Cheyenne punches ticket to American Legion World Series

“It’s an unbelievable feeling,” Post 6 manager Ty Lain said. “I can’t help but think of all the guys who have been in this tournament and who grinded to put our name on the map and earn us the respect we’ve got as a program.

“It’s really a full community effort, and I’m so proud of everyone.”

Cheyenne finished as regional runners-up in 1991, 2003, ’06 and 2022.

Last summer, the Sixers were three outs from beating two-time reigning ALWS champion Idaho Falls, Idaho, only to have the Bandits rally and win on a walk-off single in extra innings.

“Our whole goal was to get back to this position, and that’s what we’ve worked so hard for since last season ended,” said Julian Romero, who was the losing pitcher in the 2022 winner-take-all game. “Our whole schedule and our whole offseason was built to put us in the position, and we gave it all we’ve got.”

Gillette grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first inning before Cheyenne responded with four runs in the bottom of the frame.

The rally started with a two-out, run-scoring single by first baseman Hayden Swaen. Catcher Kaden Anderson followed with an RBI single of his own for a 2-1 lead. Designated hitter Landon McAnelly kept the inning alive when he reached on a throwing error that scored Swaen from third. Center fielder Nolan Horton blooped a single into no-man’s land behind second base to give Post 6 a 4-1 lead.

The Riders narrowed the lead to 4-3 with three hits, including a two-run single by nine-hole hitter Keyton Kilian.

Cheyenne put up its final runs of the game in the third.

Swaen drew a walk to lead off the inning and took second on Anderson’s single to center. Horton scored both with a hard single through the left side of the infield to stretch the Sixers’ lead to 6-3.

Horton had squared around to bunt when he first stepped into the batter’s box, but Gillette pitcher Grayson Sargent was called for a balk to advance Swaen and Anderson. Horton was behind in the count 1-2 when his single gave Cheyenne some much-needed breathing room.

“The pitcher hung a curveball, and I just hit it through the six hole,” said Horton, who went 3-for-3 with three RBI in the championship game. “I don’t know how I missed my two bunts, but I’m glad it worked out.”

Horton scored on Mason Tafoya’s single through the left side for a 7-3 lead.

Right-hander Braden Pearson picked up the win on the mound, striking out three and allowing just two hits across 3⅓ innings of relief. Corey Williams tossed the final 2⅔ innings to notch the save.

Anderson was voted most valuable player of the tournament. He batted .389 with a double and six RBI.

Anderson also made an impact defensively. The Riders had the leadoff hitter on first in the fourth inning when Brady Richards struck out swinging. Anderson snapped a throw down to Swaen at first, who swung his glove back to his left and tagged out Cason Loftus for a double play. Pearson fanned the next batter to end the inning.

Cheyenne 4
Rocky Mountain 3

Romero hit a one-out double to deep right-center field to score Tafoya from first in the bottom of the seventh for the walk-off win.

Rocky Mountain held a 2-0 lead heading into the bottom of the third thanks to a run-scoring groundout to shortstop in the first inning, and two singles and an RBI sacrifice fly to left field in the second.

The Sixers cut into the lead in the third when Tafoya hit a one-run double over the head of Rocky left fielder Christian Wood and scored when Wood misplayed a ball off Romero’s bat with two out.

“(Tafoya) getting on was really big, but I wanted to get a ball in play and see what he could do,” Romero said. “The pitcher had all the pressure on him to throw strikes. He got behind 2-0, so I knew he was going to have to come with something good, and I was ready for it.

“I got an inside pitch and gave it all I had.”

The Lobos got that run back in the next frame for a 3-1 lead.

Cheyenne starter Bradley Feezer struck out the first batter before hitting the second with a pitch. Eric Berquist hit a hard grounder to Tafoya, who threw to second base for a potentially inning-ending double play. But second baseman Kaed Coates had the throw go off his glove and fall to the turf.

Post 6 nearly got those two outs on the next batter when Erick Jacobson hit a chopper back up the middle. Shortstop Colter McAnelly ranged behind second to field the ball and spun to tag Berquist as he slid in to second before firing to first to retire Jacobson. However, the second base umpire said McAnelly had the ball in his throwing hand when he tagged Berquist with his glove, making Berquist safe.

Feezer’s next pitch hit in front of the batter’s box and jumped to the backstop allowing Aidan Nelson to score from third for a 3-1 lead.

Coates got a measure of redemption in the bottom of the frame when he shot a two-out single through the right side of Rocky’s infield to score Kaden Anderson and Horton to knot the score 3-3.

Tafoya was 3-for-3 with a double. Swaen also had a double.

Feezer went the distance on the mound, striking out six batters and giving up just three hits.