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Riverton’s Franklin Asmundson tried to make a play at second base last week against Douglas at Roy Peck Field. This past weekend, the Elks-Legion Raiders went 2-2 in a Rock Springs Tournament.
Photo by Wayne Nicholls
Raiders post 2-2 mark at Rock Springs
By Bruce Tippets
Sports Editor
Big strides were made this past weekend on the baseball diamond by Riverton from the first day to the second to produce a 2-2 record at the Rock Springs Tournament.
On Saturday, the Elks-Legion Raiders dropped a 7-4 decision to Green River and lost a 9-2 setback to Rock Springs. Riverton was shorthanded for the first day as Matt Raymond, Tyler Larsen and Trevor Wilson were attending a wedding.
On Sunday, those three were back in uniform, and the Raiders downed Evanston 12-3 and dominated Rawlins 22-0.
“We improved, and that was the biggest thing,” Riverton coach Brady Slack said. “I really saw the guys’ swings come along in the second day. We were right around 15 runs both games on Sunday, and that was big for me. It was cold, and it was really good to see them hit. It was some of the coldest games I have been a part of.”
Defensively, Slack said the Raiders did enough to keep them in the games.
“It was the second time out for all the pitchers but Travis Barton,” Slack said. “It showed because the pitchers looked more comfortable on the mound.”
With the split in the two-day tournament, the Raiders are now 3-5 on the season. Wednesday, Riverton will be at Rawlins for a doubleheader. At 5 p.m. Friday, the Raiders will host Lovell in a doubleheader at Roy Peck Field.
Sunday’s games
Raymond made his second start of the year against Evanston and struck out 12 batters while giving up three runs on five hits.
“Matt just did a great job,” Slack said. “We can always count on being in the game when Matt is on the mound. He goes after batters and they seem like they can’t find the ball right now. He needs to keep attacking, and he will keep being tough for us on the mound.”
At the plate, Isaac Herrmann was the big star, going 3-for-4 with three runs knocked in. Raymond helped himself with an RBI double.
“Isaac likes to go the other way,” Slack said. “He is able to look at the ball a little longer than others. He battles until he gets something that he likes, and he puts the ball in play.”
Against Rawlins, the Raiders were in control from the start.
Larsen got the complete-game victory on the mound. “Tyler was just throwing strikes,” Slack said. “Rawlins didn’t have real aggressive hitters, and Tyler just stayed in the zone. It worked well. He was getting ground ball outs or strikeouts.”
Slack said in one inning Larsen got the three outs on five pitches.
“He stuck to the game plan and it worked,” Slack said.
Offensively, Larsen was 2-for-3 with a triple and a single. Doss Winter blasted the first home run of the season for Riverton and also had a single.
“It was right dead center,” Slack said about Winter’s home run. “Everything Doss hit was up the middle.”
Greg Tenlen finished with three hits and Wilson finished with two hits.
Wilson is coming off an ACL injury he suffered when he was playing basketball for Riverton High School during the Fremont County Shootout. He was in the lineup for the first time of the season vs. Evanston.
“I played Trevor to get him back into the swing of things,” Slack said. “He struggled against Evanston, and Trevor is a great hitter. The first game back is a little different than the rest of them.”
In the second game, Wilson was back to making plays at shortstop as well as being more comfortable at the plate.
“In the second game, he was aggressive instead of conservative,” Slack said about his returning all-state player. “His range was good at shortstop, and it was nice to have him back. We are a lot stronger in the field with him.”
Saturday’s action
In the tournament opener vs. Green River, the Raiders had an early 2-0 lead midway through the contest, but couldn’t hold on at the end. Riverton’s Franklin Asmundson took the loss in the three-run setback.
“Franklin pitched well, and that is a game we should have won,” Slack said. “It was disappointing, and our batters just didn’t do their job.”
At the plate, Asmundson went 2-for-3 and Clark Mendes was 2-for-4. Herrmann contributed with an RBI double.
