Black Sox Juniors overwhelm Little Rock Eagles
EDITOR’S NOTE: In this time of COVID-19, with no sports action, BryantDaily.com will be posting past stories of Bryant athletics either posted on BryantDaily.com (from 2009 to the present) or published in the Bryant Times (from 1998 to 2008).
Right-hander Scott Schmidt fired a four-hitter in five innings, walked just one and fanned five while, at the plate, he racked up two hits and a walk with four runs batted in as the Bryant Black Sox Junior American Legion team out-manned the Little Rock Eagles, 17-1, in the first game of two on Monday night.
The Sox went on to sweep by beating the Little Rock Diamondbacks in the second game 12-7.
Schmidt, Logan Catton and Brooks Ellis each had two hits as Bryant used 10 knocks to take advantage of 11 walks, a hit batsman, and an error in the lopsided win over the Eagles. The Sox extended their winning streak to nine in a row then made it 10 straight in the nightcap.
The game got off to a somewhat surprising start. After Schmidt retired the first two Eagles, William Brown belted a solo homer to left. But Schmidt didn’t left it phase him as he got the next batter, Clay Schuler to ground out to Myers Buck at short.
And that proved to be the Eagles’ only run.
Bryant scored four times on just one hit in the home first. Jacob Wright walked and Catton beat out a bunt single. Coby Greiner tried to sacrifice too but Little Rock lefty starter Riley Loyd got to the ball and threw to third for a force.
A walk to Ellis loaded the bases anyway. A walk to Logan Chambers forced in a run then Schmidt picked up his first RBI when he bounced into a force at second with Greiner scoring to give the Sox a 2-1 lead.
Two runs then scored when Clift Chaffin’s grounder to third drew a wild throw to first and, suddenly, it was 4-1.
Schmidt would work around a two-out infield hit in the top of the second, then a walk and a single with two down in the third. The Sox retired the side in order in the fourth and, in the fifth, Schmidt hit Joseph Young with a pitch then surrendered a single to Matt Wawar.
Even with the top of the order coming up, Schmidt and the Sox got out of the jam unscathed. The runners moved up on a grounder to Chambers at first. But they got no further as Schmidt fanned Seth Bucher and got the game-ending out on Brown’s liner to Buck at short.
Meanwhile, the Sox added five runs in the second then made it a romp with eight in the fourth.
The second-inning outburst began with an infield hit by Buck. With one down, he stole second. Catton walked then Greiner was hit by a pitch to load the sacks. A walk to Ellis pushed in a run then Chambers cracked a single up the middle to get Catton home.
With the bases still full, Schmidt ripped a single to right-center to drive in two more. And when Chambers scored on a wild pitch, it was 9-1.
The eight-run fourth started with Ellis beating out an infield hit. Walks to Chambers, Schmidt and Chaffin loaded the bases. Along the way, Ellis scored on a wild pitch. And when Ryan Lessenberry drilled a single to center, plating a pair, the Eagles changed pitchers.
Andrew Warren walked Buck and Ryan Taylor as Chaffin scored. Catton beat out a single to the hole at short to drive in Sawyer Holt, who was running for Lessenberry. Base hits from Micah Holyfield, Ellis and Schmidt rounded out the scoring.
