GILLETTE – The 2024 girls’ fast-pitch softball state tournament in Gillette ran the gamut from tough setbacks to triumph for the Torrington Thunder 12U Audette team.

Over the course of three days of temperatures reaching the high nineties or triple digits and a full schedule of tough opponents, Torrington placed fourth in the 12U ‘R’ division.

The action opened with the Thunder posting a 1-1 record in pool play on Friday. Torrington beat the Rock Springs Storm, 18-3, in the first game before falling to the Casper’s Oil City Stars, 10-9.

Torrington turned the tables in bracket play to defeat the Wheatland Lady Lobos, 24-7.

Advancing to the quarterfinals, the Thunder 12U Audette team fell to their home rivals, the Thunder 12U Jones team, 22-13.

Picking themselves up from the setback, the 12U Audette trounced the Casper Rebels, 13-8, on Saturday.

The game for third place pitted Torrington against Laramie, with the Thunder coming up short in a close, high-scoring game, 18-14.

Bracket play – Wheatland

Torrington dominated an epic first inning that consisted of 15 runs for the Thunder. A solid defense by Torrington’s fielders held the Lady Lobos to a single run in the bottom of the first.

Nine additional runs by the Thunder in the top of the second inning sealed the win for Torrington.

The Thunder tallied 10 hits against Wheatland, led by Hailey Barnhart with two hits for six RBI. Kinley Fisher collected two hits for three RBI. Emmelin Matlock totaled two hits for two RBI. Katelyn Audette, Jenica Steely, Willow Villamor and Ali Barnhart each contributed one hit.

Matlock started as pitcher against Wheatland, striking out three. Steely and Payson Goff played relief.

Thunder vs. Thunder

The quarterfinals turned into a friendly rivalry game between the Thunder 12U Audette and 12U Jones teams.

The 12U Jones team posted an early 11-0 lead by the end of the second inning. Refusing to throw in the towel, 12U Audette battled to close the gap with eight runs in the top of the third. In the bottom of the third inning, 12U Jones scored 11 runs to clinch the win.

Overall, the 12U Audette team posted eight hits against their Thunder rivals. Matlock tallied three hits for three RBI while Fisher collected two hits for three RBI. Audette, Steely and Villamor each contributed one hit to the tally.

Steely opened as pitcher for the 12U Audette team, striking out two. Matlock stepped in as relief, striking out one.

Victory against Casper

Digging deep, Torrington came back from Saturday’s game against its Thunder rival to defeat the Casper Rebels, 13-8.

Casper won the first inning by a single run, 2-1. The Torrington defense closed rank and shut out the Rebels in the top of the second inning while the Thunder offense posted four runs in the bottom of the second.

A five-run streak by the Thunder in the bottom of the third inning placed Torrington up, 10-3. The Thunder collected two more runs in the bottom of the fourth to widen its advantage, 12-3.

Casper managed to score five runs in the fifth inning, but its effort was too little, too late, and Torrington prevailed.

The Thunder posted 10 hits against Casper, led by Ali Barnhart with three and Audette two. Fisher, Matlock, Steely, Goff and Addysen Robbins each tallied one hit. Matlock collected three RBI.

On the mound, Matlock proved a force for Torrington, striking out 14.

Laramie game

Torrington collected 15 runs against Laramie. Steely and Matlock set the pace for the Thunder with four and three hits, respectively. Audette, Fisher and Villamor each posted two hits with one apiece by Ali Barnhart and Robbins.

Matlock started as pitcher for Torringotn, striking out two. Steely played relief, striking out six.