MEMPHIS — When the rain had cleared away and all the make-up games that needed to be played were complete, the Bryant Black Sox Junior American Legion team found their stay in the 15-and-under division of the annual Keith Hagan Memorial All-America Classic.
On Wednesday, the Sox got a chance at bracket play but were paired up with an Easley Baseball Club (EBC) team that had won all six of its games at the event. The teams battled with no score for five-and-a-half innings before EBC scored twice in the bottom of the sixth then held off the Sox in the top of the seventh for a 2-0 win.
Bryant’s Will Hathcote dueled with EBC’s Ethan Kreyer over the five innings.
EBC threatened in the bottom of the first with three consecutive singles. But the next batter hit a one-hopper back to Hathcote, who started a 1-2-3 doubleplay to take the starch out of the inning. A sharp groundout to Noah Davis at short ended the inning.
In the top of the second, a two-out error allowed Bryant’s Aaron Morgan to reach base, advancing to second on the errant throw. Zion Collins grounded to short and, with Morgan running, the shortstop threw to third in time for the out.
Davis doubled in the fourth but was stranded. In the bottom of the inning, a single, a sacrifice and an error had runners at first and third with one out for EBC. But Hathcote struck out the next batter and got out of the inning with a short-hop shot to Davis at short. He threw home for an out then a threw to second got there in time to get the trail runner.
Bryant made some noise in the top of the sixth. With one out Brayden Lester walked, and Ryan Riggs was hit by a pitch. Davis’ grounder to short resulted in a force at second and left runners at the corners.
Davis stole second but was stranded along with Lester when Slade Renfrow cracked a hard grounder to second for the final out of the inning.
In the bottom of the inning, a lead-off single on a bloop to center was followed by a sacrifice bunt. A grounder to Davis resulted in an out at third as Collins applied the tag.
An out of getting through the inning, a pair of singles followed, driving in the game’s first tally. An error in the outfield allowed a second run to score before the Sox could get out of the inning.
Bryant was down to its last out when Collins singled to center and Hathcote drew a walk. With Lawson Speer in for Collins and Tyler Bates running for Hathcote, the EBC pitched ended the game with a strikeout on a 2-2 pitch.
The Bryant 15U team finished the season 11-5-1 with the players continuing as the 17-and-under team when the Sox open the Junior District Tournament at home on Saturday. They’ll take on Vilonia at 5:30 p.m.
