GREEN RIVER — The Green River Knights dropped their opening game of the Wyoming American Legion Division II State Tournament, falling 6-1 to the Jackson Giants on Thursday night. They now move into the loser’s bracket, where they will face Wheatland in an elimination game at 1 p.m. Friday.
Despite hosting the tournament, the Knights batted first as the lower seed. Green River was retired in order to open the game before Jackson struck first in the bottom of the first inning. Milo Gray grounded a ball up the middle to score Brenden Menke and give the Giants a 1-0 lead.
The Knights picked up their first hit of the game in the second inning when Korbin Nielson reached safely on a fly ball to left field, but Green River was unable to capitalize.
Jackson maintained its one-run advantage until the fifth inning when the Knights manufactured the tying run. Manuel Munoz worked a four-pitch walk with one out before Oliver Akin laid down a bunt single toward third base. Munoz advanced to third on the throw, putting runners on the corners. During Corwin Paoli’s at-bat, the first pitch got away from the catcher, allowing Munoz to steal home while Akin advanced to second to tie the game at 1-1.
The Giants answered immediately in the bottom half of the inning when Menke scored on an error to put Jackson back in front, 2-1.
Jackson broke the game open in the sixth inning, scoring four runs to extend its lead to 6-1 before holding Green River scoreless in the seventh. The Knights managed just one baserunner in the final inning on a walk as the Giants secured the victory.
Menke led Jackson’s offense, going 3-for-4 at the plate with two runs scored and two RBIs. The Giants finished with 12 hits.
Green River was limited to three hits in the contest, with Akin, Paoli and Nielson each recording one. Brylan Ginestar went the distance on the mound for the Knights, throwing 91 pitches, including 65 strikes. He struck out two and did not issue a walk while allowing 12 hits and six runs, five of which were earned.
With the loss, the Knights move into the loser’s bracket and will face Wheatland after the Lobos fell 13-8 to Lovell in Thursday’s opening round.
