CHEYENNE — Rain fell throughout the opening round, but Rock Springs was able to keep its composure and keep playing.
The Lady Tigers opened the Wyoming 4A State Softball Tournament with a 19-8 win over Natrona County on Thursday at the Cheyenne Junior League Fields, scoring early and then pulling away with back-to-back big innings to advance to Friday’s quarterfinals.
Rock Springs, the No. 3 seed from the South, built a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning before Natrona County trimmed it to 3-2 by the end of the frame. After a scoreless second inning, Tarin Anderson gave the Lady Tigers more breathing room with a solo home run in the third.
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Natrona answered with a three-run homer later in the inning to cut the lead to 6-5, but Rock Springs took control from there. The Lady Tigers exploded for eight runs in the fourth inning and added five more in the fifth to push the game to the brink of a run-rule finish.
Rock Springs entered the bottom of the fifth with a 19-8 lead and got the final outs needed to seal the win and avoid the mercy rule.
Rilynn Wester led the offense with five RBIs on two hits, including a home run and a triple. Anderson went 3-for-3 with a home run, two RBIs and four runs scored, while Ruby Florencio finished 2-for-2 with two RBIs and two doubles.
As a team, the Lady Tigers collected 11 hits, drew 11 walks and stole 12 bases in difficult weather conditions.
Florencio got the start in the circle and allowed eight runs over five innings, while Natrona County’s Marley Dickinson took the loss.
Rock Springs advances to face Cheyenne East in the quarterfinals Friday at 10 a.m. at the Central Field. If the Lady Tigers win, they will play again at 4 p.m. in the semifinals. If they lose, they will drop to the bottom of the bracket and play again at 2 p.m. against the winner of the Wheatland-Kelly Walsh game. A second loss would end their season.
