Post 43 Giants spend Memorial Day weekend at Gillette tournament
JACKSON HOLE, Wyo. — The Post 43 boys of summer spent the 3-day weekend far from home at Kirby Drube Memorial Tournament in Gillette where the Giants won 1 and lost 3, and grew up a lot.
It was a productive weekend despite winning just once in four tries. The Giants faced some very good competition and acquitted themselves well.
Sheridan 8, Jackson 5
The bottom of the lineup continues to produce for Jackson. It was Lukas Gralund (1-3, 1R), Bridger Hammond (1-2, 2R), and Xander Witt (1-2, 1R, 2RBI) who did most of the offensive damage for Post 43 along with Trayson Kostial’s 2-4 day with 2 runs scored and an RBI.
Flamethrower Wylie Wilkes had another rough outing as he took the loss in Saturday’s opener against the Troopers. The 3 runs surrendered to Sheridan in the first inning were the difference as Jackson could never quite recover though they did come roaring back late in the game.
Mason Wright went the bulk of the way after Wilkes departure and pitched well but erratically. He gave up just 3 hits in 4 1/3 innings work but walked 9.
Bridger Hammond looked solid in relief—no runs on no hits in 1 2/3 innings.
Jackson 8, Alliance 0
Post 43 got back in the win column in Saturday’s second game against Alliance Nebraska behind a dominant pitching performance from Aaron Huggins.
Huggins went the distance for Jackson, hurling just 72 pitches over 5 innings in the complete game shutout. The big righthander’s line was a clean one: 5I, 5H, 0R, 4K, 0BB.
Meanwhile the Giants’ offense gave Huggins all the support he needed with 4 runs in their first at-bat. Matt Fisher’s bases-loaded triple in the bottom of the 1st was all Jackson needed on their way to the 8-0 win.
Lukas Gralund added a pair of singles in 3 trips. Ayden Gralund, Ethan Garner, Mason Wright, and Bridger Hammond also added singles.
Laurel 13, Jackson 8
The Dodgers got the jump on Jackson Sunday morning but when the Giants woke up later, they made thing interesting.
Laurel plated 3 in the 1st, 2 in the 2nd and another 3 in the 3rd to race out to an early 8-2 lead. But Jackson hung in there until 3-run 5th closed the gap.
Coach Jason Huggins had to use up the bullpen trying to hold the Dodger batters in check. Xander Witt took the loss after he surrendered 5 earned runs on 3 hits over 2 innings work.
Wylie Wilkes again struggled with locating the strike zone in his brief relief appearance.
Sidewinder Luke Moore again demonstrated an uncanny ability to pitch to contact but stay off the barrel of the bat. He worked 3 innings of relief against a team with a lot of offensive firepower and managed hold the fort until the G-Men could scratch their way back in it.
Trayson Kostial worked a quiet 2 innings in closing it out for Jackson.
It was a breakout day for Ethan Garner at the plate. He went 3-4 with a double, 3 runs scored, and an RBI. Mason Wright—who is off to a blistering start hitting .433 with 11 doubles, 2 triples, 1 homerun, and 25 RBI—was 2-3 with a double and 2 RBI.
Aaron Huggins also added a double and a single in four trips to the plate.
Gillette 7, Jackson 0
The Giants could not solve Riders’ rookie starter Grayson Sargent, who went the distance for Gillette. The Thunder Basin sophomore is off to stellar start to the ’22 campaign. He threw an economical 2-hit complete game, tossing just 72 pitches for the win.
Ethan Garner was saddled with the loss for the Giants. He lasted 4 1/3, surrendering 7 runs on 8 hits. He walked 2 and struck out 4. Matt Fisher looked sharp in relief, giving up 1 hit and no runs over the final 1 2/3 innings.
Trayson Kostial and Aaron Huggins had Jackson only hits.
Jackson vs. Bozeman (pp)
Rain washed out Monday’s game against the Bucks at Hladky Stadium in Gillette.
Next up
The Post 43 Jackson Giants (12-10) head to Rock Springs for a weekend tournament June 4-5.
