Richard Gilbert held Amarillo to just one run and the Johnson Jaguars scratched across a couple of runs to take a 2-1 victory and advance to the State Championship Game versus Dallas Jesuit on Saturday.
Gilbert gave up only 2 hits, struck out 9 and walked 3 in limiting the Sandies to just one run. “I felt really good out there early on,” Gilbert explained. “I was definitely tired in the 7th but when we got the first out, I got emotional and found enough to finish the game on a strong note.”
Johnson got on the board in the 2nd inning Gilbert led off with a 3B. With one out, Coach Gordon Gesell called for the suicide squeeze play. Yukki Chilcutt got the bunt in the air and Amarillo pitcher Trevor Andrus dove for the ball but couldn’t get all of his glove on it. Courtesy runner Will Hall scored on the play and Chilcutt was aboard with the bunt single.
Johnson picked up another run in the 4th. AJ Garcia got a 1 out single and advanced to 2B on a Chilcutt sacrifice. Jacob Corner singled up the middle to score Garcia.
Amarillo picked up a run in the top of the 6th when Max Marusak singled, stole 2nd and scored on a Skyler Nelson Sac Fly.
But Gilbert came out ready to finish the game in the 7th. He gave up one single but struck out 2 in the inning including the final out to give Johnson the 2-1 win.
