DOUGLAS – The Torrington 9-10-year-old all-stars capped off an unbeated weekend with a 12-2 win over the Valor Vikings 10u squad to win the Douglas Summer Classic Sunday.
The all-stars opened pool play Saturday afternoon with a 9-4 victory over the Vikings, and then knocked off Douglas 21-0 to earn the top seed heading into Sunday’s bracket play.
Torrington found themselves matched up again with Douglas and notched a 10-4 victory before defeating the Vikings in the championship.
“We really didn’t know what to expect with 13, 9-10s playing their first tournament together as a team in 100 degree weather,” manager Grant Curry said. “Overall, we are pleased how they gelled as a unit. What stands out to me is that we outscored our opponents 52-10 while only using four pitchers on the weekend under difficult Little League pitching rules in four games. Those stats demonstrate that we threw a lot of strikes, hit the ball well and made some plays on defense.”
After giving up a run in the top of the first, Torrington answered with four runs in the bottom half of the inning, setting the tone offensively for the weekend.
Patrick Mortimore led off the bottom of the first with a triple. One pitch later, Caden Ryall doubled in Mortimore and Torrington got even on the scoreboard. After the Vikings recorded the first out of the inning, Owen Curry grounded out to score Ryall, and Torrington grabbed a 2-1 lead.
Chase Moeller kept the inning going for the all-stars with a single to right field and after Moeller advanced to second on a passed ball, Case Gonzalez drove him in with a single to center field. Gonzalez stole second base and scored one pitch later when Ayden Smith doubled. Torrington was unable to push Smith across and led 4-1 after the first.
Valor answered back with three runs in the top of the second, and after Torrington went scoreless in the bottom of the second, the all-stars responded with three runs in the third and two in the fourth.
Torrington scored all three runs in the third with two outs. Smith got the scoring started with a two out single. Tripper Kosmicki walked and Cassius Gonzalez plated both Smith and Kosmicki with a double to right field. Mortimore singled three pitches later to score Cassius Gonzalez.
Ryall led off the fourth for Torrington with a single, and after a Hudson Hoffman walk, Curry grounded out to the first baseman to score Ryall, and advanced Hoffman to third. Hoffman scored two pitches later on a wild pitch.
The game was called after four innings, due to the time limit.
Ryall tossed four innings to get the victory on the mound. He allowed four runs, two earned, on six hits with five strikeouts. Mortimore and Smith each led the Torrington offense with two hits apiece. Cassius Gonzalaz had a hit in two plate appearances with two RBI, while Ryall, Hoffman, Moeller and Case Gonzalez each added a hit.
In Saturday’s final pool play contest, the all-stars offense erupted for 11 runs in the first inning, and never looked back as they knocked off Douglas, 21-0, in three innings. Torrington pounded out 14 hits, led by Mortimore and Curry, who each had three.
Mortimore also added four runs scored and four stolen bases, and Curry had five RBI, three stolen bases and three runs scored. Hoffman went 2-for-2 with three RBI and four runs scored, while Barrett Perales had two hits, two RBIs and two runs scored. Smith went 2-for-2 as well with an RBI, and Moeller and Case Gonzalez had a hit and RBI apiece.
Curry got the win on the mound, tossing three innings and allowing just one hit with two strikeouts.
In the semifinals on Sunday, the all-stars used a five-run first and four-run second to hold off Douglas, 10-4.
After Douglas pushed three runs across in the top of the first, Torrington answered with five of their own in the bottom half.
Mortimore walked to lead off the inning, and after Ryall flied out to centerfield, Hoffman walked and Curry followed with a single to score Mortimore. Moeller followed with a double to score Hoffman and Case Gonzalez doubled to left field to score both Curry and Moeller. Gonzalez would later score on a wild pitch.
After Hoffman retired Douglas in order, Torrington went right back to work offensively.
Mortimore led off the second with a double. Ryall and Hoffman each singled. Case Gonzalez singled with two outs and stole second base. On the throwing error, Gonzalez went to third and scored on the same play when the ball got past Douglas’ third baseman to push Torrington’s lead to 9-3.
Hoffman kept the Douglas bats quiet the rest of the way to earn the victory on the mound. Hoffman tossed all five innings, allowing four runs, three earned, on six hits with five strikeouts.
Case Gonzalez led Torrington with three hits in three plate appearances, with three RBIs and three runs scored. Mortimore and Ryall each added two hits apiece, while Hoffman, Curry and Moeller each added a hit.
In the championship, Valor jumped out to a 2-1 lead after the first inning, but Torrington responded with four runs in each the second and third innings.
Barrett Perales led off the second with a single. After Kosmicki flew out to first base, Preston Stratton singled and Mortimore walked. Perales was thrown out at home trying to score on a pass ball before Ryall singled home Stratton and advanced Mortimore to third. Hoffman doubled to score Mortimore, and after Ryall scored on a pass ball, Curry singled home Hoffman to push the Torrington lead to 5-2. The all-stars pushed all four runs across in the third with two outs to take a 9-2 lead.
Torrington ended the contest in the fourth with three runs, capped off by a Hoffman single to score Mortimore from second.
Hoffman finished with four hits in four plate appearances, with three RBI, while Ryall had three hits, three RBI and two runs. Curry had two hits with two RBI, while Moeller, Perales, Smith and Stratton had a hit apiece.
Mortimore earned the win on the mound, throwing four innings, allowing two runs, one earned on three hits with four strikeouts.
