CONWAY — The Bryant Black Sox Junior American Legion team ran into some tough pitching on Sunday as they closed out a showcase tournament at the University of Central Arkansas. In the final game of pool play, the Ozark Baseball Club of Ozark, Mo., eked out a run in the fourth inning and their pitcher made it hold up by limiting the Sox to just four hits. In a consolation game, Bryant was shackled on one hit in a 6-0 loss to the Rawlings Arkansas Prospects 2018 of Conway.
The Black Sox finish the tournament going 2-3. They are 4-6 overall going into a scheduled doubleheader at home against one of the Benton Junior Legion teams on Monday, weather permitting. They’re set to travel to Cabot for a single game on Tuesday before beginning play in the Mid-America showcase tourney at UALR.
Ozark Baseball Club 1, Bryant 0
In the loss to Ozark, Bryant right-hander Will McEntire dueled Jake Harmon holding the Missouri team to one run on six hits. He went the distance, striking out six without a walk. Harmon went the distance for Ozark, fanning three and walking one on his way to the shutout.
Brooks Ellis, Grayson Prince, Logan Catton and Konnor Clontz each had singled for the Sox who made a bid to tie the game in the top of the seventh. Prince beat out an infield hit with one out then stole second. Catton drew a walk then Sawyer Holt hit a fly to right. Prince tagged and tried to get to third but was thrown out to end the game.
McEntire pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the second, striking out the side around Drew Marshall’s infield hit, a bunt single by Logan Sorensen and a hit batsman, Hayden Tinker.
In the third, a two-out single by Easton Hanks and another hit batsman (Braden McAllister) had a runner in scoring position for Ozark again but McEntire got the final out when he induced a grounder to Catton at second by Marshall.
The Sox were retired in the order in the fourth and, to that point, had managed just one base-runner on a lead-off single to right by Ellis.
In the bottom of the fourth, an infield hit by Sorensen gave Ozark a chance but McEntire retired the next two on grounders to Clontz at short and Chambers at third. But Sorensen had stolen second and he scored on Tinker’s two-out single.
Ozark managed just one base-runner the rest of the game.
In the meantime, the Sox cobbled together a two-out threat in the top of the fifth when Catton singled to right, Holt was plunked by a pitch and Clontz stroked a single to center. Hot-hitting Coby Greiner was up next and, though he made good contact, his fly was caught in center as Ozark escaped.
Rawlings 6, Bryant 0
Playing a team that included a few players who started for the Conway High School team, the Sox ran into more tough pitching as Connor McCullough and Jordan Wicks combined on the one-hitter. Wicks, who started, fanned nine and walked two over five innings. McCullough finished with two no-hit frames, striking out two and walking two.
Bryant’s lone hit was a single by Myers Buck with two out in the top of the second.
Rawlings took a 2-0 lead in the first. Jackson Stroth, who started at catcher for the Conway HIgh team in the Class 7A State championship loss to Bryant’s Hornets, doubled in both runs.
Right-hander Christian Harp held Rawlings to that through five innings but ran into trouble in the sixth. Singles by Russell Fullerton and Wicks then a walk to Garrett Dennis loaded the bases with one out. Stroth came through again with a two-run single to double the lead.
Grayson Prince relieved for the Sox and two more runs scored as Andrew Hreha and Alex Day drew walks.
McCullough fanned two to start the top of the seventh. Buck earned a walk but was stranded as the Rawlings hurler got the final out on Ryan Lessenberry’s fly to center.
