JACKSON HOLE, Wyo. — The scoreboard at Paul J. Wataha baseball complex in Rock Springs looked more like it was reflecting football games rather than baseball last weekend.
The Jackson Giants posted double-digit scores three times against the Rock Springs Pioneers over the weekend. The Giants got off to a 3-1 start to 2021, and now look forward to a 4-game homestand with Bozeman this weekend.
Both Jackson and Rock Springs came out swinging on Saturday but it was the Giants who posted more runs. Every starter in the Jackson lineup reached home plate as the Giants never trailed enroute to a 17-13 win in game one of a double-dip.
Post 43 took the second game as well, blasting the Pioneers 20-6.
Errors were the Pioneers undoing. Both teams played some sloppy early-season ball but it was Rock Springs who were the more error-prone, committing 8 miscues in the first game, 9 more in game two.
Ayden Gralund went off on Saturday. The Giants catcher went 6-7 in the opening doubleheader, driving in 4 runs and scoring 5. Grant Parkin was also fairly ferocious at the dish, batting .538 over the weekend while scoring 9 runs. Parkin looked good on the mound as well, scattering 4 runs over 5 innings in a losing effort on Sunday.
About the only thing that didn’t go right for the Giants over their opening weekend on the road was the early game Sunday. Jackson was in command from the beginning frame after plating 3 in the 1st. But Rock Springs jumped all over reliever Luke Moose, tagging him with the loss and scoring 3 in the bottom of the 7th for the 10-9 walk-off win.
The Giants grabbed the final game of the road trip 16-7 after posting 5 runs each in the 2nd and 4th innings.
It’s early, and manager Jason Huggins will use these first few weeks to figure out what he’s got, who can play where, and who he can rely on in the clutch. For now, Huggins can cancel batting practice this week. The boys have that down.
