TORRINGTON – The Torrington Tigers ‘A’ Legion baseball team kicked off the 2025 summer season with a bang, cruising past the Laramie Rangers by an overwhelming 16-3 margin at the home opener on Wednesday, April 23.

Torrington’s victory was a fitting tribute to mark the 100th anniversary of American Legion baseball and the 40th year of the Tigers’ existence as a program.

The first inning ended in a scoreless deadlock. Laramie scored one run in the top of the second inning while shutting out Torrington in the bottom.

The Tigers rallied in the third inning. Leftie pitcher Mac Hibben hit his stride in the top of the third inning, striking out three in short order.

Torrington collected three runs in the bottom of the third. Grady Shields singled for two RBI and Ryan Moorehouse hit a sacrifice fly to drive in one.

Laramie struck out three times in a row as Hibben continued his streak from the pitcher’s mound in the top of the fourth inning. The Tigers tallied three more runs in the bottom when Shields tripled for three RBI.

Torrington outmaneuvered Laramie in the fifth inning that saw the Tigers score five runs while holding the Rangers to one.

Laramie’s fielders struggled to hold the line in the bottom of the fifth inning. Drew Kramer drew a walk and Ayden Desmond was hit by a pitch for one RBI apiece. Shields sacrificed a grounder, driving two runners home. Asher Mattis dove for home on a wild pitch for Torrington’s fifth run.

The Tigers shut out Laramie in the top of the sixth inning. Shields stepped up to the mound as relief pitcher, striking out two. The Rangers grounded out to Moorehouse at shortstop and Moorehouse tossed the ball to Caleb Kelly at first.

The Tigers tallied 11 hits over six innings. Shields set the momentum for the Torrington offense, collecting three hits for seven RBI. Kramer recorded three hits for three RBI.

Hibben and James Stienmetz both contributed two hits with one from Moorehouse.

Hibben proved a formidable force on the mound, pitching the first four innings for Torrington and striking out nine. Shields pitched two innings as relief and struck out four. Moorehouse rounded the night and pitched the final inning, striking out one.

The Tigers return to Bullock Field to host Laramie’s AA team on Sunday. The double-header is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.

The Tigers are coached by Lane Greiman, Morgan Desmond, Ryan Kramer and Rob Mortimore.