TORRINGTON  – A decisive 12-2 victory by the Torrington Tigers ‘A’ Legion team against the Cheyenne Eagles propelled Torrington to the No. 2 seed in the upcoming district tournament this weekend.

Torrington squared off against Cheyenne on Tuesday, July 16, to make up for a rained-out conference game on June 30. The Tigers’ victory over Cheyenne resulted in a 12-4 conference record for the Tigers and topped off a six-game winning streak for Torrington going into the postseason.

Districts this year features a best-of-three game series instead of the traditional bracket format. As the No. 2 seed, Torrington hosts two games at Dean Bullock Field against Wheatland, the No. 7 seed, on Saturday, July 20 at 3 and 5 p.m. 

Teams with two wins in the three-game district series punch their ticket to the Legion ‘A’ state tournament in Powell that runs from July 27-31.

Defeating Cheyenne

Cheyenne won the first inning, 1-0. An additional run by the Eagles in the top of the second inning improved Cheyenne’s advantage, 2-0.

The Tigers roared back in the bottom of the second inning with seven runs to capture the initiative, 7-2. Bryce Hager singled for one run. An error allowed Xavier Sanchez, Garrett Hager and Drew Kramer to advance to home plate for three additional runs.

Mac Hibben hit a grounder and reached second base on an error that drove in Landre Greiman. A grounder by Grady Shields resulted in another error by Cheyenne, driving in Ayden Desmond.

Torrington’s fielders shut out the Eagles in the third and fourth innings. The Tigers scored one run in the bottom of the fourth inning to widen their lead, 8-2. Bryce Hager hit a sacrifice fly, driving in Shields.

A solid defense by the Tigers prevented Cheyenne from reaching home plate in the top of the fifth and sixth innings. 

Torrington posted two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Hibben and Ryan Moorehouse both singled for one RBI apiece. Two more runs by the Tigers in the bottom of the sixth inning secured Torrington’s victory. Greiman set the momentum for Torrington in the sixth with a single for one RBI.

The Tigers tallied 10 hits against Cheyenne, led by Greiman with three hits. Garrett Hager contributed two hits with one apiece by Kramer, Desmond, Hibben, Moorehouse and Bryce Hager.

Rhett Clarke stepped up to the mound to pitch 3.2 innings for the Tigers, striking out one. Desmond played relief, striking out five.