Laramie 9-10 All-Stars Battle Back to Win State
Behind a pair of high-scoring victories, the Laramie 9-10-year-old All-Stars won a Little League State Championship Saturday in Powell.
This gives Laramie its first state title in this age division since 2013 and ends a streak of four straight for Cody.
Laramie had to beat Gillette National twice and did. They won the first championship game 15-12, which forced a winner-take-all second title game. Despite a late comeback from Gillette, the Laramie All-Stars prevailed 10-9.
In fact, the 9-10 All-Stars won three straight games after their first postseason loss, facing elimination in two of those, to earn their state crown.
Friday, Laramie defeated Big Horn 4-2 and advanced to the state championship game. The 9-10 All-Stars scored runs on a wild pitch and a passed ball for a 2-0 lead. Jack Fuchs had an RBI-single in the third before he scored on a bases-loaded walk. Colton Carline was the winning pitcher. He allowed two unearned runs on five hits over five innings. Carline had no walks and four strikeouts.
That victory led to Saturday’s two games. In the championship game, it was tied 7-7 after two innings. Laramie broke through for four runs in the third and took the lead for good. A two-run single by Fuchs put the 9-10 All-Stars ahead 9-7. They tacked on two more runs thanks to a bases-loaded walk and a wild pitch. It was 11-8 when both teams scored four runs in the sixth.
Laramie had only five hits but took full advantage of 16 walks and four errors by Gillette National. Fuchs led the offense with a hit, a walk and three RBI’s. James Vasek was the winning pitcher.
That win forced an “if necessary” second championship game because it was only the first loss for Gillette National in a double elimination tournament.
Gillette jumped out 5-0 in the first inning, but Laramie fought back. They cut it to 5-2 after two innings and took the lead in the third. The 9-10 All-Stars scored four runs on a two-run double by Colton Carline, an error by Gillette and a fielder’s choice. That made it 6-5.
In the fourth, a single and four walks, plus a passed ball added three more runs for a 9-5 lead. An error by Laramie led to a Gillette National run in the fifth, and then Gillette tied it with three in the sixth. A walk, a double, a passed ball, another walk and triple tied it 9-9.
In Laramie’s sixth, Tyler Gale drew a walk to lead-off the inning. Another walk to Boone Frude and an infield bunt single by TR Richardson loaded the bases. Gale scored on a 1-1 passed ball that gave Laramie the state championship.
The 9-10 All-Stars had 10 hits in the game, which included four from Richardson and three from Fuchs. Colton Bath got the win in relief.
Laramie finished their postseason run through the District and State tournaments with an 8-1 record.