JACKSON HOLE, Wyo. — The Jackson Giants ran into a buzzsaw Wednesday night to close out Day 1 of the inaugural Chris Hodges Memorial Tournament.
Perennial heavyweights, the Gillette Riders, are playing sound baseball right now and they made easy work of the Giants, even if it took them a couple innings to find top gear.
Gillette 18, Jackson 0
Post 43 sent Xander Witt to the hill with the pill. He managed to keep the ball off the barrel of the Riders’ bats for the most part but Gillette plated a steady succession of baserunners with 1 in the 1st, 2 each in the 2nd and 3rd innings, 3 in the 4th, and finally the knockout blow: a 10-run 5th inning.
Witt left after 3 innings of work but the bullpen fared little better.
And the Giants bats remain in a Sleeping Beauty slumber. Jackson managed just 4 hits but it was the 1st inning where Post 43 lost the game, truly. Singles by Parker Bleggi and Ayden Gralund had Jackson in business with runners on the corners and one out. But Steven Ashurts and Aaron Huggins both whiffed to kill the rally.
As in a prize fight against a perceived bigger, tougher opponent, that early opportunity to get up off the mat and ‘bloody’ an opponent in the early going sends a strong and long message. A seed of doubt could have been planted by the Giants in tat bottom of the 1st had they answered right back.
They didn’t, and the result was a, 18-0 blowout win for the Riders.
On deck
With the loss—their 6th straight defeat—the Giants’ record falls to 7-19 on the season. They will again close out the night tonight with a game against the Green River Knights (10-11).
The Chris Hodges Memorial Tournament continues today through Sunday. Seven teams from around the region are in town to participate. The Giants are also in action Saturday at 8pm against the Green Canyon Huskers of Utah, and on Sunday at 4pm to take on the Kansas Curve.
Chris Hodges was something of a local legend in Jackson. He was never without a bat or glove. After his playing days, Hodges went on to coach the Gillette Roughriders. Both teams honored the Hodges family with a pre-game ceremony Wednesday night.
