Cowboys ride into town for rematch
The University of Wyoming Cowboys are shining up their cleats and riding into town to face off again against the Utah State University baseball club.
After winning three games against Wyoming by a combined score of 37-17, the Aggies are looking to continue their strong play against the Cowboys.
“Hopefully, we’ll get four wins this weekend,” said Aggie Head Coach Ernie Rivers. “We’re going to try to dictate to them what we’re going to do, and let them react.”
The Cowboys will be in town for a four-game series. The teams will play a double header Saturday at 4 p.m. Play will continue Sunday when another double-header is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m.
The last time the Cowboys played the Aggies, it was Wyoming’s first games of the fall season.
“We’ll see a more consistent team this time,” said Adam Hislop, second baseman and club vice president. “They will want to show us it wasn’t their real team.”
Rivers said he is expecting the team to sweep the series based on the last time these two teams met.
“I don’t think they have a lot of team speed, but they have some hitters and some pitchers,” Rivers said.
While the outcome might be different this time, Rivers said it should still work in the Aggies’ favor, as they will have all of their starters during this homestand. On the Aggies last road trip, some of their starters were unable to travel to Wyoming.
Teams like Wyoming and Colorado have been anxious to get a shot at the Aggies. Rivers said he still has teams calling him to try and set up some games.
“Now that we’re good, people want to play us,” Rivers said.
Hislop agreed.
“It shows the progress the program has made,” he said. “[They want to play us] because we just want to play baseball.”
The team has been more dedicated this season than it has in the past, Rivers said, and the improvements and dedication are showing.
“When I left practice, I still had guys working out, and practice was over,” Rivers said.
The Aggies have one month of games left in their fall season. Once February rolls around, all of the practice they had during the fall will be put to use.
“[The fall] gives us the opportunity to improve and gauges who is going to play in the spring,” Hislop said. “We also learn how to play with each other.”
-jwhigg@cc.usu.edu