Watch Jackson Stun Gillette at ‘AA’ State Baseball Tournament

The Jackson Giants played the role of giant killer, as they knocked the host Gillette Roughriders, 3-1, Monday at the 2019 ‘AA’ Legion Baseball State Tournament.

For the first time in program history, Jackson advanced to the Championship day with their comeback victory.

Parker Bleggi had the go-ahead RBI-single in the sixth, while Seth Christiansen added an insurance run with an RBI-single in the seventh. Bleggi drove in his older brother Anthony, who had singled to lead-off the sixth. He stole second and went to third on a Gus Armijo base hit. With one out, Christiansen singled to center field, which scored Nate Fairbanks.

Connor Lang allowed a lead-off single in the bottom of the seventh inning but got a pair of fly outs, and a ground ball that forced out the runner at second to end the game. Lang earned the save.

Here are some of the game’s highlights:

Both Bleggi brothers and Giants’ manager Jason Huggins chatted with WyoPreps’ David Settle about the big win:

Gillette jumped out early with an RBI-double by Kaleb Lewis in the first inning, but the Roughriders left the bases loaded.

Jackson tied it at 1-1 on a Matt Ellingson double off the wall in right-center field in the third inning.

Twice more, in the third and fourth innings, Gillette left a runner at third base. The Riders left 9 runners on base in the game.

Jackson left 10 on base, as the Giants out-hit Gillette 9-to-5 in the game. Jackson did take advantage of two Roughriders errors.

Fairbanks, Ellingson, and Parker Bleggi each had two hits. The Giants did strikeout 14 times.

Anthony Bleggi was the winning pitcher. He went 5.1 innings and threw 106 pitches. Bleggi allowed the one run on four hits with four walks and six strikeouts.

Brody Richardson took the loss for Gillette. He gave up two runs on seven hits, but walked one and finished with 12 strikeouts.

Jackson advance to Championship Tuesday and will face Casper in the title game at noon.