biggest outburst of the day came in a seven-run fifth inning. The frame included four walks, a hit by pitch, a double from Harris and a triple from Ben Malone.

The Stallions outscored Laramie 5-2 over the final two innings, but weren't able to overcome Laramie's late outburst. Rock Springs committed one error to the Rangers' four, but the difference wasn't enough to overcome its 11 walks on the mound.

Hoyt got the start against Cheyenne, lasting four innings and striking out six. He allowed one earned run on five hits while walking one.

He was relieved by Carson Moniz, who allowed an unearned run in one inning. Diego Herrera and Richardson followed in relief, but combined for five walks.

The Rangers allowed just one earned run in the game.

Laramie's bats couldn't support the strong defensive effort, as Carson Moniz had the team's only hit in the third inning. The Rangers scored all three of their runs in the third frame.

Cheyenne scratched runs back in the fourth and fifth innings, but it was a four-run sixth that sealed the deal. Brayden Kamarad started the inning with a single to left field before six free passes in the inning — five walks and an error — allowed the Hawks to take control.

Laramie will finish out the Cheyenne Icebreaker with games against the Cheyenne Sixers tonight at 5 and 7 p.m. at Powers Field in Cheyenne.