“Our energy wasn’t there and that was a real disappointing loss,” Slack said.
Against the home squad, Travis Barton pitched for the first time this year and went into the fourth inning.
“Travis did great, and he threw a lot of strikes,” Slack said.
“The defense didn’t do a great job behind him. Travis will be a big part of our pitching staff as long as his attitude stays good.”
Slack pulled Barton and put in Winter to finish the game with Rock Springs. Winter and Asmundson both had RBI singles.
Rustlers score well at CNRF
By Bruce Tippets
Sports Editor
Central Wyoming College is one of the only schools in the nation where both its men’s and women’s rodeo teams have qualified for the College National Finals rodeo several years in a row.
The Rustlers have attended the CNFR since 1998 while the Lady Rustlers have a consecutive string since 2000.
In fact, CWC might be the longest-running school in the nation to qualify both its men’s and women’s teams for the annual event.
“We are right up there, and we maybe the longest,” CWC coach Rick Smith said.
The highest finish in the nation for CWC under Smith’s tenure was when the Rustlers finished third in 2005. CWC was fourth in 2004.
The Lady Rustlers came in third in 2004 and were 10th in 2003.
“Casper is like home for us,” said Smith, who is in his 12th year as coach. “We get a lot of support and fans at the events center. It’s a big deal to compete at the events center.”
Central Rocky Mountain regional team championships for the Rustlers have been earned in 2007, 2004, 2002, 2001 and 2000. CWC finished second in 2006, 2005, 1999 and 1998.
On the women’s side, the regional titles for CWC have come in 2005, 2003, 2002 and 2001. Regional runner-ups were in 2007, 2006, 2004, 2000 and 1998.
Smith’s wife, Lynn Smith, is in charge of the women’s team at CWC.
“I think we have the best women’s coach in the country,” Rick Smith said.
This year, the CNFR is planned for Sunday, June 15, through Saturday, June 21, at the Casper Events Center.
Top placers
Since 1996, the Rustlers have crowned six championships at the CNFR.
“We have recruited a lot of talented kids,” Smith said.
The latest title came in 2005, when Tyrel Turner won steer wrestling. In 2004, Daysha Hulme won the breakaway roping title. She also was named the Rookie Cowgirl of the Year.
In 2000, Paul Jones won the bareback title. Current CWC women’s coach Lynn Smith won the all-around title in 1998. Her individual titles were in breakaway roping and goat tying.
Andy Martinez finished second in bareback riding in 2003. In 1998, Will Ferguson was second in team roping (header).
Coming in third for the Rustlers were Seth Glause (2007, all-around), Casey Gale (2004, bareback riding), Andy Martinez (2002, bareback riding) and Rusty Martin (2000, calf roping).
Practice Arena
“We take advantage of the arena,” Smith said. “We practice all the time school is in session.”
The heated indoor arena is made up of roping boxes and four bucking chutes for timed events and rough stock practice.
“The school supports us by making sure we have good stock at the arena,” Smith said.
The outdoor arena is for roping, riding and rough stock.
Regional competition
The top two in each region advance and qualify for the weeklong CNFR.
Some of the teams in the Central Rocky Mountain region are the University of Wyoming, Casper College, Northeastern Junior College, Chadron State College, Lamar Community College, Gillette College and Colorado State University.
“It’s hard to say how our region competes with the other regions,” Smith said. “We won’t know until we get to the CNFR.”
Other rodeo regions in the United States are the Big Sky, Central Plains, Grand Canyon, Great Plains, Northwest, Ozark, Southern and West Coast.
In the national standings, the Rustlers are ranked No. 9. Walla Walla Community College is No. 1. Missouri Valley College is second, followed by Montana State University and Utah Valley State College round out the top four.
The Lady Rustlers are ranked No. 19 in the women’s standings. New Mexico State University is the top team heading into the CNFR. UW is ranked No. 2. The Cowgirls are the defending national champions. Walla Walla Community College is third.
