Torrington All-Stars win Douglas Summer Classic

For the Telegram
Posted 7/13/22

DOUGLAS – The Torrington 11-12 all-star squad outscored opponents 64-8 en route to a championship title at the Douglas Summer Classic Saturday and Sunday.

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Torrington All-Stars win Douglas Summer Classic

Posted

DOUGLAS – The Torrington 11-12 all-star squad outscored opponents 64-8 en route to a championship title at the Douglas Summer Classic Saturday and Sunday.

The all-stars opened up pool play Saturday with a 17-3 victory over the Valor Vikings 12u and finished pool play with a 19-1 victory over Rawlins, to grab the top seed heading into Sunday’s bracket play.

In the semifinals, Torrington knocked off the Valor Vikings 11u squad 15-3 before upending Douglas, 13-1 in the championship.

“Always exciting to see players who competed against each other in the city league come together as a team,” Torrington 11-12 manager Wade Bruch said. “Very strong pitching performances from Waylon Merrigan, Bryce Booth, Kane Correa and Garrett Hager. All 13 players contributed to the four team wins. We’re looking forward to competing in the District 2 Tournament in Gillette.”

On Saturday, Torrington pushed runs across in every inning against Valor 12u and put the game out of reach with an 11-run fifth inning.

Garrett Hager went 4-for-4 at the plate for Torrington with two runs scored, while Barrett Bruch had two hits, four RBIs, four runs scored and five stolen bases. James Stienmetz added two hits, four RBIs and a pair of runs scored and Kane Correa, Waylon Merrigan, Bryce Booth and Asher Mattis each added a hit for the all-stars. In all, Torrington pounded out 12 hits.

Merrigan earned the win on the mound, tossing five innings and allowing three runs on six hits with eight strikeouts.

Against Rawlins, Torrington wasted little time getting on the scoreboard as the all-stars sent 20 batters to the plate, scoring 15 runs in the first inning. Torrington added four runs in the second and won via run-rule after two and a half innings.

Morgan Cross led the all-stars offensively, going 2-for-2 with three RBI and three runs scored, while Lincoln Speckner and Colby Groene each added a hit and two RBIs. Bryce Booth went 1-for-1 with an RBI. In total, the all-stars showed discipline at the plate, walking 14 times with zero strikeouts.

Booth earned the win on the mound with three innings of work. He allowed just one hit, one unearned run, with nine strikeouts.

Torrington’s offensive onslaught continued into Sunday’s bracket play, as the all-stars pushed 10 runs across in the first inning against the Valor 11u, en route to the 15-3 victory. Torrington pounded out 15 hits in three innings, led by Bruch’s three hits, three RBIs and three runs scored. Easton Desmond added a pair of hits with two runs scored, while Ebin Hunter was 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a pair of runs scored. Cross, Hager, Correa, Groene and Mattis each added a hit and one RBI for Torrington.

Correa notched the win on the mound in four innings of work. He allowed three runs, one earned, on five hits with 10 strikeouts.

In Sunday’s finale, the all-stars used a seven-run third inning to run away from Douglas to claim the tournament championship.

Torrington got on the scoreboard in the first inning, with three runs.

Cross began the scoring with an RBI single to score Stienmetz, and Hunter followed with a ground out to second base that plated Hager to put Torrington out front 2-0. Correa followed with a two-out double to score Cross and the all-stars led 3-0 after one half inning.

After Hager retired the Cats in four batters in the bottom half of the first, Torrington went right back to work offensively.

Mattis scorched a one-out double to right field and Bruch reached on an error to put runners on the corners for Torrington when Stienmetz connected on a triple to score both Mattis and Bruch. Hager followed oe pitch later with an RBI single to extend Torrington’s lead to 6-0.

Douglas managed to push a single run across in the bottom of the second, but Torrington responded with their seven-run third.

Correa opened the inning by reaching on an error. Speckner doubled to put runners on second and third and Merrigan pushed Correa across the plate when he reached on an error. Mattis then tripled after Merrigan scored on a pass ball and scored two batters later when Stienmetz grounded out to first base. Hager kept the inning going for Torrington with a single, Cross reached on an error and Hunter doubled to score both Hager and Cross to put Torrington out front 12-1. Correa doubled to left field to score the all-stars final run of the contest.

In all, Torrington pounded out 13 hits, led by Stienmetz who went 3-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored. Correa added two hits and two RBIs, while Mattis had two hits and two runs scored. Hager ended up 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored, while Hunter finished 1-for-3 with three RBIs, and Cross, Speckner and Brody Shields each added a hit for the all-stars. Merrigan ended up hitless in three plate appearances, but had two RBIs on the day.

Hager earned the win on the mound, tossing four innings and allowing one unearned run on four hits with six strikeouts.