17U Sox run-rule Benton behind hitting of Speer, Davis
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Noah Davis and Lawson Speer each had three hits and combined for six runs batted in and five runs scored to lead the Bryant Black Sox 17U Junior American Legion team to a 12-2 win in five innings over Benton on Tuesday night at Bryant High School Field.
The Sox continued to try out pitchers and Blaine Sears, Gage Stark and Speer combined to limit Benton to two runs on five hits. Stark picked up the win with two innings of shutout relief. Speer came on to throw one pitch for the final out, stranding runners at first and second.
Davis’ three hits included two doubles. He walked and stole two bases.
The win improved Bryant to 4-1 on the season going into a game against Bauxite on Thursday.
Sears worked around a single and a hit batsman in the first with the help of a doubleplay behind him, started by Josh Turner who fielded a sharp grounder to third.
In the bottom of the inning, a one-out walk to Davis got a four-run uprising started for the Sox. He stole second and third. On the pitch in which he stole third, the ball got away from catcher Luke Weaver. Davis stopped after rounding third as Weaver hustled after the ball. But when the Benton catcher made an errant throw back to pitcher Brayden Payte, who was covering the plate, Davis sprinted home with the game’s first run.
After Peyton Dillon drew a free pass, Stark ripped a double to left center that chased in the second run. Ryan Riggs was hit by a pitch and courtesy runner Tyler Bates combined with Stark on a double steal. Stark scored on Dakota Clay’s groundout then Bates came in on a wild pitch before Aaron Morgan singled to left.
Sears hit Christian Young with a 3-2 pitch to start the second — the first of three times Young would get plunked. He stole second but Sears got Weaver to foul out to Dillon at first then struck out Will Callaway and Shawn Small to squelch the threat.
Sears then walked to start the home second. A wild pitch allowed courtesy runner Ethan Andrews to take second. Speer’s single sent him to third and Davis’ single brought him home.
Dillon followed with a grounder to Trey Miller at short. Benton got the force at second but the relay by Green was errant and Speer raced home from second to make it 6-0.
Benton got on the board with a two-out rally in the third. After Sears fanned Payte, Green beat out an infield hit. Miller struck out but another infield knock, this time by Elijah King kept the inning alive.
The inning was strike away from being over, but Tristan Hammonds cracked a 3-2 pitch up the middle for a two-run single.
He stole second, and Young was struck by a 1-2 delivery, moving manager Ozzie Hurt to call for Stark. Though he walked Weaver to load the bases, he fanned pinch-hitter Adam Sims to end the uprising.
And the Sox countered with three more of their own in the home third. An error allowed Clay to reach bases then Morgan was hit by a pitch. A wild delivery moved them to second and third but Young, on in relief for Benton, retired the next two before Speer laced a two-run double down the left-field line. Davis doubled him home and it was 9-2.
Stark worked around a one-out walk in the fourth, fanning two. Young pitched around a pair of walks in the bottom of the inning.
In the fifth, Benton’s first two batters were set down before Young was hit once more and Weaver singled. Speer’s first pitch was lofted into center by Sims and caught by Stark to end the inning.
Sears singled to open the bottom of the fifth. Speer ripped one that ricocheted off Miller, the third Benton pitcher. He beat it out for a hit. After a wild pitch sent them to second and third, Davis’ second double chased them home.
When Davis stole third, Benton intentionally walked Dillon and Stark to load the bases, setting up a force at every base but when Riggs’ grounder to second was misplayed, the game-ending run scored.
