Maurer shuts down Foxes
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| Laramie Colts pitcher Dan Maurer looks in for a sign while facing Fort Collins Tuesday night at Cowboy Field. Maurer pitched a shut out game, 2-0. Andy Carpenean/WyoSports photographer |
Dan Maurer was the first pitcher to step on the mound and the last to step off.
The lefty hurler completed his third and senior season at Valley City State University this spring in Valley City, N.D. with modest pitching stats.
But Maurer, now playing for the Laramie Colts went the distance Tuesday night at Cowboy Field for a complete game 2-0 shutout victory against the Fort Collins Foxes.
He gave up just three hits and no walks while striking out six Foxes, a club considered to be a power hitting team in the summer Mountain Collegiate Baseball League.
“I just went out there and wasn’t going to let those guys do what they do,” Maurer (1-0), said. “It was a great feeling for my first ever career shutout after being done with college.
“I am having tons of fun and am so glad I came here.”
Maurer retired the side in five of the seven innings he worked in the contest. He threw 27 strikes and 18 balls and got stronger as the game progressed with 11 strikes and four balls in the final three innings.
“I think since I’ve come here, my fastball has been my best pitch — my two-seam moves,” Maurer said. “But today it was my split finger to dart straight in. I think I threw three curveballs today. Everything else was fastball and split finger.”
Maurer ended his college career 3-10 overall, a 6.72 ERA, 85 strikeouts and 50 walks.
His best year came as a junior: 1-2; a team-low 3.65 ERA; 35 strikeouts; and 11 walks. He was voted Most Valuable Pitcher that year, but missed the last three weeks due to injury. Maurer followed that with a 1-5 record, 9.09 ERA, 34 strikeouts and 20 walks.
“He didn’t have a great career at Valley City University, but I don’t think he had great support behind him. He is a good pitcher,” Laramie coach Marty Berson said.
The Colts scored all the runs they needed in the first inning when Mickey Phelps and James Threw pulled off a double steal. Hayden Chick and Grant Dunnegan sacrificed them home, respectively.
Laramie had an opportunity to add more runs in the fifth inning with no outs and the bases loaded to chase Fort Collins starter Kory Kiro from the mound. But Dominic Robusto crushed a hard liner down the right field line, which was snagged by Fort Collins first baseman Travis Parsons, who doubled off Threw. Chick then grounded out to shortstop Alex Padilla.
“We have a bad habit of scoring runs in the first inning, then we don’t score,” Berson said. “We had the bases loaded (in the fifth), and you can’t hit the ball better than Dominic did. That’s just tough luck, and anyone in the world would’ve been doubled off because the ball is behind you.”
Both games were shortened due to the completion of an earlier game that was postponed Sunday when a thunderstorm rolled into Laramie. The first game was a 10-1 loss for the Colts.
Laramie went into the re-start of action with a 1-0 lead in the third inning. Fort Collins then blew the game open with nine runs in the fourth.
Devin Brogan, who started Sunday’s contest and also has a complete game under his belt from earlier in the season, wasn’t able to find the strike zone to walk in three runs, all on full counts. Caleb Marx came in relief, but couldn’t stop the bleeding either in the nine-run inning for the Foxes.
“(Brogan) had his stuff, but probably should not have started today,” Berson said. “He threw the other day and I didn’t think he threw a lot of pitches. But it obviously had an affect on him, so that’s on me.”
The doubleheader split did not change the MCBL standings. Cheyenne (8-5) still leads by a half game over Laramie (8-6) and one-and-a-half over Fort Collins (7-7).
“We are going to be there all year long,” Berson said. “We are playing good, and as long as we play our game, we are in fine shape.”
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(Tuesday night’s game)
COLTS 2, FOXES 0 (7 innings)
Fort Collins 000 000 000 — 0 3 0
Laramie 200 000 000 — 2 2 1
Fort Collins hitting: Alex Padilla, 1B; Ryan Javech, 1B; Travis Parsons 1B. Laramie hitting: James Threw 1B; Hayden Chick, RBI; Grant Dunnegan, RBI; Anthony Razo, 1B. Fort Collins pitching: Kory Kiro, L, 2H, 2R, 2ER, 4BB, K, WP, 2HB; Luke Ball, 2IN., 0H, 0R, 0ER, 0BB, K. Laramie pitching: Dan Maurer, W, 3H, 0R, 0ER, 0BB, 6K.
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