FAYETTEVILLE — The Bryant Black Sox 17U American Legion team started play in their division of the Chad Wolff Classic on Thursday with a pair of narrow defeats. In their opener, they absorbed a tough 3-2 loss to an Academy Select team based in Allen, Texas. Later, the Topeka Stogies from Kansas handed them an 8-5 setback.
The event was set to continue with pool play on Friday. The Sox are now 4-4-1.
Academy Select 3, Bryant 2
The Sox held a 2-1 lead for a long time after answering a run by Select in the first with two in the top of the second. But Academy tied it in the bottom of the fourth and picked up the decisive run in the bottom of the sixth.
Bryant used four hits to take advantage of five walks and four hit batsmen. Brandon Thomisee started for the Sox and worked into the sixth, walking two and fanning six. He gave up three runs, two earned on six hits. Braxton Prather finished the game.
Academy’s first-inning run was a result of singles on either side of a walk to load the bases then a two-out error on a pickoff attempt.
Bryant’s second started with a single from Connor Martin. He advanced to second on a wild pitch and, with one out, Cade Parker was hit by a pitch. Drew Hatman grounded into a force at second as Martin went to third. After Lawson Speer drew a walk, Martin scored on a wild pitch as Jordan Knox drew a free pass. And when Gavin Burton was plunked by a 1-0 pitch, it forced in Jaxon Ham, who had reached on a force.
Thomisee pitched around a hit batsman in the bottom of the second then a pair of singles in the third.
In the fourth, a hit batsman, a walk and a pair of double steals tied it.
Martin and Ham each walked but were stranded in the top of the sixth. In the bottom of the inning, a double and a triple gave Academy the lead. Prather came on to get out of the inning without the runner scoring from third to keep it 3-2.
Knox led off the top of the seventh with a single, but he was thrown out trying to steal second. Burton and Will Hathcote each were hit by pitches to give the Sox a chance, but the clutch hit they needed did not come.
Topeka 8, Bryant 5
A six-run fourth turned Bryant’s 2-0 lead into a deficit and, despite a three-run rally in the top of the seventh, the Sox weren’t able to come all the way back.
Bryant took advantage of 10 walks and two errors with four hits. Martin had a double and a triple. Colby Morrow contributed a double and Gavin Burton singled.
Hatman went all the way on the mound allowing eighth hits including a two-run homer without a walk. He struck out six.
Bryant opened the scoring in the top of the second when Hathcote walked, took second on a wild pitch then third when Dreher singled to left. Ham squeezed in the run. The Sox stranded two.
Hatman pitched around a hit batsman in the second then a one-out walk to Knox led to Bryant’s second run. An errant pickoff throw allowed Knox to race to third. He scored when a third strike got past the catcher with Burton at the plate.
Topeka was retired in order in the bottom of the third. In the top of the fourth, two-out walks were issued to Parker, Martin and Speer but they were stranded.
The Stogies’ game-turning fourth started with a hit batsman and an infield hit. A sacrifice attempt went for a base hit to load the bases. Another infield hit got the first run home. A bloop single to center tied the game then, with one out, a double gave Topeka a lead. A sacrifice fly made it 5-2 before a two-out single capped off the uprising.
Again, the Sox loaded the bases in the top of the sixth but could not scratch as Burton was plunked with a 2-1 delivery, Ham reached on a two-out error and Morrow walked.
Topeka was retired 1-2-3 in the bottom of the fifth then the Sox threatened again in the sixth. Martin doubled and Speer walked. They moved to second and third when Burton grounded out but got no further.
The two-run homer came with one out in the bottom of the sixth.
Down 8-2, the Sox rallied in the top of the seventh. Dreher led off with a walk and took second on a wild pitch. With one out, Morrow ripped his double to drive him home. With two away, Martin’s triple chased in Morrow then he scored as well on a wild pitch. But a groundout ended the game.
