Richard Anderson photo
Jon Sorenson, left, and Skyler Joy are two returning All-Staters for the Laramie Rangers AA American Legion baseball team.
Post 14 looking for a little more unity
By Richard Anderson
Wyoming Sports.org
Skyler Joy and Jon Sorenson have the recognition of being honored individually as baseball players. Yet, they are more excited about the team atmosphere that they are seeing this pre-season.
Both are returning All-State players for the Post 14 American Legion baseball team, and both see a little different Rangers squad under second-year skipper Sean McKinney.
“We have a lot of new kids who have come in, and it is actually kind of exciting because there is a lot of talent and all of them are willing to learn from myself and the coaches,” Joy said. “It is exciting to have kids who want to play and are willing to work hard to achieve the same goal. We have a really strong core of guys who get along well, on and off the field. It just makes it easier to get out there and work day-in and day-out. We’re all in it together.”
Sorenson, still just 16 years old, said they don’t have a “ton of experience,” but they show it in other ways.
“We help the younger kids out on the field and we have other kids helping us out, too. It’s a give-and-take situation,” Sorenson said.
The Rangers will officially open the season this weekend in Cheyenne with a pair of games each against seven-time defending state champion Cheyenne Post 6 and last year’s state runner up, Gillette. Laramie faces Cheyenne at 1 p.m. on Saturday and then takes on Gillette at 3:30 p.m., before playing Gillette Sunday at 12:30 p.m. and Cheyenne at 3 p.m.
It was a tough year in the won-loss column (14-29) for the Rangers, who failed to earn at least a third-place finish at state for the first time in three years. A good turnout with a strong mixture of experience and young talent has McKinney excited about the possibilities.
“We’ve been hitting inside and throwing since February,” McKinney said. “It was great about three or four weeks ago to finally get outside. We had those two scrimmages against Cheyenne and Wheatland, which showed us where we stood as a team, what we need to work on. So far, spring ball has been great. We’re working some kinks out, finding where some kids can play, and finding what they can do. Overall, I’m very happy with what we have accomplished so far.”
For McKinney, a former Ranger player himself and collegiate at Mesa State, things have gone much smoother to begin his second season at the helm.
“It’s been a lot better for me and my assistant coaches, knowing the kids from last year, knowing what each kid needs to do,” McKinney said. “It makes our practices more to the point and what we need to focus on more.”
McKinney, who is assisted by Kyle Deck, Jeremy Francom and Greg Warren, said their early focus is on fundamentals and teaching the young players the game of baseball.
“We have a lot of kids with a lot of raw talent,” McKinney said. “As coaches, we have to take that talent and teach them the game of baseball. Baseball is very complicated. It has a lot of things going on, within a game, within an inning, within pitches.”
Including the Rangers Prep team, there are about 38 players out for the Legion program, up from 18 last year (on two teams). That alone has McKinney pleased.
“That is a good sign for the program and for the kids of Laramie,” he said. “Baseball is a great sport and I am happy to be here teaching the kids, trying to teach them everything that I know and learn some things from them as well.”
Joy, who is moving over from third base to shortstop this season, said he looks to tap into McKinney’s baseball knowledge for a possible collegiate baseball future. He said he worked with McKinney a lot during the off-season on several aspects of the game, such as hitting to the opposite field and defensively at a new position.
“They are a lot of things that he brings from the college game, so maybe I can move up to that level some day,” Joy said.
As a team, McKinney said the Rangers could be strong defensively and they should have more depth on the pitching mound this season. It all goes back to fundamentals.
“We want kids to play several positions; that way we can be more versatile,“ McKinney said. “That will help us out a lot because we do have a lot of athletes. That will play to our advantage.”
Sorenson is a prime example, as he will play at third base, catcher and in the outfield, as well as pitch.
“I’ll play wherever they want me to play,” Sorenson said.
McKinney said that a team can never have enough pitching, but he likes their depth on the mound.
“We have a lot of kids who can throw,” he said. “Last year, we were really young and this year we are as well. But I feel like we have a lot of kids who can give us good innings and that will be what we need.”
Despite an up-and-down spring, weather-wise, the Rangers are anxious to get on the field for games that count. Even if it is against arguably the two top teams in the state.
“We’re definitely going to see where we’re at. It’s tough to schedule this early in the year, so unfortunately, we get Cheyenne, which has won seven straight state titles,” McKinney said. “It’s a good team for us to play. It will show us where we are at and it shows the kids where they need to be at. The state tournament will always run through Cheyenne and likely Gillette. It will be fun to go toe-to-toe with some of the best teams in the state.”
For Joy and Sorenson, this weekend will be a chance for them to take what they have learned on the practice field into a game situation.
“We’re all anxious, but at the same time we’re still trying to get some work done,” Joy said.
Sorenson, however, will only get to play on Sunday, as he will compete for the Laramie High School track and field team Saturday at the regional meet at Okie Blanchard Stadium in Cheyenne.
If only he could run back and forth from the track and baseball diamond at Powers Field.
“I wish I could,” Sorenson said with a grin.
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Laramie Rangers AA and A Roster
18 year olds
Jason Rodriguez -- outfield, pitcher; Skyler Joy -- shortstop, pitcher; Ryan Ivey -- outfield; Sri Sritharan -- pitcher.
17 years old
Tim Delbert -- catcher, outfield; Zach Kersey -- outfield; Mike Garner -- first base, pitcher; Coleton Wilson -- pitcher, first base; Ryland Harding -- infield, pitcher; Jordan Rhodine -- infield, outfield, pitcher; Mike Hudson -- outfield, pitcher; Sean Gardea -- outfield, catcher.
16 years old
Brody Hilgenkamp -- outfield; Travis Scott -- outfield; Jon Sorenson -- third base, catcher, outfield, pitcher; Derek Campbell -- outfield; Tim Carpenter -- first base, pitcher; Nick Armijo -- catcher, infield; Kyle Alexander -- catcher, infield.
15 years old
Tyler Mitchell -- outfield; Lance McCartney -- infield, pitcher; Barry Thomas -- pitcher, infield; Josh Peterson -- outfield, pitcher; Nolan Carter -- infield, pitcher.
14 years old
Max Schoen -- infield, pitcher.
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