Bryant Junior team makes it six wins in a row
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CONWAY — Though they didn’t quite reach double digits scoring this time, the Bryant Black Sox Junior American Legion team was nevertheless dominant as they extended their winning streak to six with an 8-0 win over the Rawlings Tigers Silver in a tournament at Central Baptist College on Saturday.
The Sox return to action on Sunday at Hendrix College at 11:15 a.m., against the STL Prospects 15 White team at the Show Series sponsored by UALR.
It was their second shutout in as many days with Coby Greiner whipping up a three-hitter in the five-inning contest. He walked three and fanned five.
Bryant’s offense was led by Christian Harp’s three hits. Ryan Lessenberry added two as the Sox finished with eight hits to take advantage of four walks and three errors.
Two big innings proved decisive. The Black Sox scored three in the third to break up a scoreless deadlock. A five-run fifth made it a run-rule win with the game-ending run scoring on a balk with just one out.
Greiner walked one with two out in the top of the first but ended the inning by picking him off first. In the second, he worked around a single and a walk, striking out two and getting the third out on a comebacker to the mound.
Harp doubled and Lessenberry singled in the bottom of the second but the Tigers escaped without surrendering a run.
In the third, a one-out walk was erased when Lessenberry, the Bryant catcher, threw out the runner when he tried to steal second. A single to right followed but Greiner picked him off first to end the frame.
The Sox’ break-through home third commenced with an infield hit from Jacob Wright. Logan Catton got a sacrifice bunt down, which was misplayed allowing him to reach first. Wright sprinted to third on the play and, after Greiner walked to load the bags, Logan Chambers picked up an RBI with a groundout. Harp cracked another double, chasing home Catton and courtesy runner Clift Chaffin.
Rawlings managed a two-out double in the top of the fourth but that proved to be its last hit of the game as Greiner and the defense retired the last four in a row.
The game-clinching home fifth began with an line-drive single by Harp. Sawyer Holt reached on an error as Harp took third. Holt swiped second and Myers Buck got a bunt down that was misplayed as Harp scored.
Lessenberry singled in Holt to make it 5-0 and a walk to Connor Klontz filled the sacks for Wright who delivered a sacrifice fly. With two down, Greiner drilled a double to center, driving in Ryan Taylor, who was in running for Lessenberry. Clontz scored on the balk to make it 8-0.
The Junior Sox are now 10-8 on the season.
Special thanks to J’Ann Boyd.
