JACKSON, Wyo. — Giants manager Jason Huggins had to be beaming in the dugout as his Post 43 ballclub secured a doubleheader sweep at home of the Rock Springs Sand Puppies.
More than the two victories—crucial games as the Giants head down the stretch toward the state championship playoffs—Huggins also notched his 300th victory leading the Jackson team since 2010.
But look closer. The contented look on Huggins’ face might include even more than those worthy accomplishments. What pleases managers and coaches at a student-athlete level is watching your players growing, maturing, learning—and doing the little things right.
There was plenty to cheer about as the Giants won 4-0 and 9-5 on Saturday afternoon against the Post 24 Archie Hay Sand Puppies. But, lost to all but purists and pundits, was not one, not two but four perfectly-executed sacrifice bunts by Giants hitters. That says more about a team than final scores.
First off, players don’t like to bunt. The so-called ‘small ball’ game of manufacturing runs has been absent from the big league game since the 1970s Cardinals. Today, it’s all about homeruns and swinging for the fences. There isn’t much glory to be found in giving oneself up to advance a runner.
But there is character and unselfishness in bunting. It’s the ultimate test of team cohesiveness. There is no ‘I’ in bunt.
When Huggins put on the bunt sign twice in game one and twice in the following game, his hitters not only showed they would follow their manager anywhere, they also executed those sacrifices flawlessly each time. For a team that doesn’t get to work on the fundamentals for very long (as spring training in Jackson often includes snow shoveling) it was a feather in the cap for Huggins and a ‘team first’ statement made by the player.
Connor Lang, Ayden Gralund, Grant Parkin, and Mason Wright all laid down deadened dribblers that could not have been executed better if the catcher had rolled them out there.
So, kudos to Huggins and the boys of summer. They understand the game many call America’s pastime, and they play it the right way.
Doubleheader sweep
Another test of mettle is playing a 1-run game, especially if you are on the winning side. After the Giants spotted themselves a run in the opening frame of game one Saturday, they showed composure in guarding the tenuous lead behind Connor Lang’s 3-hit shutout.
Lang was masterful on the mound. He pitched to contact, throwing just 87 pitches in 7 innings of work by getting ahead in the count. Lang started off Rock Springs’ hitters with strikes 20 out of 25 times, an astounding stat.
Meanwhile, the Giants again showed signs they could not deal the death blow, leaving men on base and killing rallies in nearly every inning. Time and again they let Sand Puppy starter Dylan Johnson off the hook when they appeared to have him on the run.
The Giants finally broke through with some late insurance in the 6th but Lang needed just the lone run to close down Post 24 in the 4-0 finish.
The nightcap was a little more see-saw with Rock Springs grabbing an early lead in the 1st but Jackson tallied twice in the home half and nursed a 2-1 lead until the 5th inning.
Jackson starter Quentin Bruno mixed an above-average fastball with a sharp breaking curveball to rack up 8 strikeouts in 5 innings of work. He began to tire in the 5th inning and that’s when the Sand Puppies made their move.
The bullpen was again shaky for Jackson. Grant Parkin wiggled out of trouble after Rock Springs tied the game 3-3. But Kyle Cranston and Bridger Hammond had Coach Huggins chomping extra hard on his sunflower seeds in the late innings as the strike zone all but abandoned the Giants relievers.
But big days at the plate from Bruno (3-4 3RBI), Seth Christiansen (3-3 1RBI), and Aaron Moya (3-3 3RBI) helped Jackson cruise to a 9-5 victory and notch their 19th win to 26 losses.
Post 43 plays two with the Casper Oilers Monday, July 27, before returning home on Friday for the final homestand before postseason play.
