SHERIDAN — The Bryant Black Sox AA American Legion team stayed close with the Sheridan Yellowjakets early in both ends of a doubleheader Thursday night but fell victim to big innings in both contests. In the opener, a nine-run fifth broke open a 4-3 battle. In the nightcap, the game was tied 3-3 before Sheridan erupted with six runs in the fifth. The Sox, trailing 11-3 going into the top of the seventh, rallied to cut it to 11-7 before Sheridan got the final out.
The Sox were scheduled to play at Magnet Cove on Friday night but the games were cancelled. The team’s next playing date is set for Tuesday, July 5, at home against Hot Springs Lakeside.
In Thursday’s first game, the Sox erased a 1-0 deficit in the top of the third. Diego Vargas and Kaleb Kling singled then Jeffrey Hastings tied it with a sacrifice fly. Daniel Darbonne’s RBI single gave Bryant a 2-1 edge.
Sheridan countered with three in the home third to make it 4-2 but the Sox kept close with another tally in the top of the fourth. Jordan Gentry singled and was balked to second. He took third on a groundout then Drew Brown came through with an RBI single.
The outburst in the Sheridan fifth made it a run-rule lead and the Sox were unable to cut into that in the top of the sixth as the game concluded.
In the second contest, Bryant broke out to a 2-0 lead. Darbonne reached when his bunt was misplayed to get things started. Gentry doubled into right-center and Hastings beat out a bunt single to load the bases. Myers Buck walked to force in a run then Cade Dupree singled in Gentry.
Sheridan took advantage of an error with three hits to tie it in the bottom of the inning. In the second, Kling walked but was forced at second on Darbonne’s grounder. Darbonne stole second, however, and Hastings came through with a two-out RBI single to make it 3-2.
Another pair of errors cost the Sox in the bottom of the second as Sheridan tied it.
The Jackets used eight hits to plate six in the bottom of the fifth then tacked on two more in the home sixth.
Bryant’s comeback attempt began with Hastings reaching on an error and Buck getting hit by a pitch. Brown singled then Dupree and Shawn Tingley were each struck by pitches to force in runs. Kling walked to force in a third tally and, after a pitching change, Dupree scored on a wild pitch to make it 11-7.
