EVANSTON — The Evanston Outlaws saw their season come to a close in day three of the American Legion AA state tournament in Cheyenne with a 17-6 loss to the Laramie Rangers on Tuesday, July 31.

Evanston lost their opening game to the Gillette Roughriders, 3-0, on Sunday, July 29, but came back to defeat the Sheridan Troopers in a thriller, with a two-run rally in the top of the ninth-inning, to earn a 7-5 victory on Monday, July 31.

The state tournament was a modified double-elimination format, meaning teams could come back through the bottom side of the tournament bracket after losing in the opening rounds.

Evanston’s win against Sheridan ended the season for the Troopers in the same manner as Laramie’s win over the Outlaws closed out the season for the Evanston.

Cheyenne Post 6 was scheduled to square off against Laramie on Thursday for the right to face Gillette later in the day for the AA title. Gillette earned the pass to the championship game by being the last of the eight teams to suffer a loss when they were defeated 2-1 by Laramie.

Evanston Outlaws coach Jason Lloyd said he believes his team proved they belonged in the state tournament, despite their relatively short history competing in the AA division.

“Our guys never gave up and we entered the state tournament with the mindset that we could compete with any team in the state. Our older kids set the tone with their leadership and we believed we could contend for a state title,” Lloyd told the Herald.
Lloyd was named AA American Legion coach of the year, while Brandon Wicks and Seth Lloyd were named to the all-state first team and Griffen Mitchell was selected to the second team.

Gillette 3 Evanston 0

Both teams were strong on the mound on Sunday, but the Gillette Roughriders were just a little bit stronger at the plate to pick up the 3-0 victory on Sunday. Gillette’s starting pitcher allowed two hits and zero runs over five and two-thirds innings, striking out six and walking zero.

Ryan Fisher was on the hill for Evanston Outlaws. He lasted four and a third innings, allowing seven hits and three runs while striking out one and walking one. Seth Lloyd threw one and two-thirds innings in relief out of the bullpen.

Griffen Mitchell, Brandon Wicks and Lloyd each collected one hit to lead the Outlaws. Neither team committed an error in the field. Wicks had the most chances in the field with four.

The Gillette Riders tallied eight hits to Evanston’s three.

Evanston 7 Sheridan 5

The Outlaws took the lead late in the game in a 7-5 victory over the Troopers on Monday. The game was tied at five with the Outlaws batting in the top of the ninth when Brenden Thompson singled on a 1-2 count, scoring one run.

Sheridan scored three runs in the fifth inning, but Evanston still managed to pull out the victory.  Ayden Roush, Austin Borzenski, and Eric Taylor each drove in runs during the inning.

Sheridan got on the board in the second inning when Jaren Brewer singled on a 2-2 count, scoring one run. They knotted the game up at five in the bottom of the seventh inning, when Borzenski singled on a 1-2 count, scoring one run.

The Outlaws notched four runs in the fifth inning. The big inning was driven by a single by Jagger Mitchell and an error on a ball put in play by Ryan Fisher.

Kimball Madsen pitched the Outlaws to victory. He surrendered four runs on six hits over five and a third innings, striking out four. Beau Lloyd threw three and two-thirds innings in relief out of the bullpen.

Jacob Boint led things off on the hill for Troopers. He allowed seven hits and five runs over five innings, striking out five.  Taylor threw four innings out of the bullpen.

The Outlaws tallied 12 hits on the day. Cris Periman, Brandon Wicks, and Reid Gross each managed multiple hits for Evanston. Periman went 3-for-4 at the plate to lead the Outlaws in hits.

Laramie 17 Evanston 6

The Outlaws fell behind early and couldn’t come back in a 17-6 loss to the Laramie Rangers on Tuesday. Laramie scored on a double by Eatin, a single by Coulthard, a single by Schutterle, a single by Steiner, a triple by Yates, and a double by Baty in the first inning, scoring 10 runs.

Despite the loss, the Outlaws did collect seven hits in the high-scoring affair. Unfortunately, Laramie had 17 hits on their way to victory.

Evanston notched three runs in the fourth inning. Seth Lloyd and Beau Lloyd each had RBIs in the frame.

Gomez got the start for the Rangers. He went two and two-thirds innings, allowing three runs on five hits and striking out two.

Lloyd toed the rubber for the Outlaws. He allowed six hits and ten runs over two-thirds of an inning, striking out one and walking one. Jagger Mitchell threw three and a third innings out of the bullpen.

Brandon Wicks went 2-for-4 at the plate to lead Evanston in hits.

Laramie tallied 17 hits on the afternoon to end the season for the Outlaws.