SHERIDAN — The Bryant Black Sox 17U American Legion team built a 10-1 lead then erupted for 10 more runs in the top of the seventh on the way to a 20-2 victory over the Sheridan 17U team in the first game of a doubleheader on Tuesday night.
In the second game, Sheridan pushed ahead 7-2 before the Sox rallied to get the lead down to 7-5 only to come up short of a complete comeback.
The Sox hadn’t lost since their opener against Bauxite on June 10. They’re now 4-2-1 going into the annual Chad Wolfe Classic in Fayetteville this weekend.
Bryant 20, Sheridan 2
Lawson Speer and Ryan Riggs each had three hits. Speer scored four times and Riggs knocked in three runs.
Connor Martin, Caleb Greiner and Braxton Prather combined on the mound to hold Sheridan to two runs, both unearned, on four hits. Greiner picked up the win.
Sheridan had eight errors and issued seven walks.
The Sox grabbed a 3-0 lead in the first inning. Speer singled, Logan White walked, and Riggs beat out a bunt hit to load the bases for J.T. Parker, who walked to force in the first run. Martin bounced into a force at second, picking up an RBI then Will Hathcote delivered the third run with a sacrifice fly.
Sheridan took advantage of a two-out throwing error and a single to plate a run in the bottom of the inning before Martin ended the third with a strikeout.
Bryant got that run back and another in the top of the third. Parker was hit by a pitch with one out. With two down, Hathcote walked and Luke Dreher came through with a bloop single that drove both runs home.
It stayed 5-1 until the fifth when Riggs drew a walk and courtesy runner Cade Parker sprinted home on J.T. Parker’s double. Martin singled to left to make it 7-1.
In the sixth, Speer beat out an infield hit, and Drew Hatman reached on an error, setting the table for Hayden Thompson, who drilled a double to left, driving in both. And when J.T. Parker’s grounder to third was misplayed, Thompson scored to make it 10-1.
Sheridan used a walk, a single and a two-out error to plate a run in the bottom of the sixth before Prather induced a comebacker to end the threat.
The seventh-inning onslaught began with a walk to Prather. Jordan Knoxk reached on an error and Speer singled to load the bases. White singled in a run then Riggs plated two with a base hit to right.
J.T. Parker grounded into a force at third but Tyler Bates’s grounder to short was booted to allow Riggs to score. Morrow doubled in two and it was 16-2. The onslaught continued as Dreher was plunked by a 2-0 pitch. After Prather bounced into a force for the second out, Knox singled in a run, Speer reached on an error as Prather and Knox scored. Riggs capped off the inning with an RBI double to make it 20-2.
The Sox turned a doubleplay to wipe out an error and Prather ended the game with a strikeout.
Sheridan 7, Bryant 5
The Sox jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first on singles by Speer and Knox and a one-out error on Riggs’ grounder to second.
But Sheridan struck for four runs in the bottom of the inning and never trailed again. Sheridan took advantage of three walks and hit batsman with a pair of singles and a double.
Sheridan added a run in the bottom of the second then tacked on two more in the bottom of the fifth.
In the top of the sixth, the Sox started its comeback when Martin reached on a one-out error. With two down, Gavin Burton’s grounder to second was misplayed. Greiner, in to run for Burton, and Martin worked a double steal to get a run home.
Speer and Knox each walked to start the seventh. Speer, who had taken third on a wild pitch as Knox drew his free pass, scored on White’s grounder to second. Riggs reached on a miscue as Knox scored to make it 7-5. J.T. Parker drew a walk but the game ended with a strikeout.
