SPRINGDALE — Coming back from a 9-4 deficit, the Bryant Black Sox 15U American Legion team scored five times in the top of the sixth to tie the Arkansas Prospects Scout 17U team only to have the North Little Rock-based team score four in the bottom of the sixth. With the time limit up, that proved to be the difference in the Prospects’ 13-9 victory in pool play at the Chad Wolff Classic at Shiloh Christian High School on Saturday.
The Sox came back later in the afternoon to take on the OK Lynx of Tulsa, who forged a 6-1 win over Bryant.
To wrap up pool play for the Black Sox, they’ll take on the Dallas Tigers 15U (Nelson) team at Hunts Park in Fort Smith on Sunday morning at 9.
Saturday’s losses made Bryant 0-4 in the Classic and 5-7 overall. On Monday, the Sox are scheduled to play a doubleheader at Bryant High School Field against Sheridan.
Arkansas Prospects 13, Bryant 9
The Black Sox’ rally to tie started with a walk to Gage Horn. Luis Hernandez singled to left then Reid Catton beat out an infield hit to load the bases. So, when Jordan Knox was hit by a pitch, a run scored. Luke Bickerstaff grounded into a doubleplay but Hernandez scored to make it 9-6.
Hunter Holt rekindled the rally with an RBI single to center then Carson Kemp chased him home with a triple. And when Aden Palmer lined a single to center, the game was tied 9-9.
Matt Griffe was hit by a pitch to put the potential lead run at second but a grounder back to the mound ended the outburst.
A walk, a hit batsman and four hits later, however, the Prospects had countered with their four-run inning.
Bryant had taken a 2-0 lead in the first inning when Bickerstaff and Holt were struck by pitches with one out. Kemp singled in the first run. Holt tried to score on Palmer’s grounder to short but was tagged out at the plate. Kemp, however, who had stolen second was able to score when a throw got past third.
A three-run double and an RBI single keyed the Prospects’ five run third. In the top of the fourth, the Sox cut it to 5-4. Mason Butler walked, stole second and scored when Horn singled to center. Brady Brower was hit by a pitch then Catton walked to load the bases for Jordan Knox who singled to left to make it 5-4.
But the Sox left the bases loaded.
A four-run fourth extended the Prospects’ lead to 9-4 and that held until Bryant’s sixth-inning rally.
OK Lynx 6, Bryant 1
The Black Sox were shut out by Lynx pitching until the top of the seventh when Knox tripled and scored on Bickerstaff’s groundout. The only other Bryant hits were singles by Horn to lead off the third and Catton with two outs in the top of the sixth.
The Tulsa team took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first on two singles and a double. They added a run in the second and three in the sixth to make it 6-0.
