Outlaws lose three games to Jackson Giants

Cal Tatum, Herald Sports Editor
Posted 6/30/17

Outlaws struggle in Jackson

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Outlaws lose three games to Jackson Giants

Posted

The bottom of the first inning was the beginning of the end to any hopes the American Legion Post 41 Evanston Outlaws had for a victory against the Jackson Giants Tuesday.

In the bottom of the first inning, the game unraveled for the Outlaws when Jackson scored seven runs. Griffen Mitchell was pitching when Jackson’s Matt Hollingsworth singled on a grounder to center field. Aaron Vitta was up to bat and Hollingsworth was looking to steal second base. He made his move on a passed ball, then Vitta singled to right field and Hollingsworth was able to run the bases, giving Jackson their first run.

John Fisher was hit by a pitch and walked to first, advancing Vitta to second base. Clayton Campbell singled on a line drive to center field, loading the bases. Brian Feuz singled on a grounder to the shortstop and Campbell scored. Quinton Bruno walked, bringing Fisher in to score.

With the score 5-0 in favor of the Giants, Seth Cristiansen was out on a fly ball to center field when Brandon Wicks caught the ball. 

Matt Ellingson hit a fly ball and reached due to an error by the shortstop, which allowed Bruno to score. Hollingworth then struck out but Vitta, with his second at-bat singled on a fly ball to left field. Armijo scored but Ellingson was out at third bring an end to the first inning with Jackson leading 7-0.

The bleeding didn’t end there; in the bottom of the second inning, John Fisher hit a home run to right field and the score was 8-0.

The Giants continued to dominate the Outlaws throughout the game. In the top of the fifth inning, with the score 12-0, Outlaw Cris Periman singled on a grounder to shortstop and then Brenden Thompson walked, advancing Periman to second. Kimball Madsen hit a ground ball to the shortstop and Periman held up at third base. A ground ball by Reid Gross to second base gave Periman the opportunity to score and Madsen advanced to second base. Brandon Wicks hit a ground ball to third base and Madsen scored.

The Outlaws stopped Jackson in the bottom of the fifth inning and the teams went into the sixth inning with a score of 12-2.

The Giants weren’t finished and scored nine more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning and they ended the game with the American Legion Post 41 Outlaws suffering an agonizing defeat to Jackson 20-2.

On Wednesday the Outlaws played a double header against the Jackson Giants and made a better showing than the previous day. 

At the 5 p.m. game, the Outlaws took an early lead when Hunter Hicks doubled on a fly ball to right field and then Griffen Mitchell singled on a line drive to right field, allowing Hicks to score the first run.

Jackson answered in the bottom of the first inning when Mac Hollingsworth doubled off a Hunter Hicks pitch to left field. Hollingsworth advanced to third base when Aaron Vitta grounded out to second baseman Brenden Thompson. John Fisher grounded out to the Outlaws’ shortstop and Hollingsworth scored, tying the game at 1.

Clayton Campbell walked to first after being hit by the pitch from Hicks and then Brian Fuez singled. Quinton Bruno singled on a fly ball to center field and Campbell scored Jackson’s second run of the game. In the bottom of the second inning, Matt Ellingson singled on a line drive and advanced to third after Hollingsworth singled. Vitta gounded  to the shortstop and Ellingson was able to score giving Jackson a 3-1 lead over the Outlaws.

Evanston was able to rally back in the third inning. It started when Hunter Hicks singled on a line drive to right field. Jackson struck out Brandon Wicks and Griffen Mitchell but Braedon MacDonald doubled on a fly ball to center field. With MacDonald on second and Hicks on third, Beau Lloyd stepped up to the plate and hit a single to right field that brought both Hicks and MacDonald in and tied the game at 3.

The Outlaws continued to score in the fourth inning when Thompson walked and then Fisher singled. Brenden Thompson advanced to third base on an error by Jackson catcher Clayton Campbell. Reid Gross grounded out and Thompson was able to score. Hicks then singled to center field and Fisher was able to score and the Outlaws took the lead 5-3.

The lead would not last. In the bottom of the fourth inning, Ellingson singled on a bunt and then stole second base. Hollingsworth doubled on a line drive to right field and Ellingson scored for Jackson. Vitta grounded out to third base, allowing Hollingsworth to score and Jackson had tied the score 5-5.

The score remained tied until the bottom of the sixth inning when the Giants were able to put together two more runs ending the inning 8-5.

In the top of the seventh inning, the Outlaws were behind and had two outs. They had two players on base, Brandon Macdonald on second and Beau Lloyd on first, when Brenden Thompson singled on a line drive to right field and MacDonald scored. Fisher stepped up to the plate and singled, bringing Lloyd home and making the score 8-7 in favor of the Giants. The Outlaws couldn’t put together any more runs and the game ended with Jackson winning.

The second game of the day ended with Jackson defeating the American Legion Post 41 Outlaws 5-0. The Outlaws couldn’t get their game together offensively. Jackson scored in the first, third, fifth, and sixth innings.