GILLETTE – The Torrington Little League All-Stars capped off the District No. 2 Tournament with mixed results.
The younger 9-10-year-old team ended the weekend as the tournament champions, defeating Douglas and Laramie en route to a perfect 4-0 week.
Over the course of the four games, Torrington outscored its opponents 51-14.
The younger all-stars defeated Douglas on Thursday evening 13-3 in five innings.
Hudson Hoffman, Owen Curry and Chase Moeller paced Torrington’s offensive attack with two hits apiece. The trio combined to score eight runs and drive in four. Curry scored four times and drove in three.
Despite the run-ruled victory, it was Douglas who jumped on the Torrington All-Stars early in the top of the first scoring two quick runs.
The lead was short-lived though as Curry drove I the game’s first run for Torrington, scoring Patrick Mortimore, who singled to leadoff the inning. Case Gonzalez later scored Curry on a single to put Torrington in front. The all-stars got one more run across in the frame courtesy of a wild pitch.
Torrington extended its lead to 5-2 in the third before Douglas scored its final run of the game in the top of the fourth. In the home half of the fourth, Torrington exploded for six runs before pushing the lead to 10 in the bottom of the fifth.
The pitching trio of Mortimore, Hoffman and Curry combined to strike out 10 Douglas batters with Mortimore tallying five. They only surrendered three hits and one walk in the win.
The win advanced the 9-10-year-old all-stars to the championship game, setting up a rematch with Laramie, who Torrington defeated 11-6 on Tuesday.
After a scoreless first two innings, Torrington broke the stalemate in the bottom of the third, and the all-stars never trailed in the 8-5 win.
Gonzalez singled to center field, scoring Hoffman in the third for the game’s first run.
Most of Torrington’s eight runs came in the fourth inning.
They plated six of the eight runs behind walks from Hudson Evans, Moeller and singles from Mortimore and Caden Ryall. Hoffman and Cassius G were hit by pitches, and Curry drove in a run on a fielder’s choice. The final run of the inning came across courtesy of a passed ball.
The Torrington All-Stars plated one more in the fifth inning, but Laramie made a run at a comeback over the final two innings. They scored three in the fifth and one in the sixth before Hoffman struck out a Laramie batter for the third out to secure the championship.
Torrington plays Big Horn at 7:30 p.m. in Gillette on Wednesday in the first round of the state tournament.
11-12-year-old squad falls to Douglas, Gillette
Meanwhile, the 11-12-year-old all-star team dropped its final two games, ending their season shy of reaching the state tournament.
In the semifinal round, Douglas handed Torrington a 4-0 loss. The older all-stars mustered only one hit over six innings.
Douglas scored three runs in the third and one in the fifth.
Barrett Bruch tallied the only hit of the game for Torrington.
The loss dropped them to the consolation side of the bracket against Gillette with the winner advancing to the district championship game.
Gillette jumped out to an early lead and cruised to an 8-1 victory over Torrington.
Gillette scored one in the first, one in the third, and three in the fourth and fifth innings.
Torrington’s lone run came in the top of the sixth when Bruch scored on a wild pitch with two outs on the scoreboard.
Bruch and Stienmetz tallied the teams only hits of the game with one apiece.
The 11-12-year-old Torrington All-Star team ends the postseason with a 6-2 record.
