JACKSON HOLE, Wyo. — The Jackson Giants closed out their 2021 regular season with a 3-game set against Rock Springs. Jackson won their first two but lost the final game Thursday morning.
Jackson 10, Rock Springs 0
Aaron Huggins (4-3) tossed a complete game shutout for his second straight win in consecutive outings. Huggins threw an efficient 89 pitches, allowing just 2 hits while striking out 4 and walking 4.
A 7-run top of the 7th made the game look like more of a blowout than it was. The Giants managed just 4 hits all game as Stallions starter Dylan Johnson did a good job holding Jackson at bay. Alex Nissenberg provided all the offense Post 43 would need with a solo shot in the 2nd inning.
Jackson 7, Rock Springs 6
The Giants erased a 4-1 deficit with runs in the 5th, 6th, and 7th innings, finally capping their comeback in extras when Bridger Hammond led the 8th off with a single and finally came home on a wild pitch from Dominick Gunyan.
Jackson pounded out 10 hits in total—Steven Ashurts (3 for 4, 2 doubles, 2 RBI), Austin VanSkike (2 for 4, 1 double, 1 RBI), Bridger Hammond (2 for 4), Ayden Gralund (1 for 2, 1 RBI), Parker Bleggi (1 for 3, 1 double, 1 RBI), and Mason Wright (1 for 2, 1 double, 1 RBI) led the way for Jackson at the plate.
Coach Jason Huggins again used Mason Wright in the opener role. This time Wright went 3 2/3 before his control issues caught up with him. He walked 6 while striking out 4. Owen Khanna, Austin VanSkike, Parker Bleggi, and Matt Fisher were all trotted out to the mound. Bleggi (1-1) got the win, Fisher picked up the save.
Rock Springs 5, Jackson 1
The Giants came out flat Thursday morning against the Stallions and lost the game on one bad inning. Both teams, actually, took a while to get going. Scoreless through 3, Jackson finally scratched across a run in the 4th on singles from Austin VanSkike and Alex Nissenberg.
But the Stallions responded with 5 runs of their own off reliever Lucas Gralund in the 5th.
Xander Witt started the game for Jackson, throwing a quiet 3 innings before giving way to Ayden Gralund, who also looked good in his 1 innings of work. Luke Moore mopped up with a scoreless inning in the 6th.
Next up
The Giants finish the regular season at 14-44. Not where they wanted to be, but it’s a young team improving at the right time, Coach Huggins says.
The Giants will head to Laramie to play the AA Wyoming State Tournament at Cowboy Field July 26-29. All games at the tournament will be covered live by MyLocalRadio (Evanston).
