Davidson, Bullock spur Senior Sox to narrow victory over AA Rams
EDITOR’S NOTE: Because the look back at each day in Bryant athletic history has been so favorably received during the time when there was no sports during the COVID-19 shutdown, BryantDaily.com will continueposting 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).
By Rob Patrick
Bryant right-hander Blake Davidson out-dueled Lakeside duo Art Slaton and Ryan Montgomery over five innings as the Black Sox Senior American Legion team edged the AA Rams, 2-1, in an abbreviated contest Monday night at Bryant High School Field.
Brennan Bullock’s two-out, two-run triple in the bottom of the first proved to be the difference for the Sox who improve to 10-9 overall this season. It was the team-high fourth three-bagger for the speedy Bullock.
The game was the last for the Senior Sox before they head to Columbia, Tenn., just south of Nashville for the annual Independence Day Classic starting July 1. The Sox open pool play at the Classic at 9 p.m. against Brentwood, Tenn. They’ll have to turn around and play at 10 a.m. on Friday, July 2, against a team from Cincinnati then come back later in the day to take on the host team at 8 p.m. Another short turnaround will have the Sox playing Jackson, Tenn., on Saturday morning at 9. The top two finishers in each of the four pools will advance to a single-elimination championship tournament on Sunday and Monday.
Against Lakeside, Davidson allowed just three hits. The first was of the infield variety off the bat of Jonathan Rogers with two out in the opening inning.
In the bottom of the first, Jordan Taylor sliced a single to left with two out. Brady Butler was hit by a pitch then, on a 1-2 pitch, Bullock cranked a drive to the fence in right-center for his two-triple.
Though he was stranded at third, Davidson and the Bryant defense made it hold up.
But Lakeside made a bid to tie the game or take the lead in the top of the second. Logan Karsten blooped a single to right then Rama Pratt walked. Foster Pratt got down a sacrifice bunt but Davidson picked Karsten off third for the second out of the inning.
Matthew Spakes, however, came through in the clutch with a double just inside the line in right to chase home the run. He represented the tying run but Davidson struck out Andrew Hiett to end the inning.
He didn’t allow another base-runner the rest of the game, retiring the last 10 batters he faced with the help of a flawless defense.
The Sox couldn’t muster much either. In the second, Tyler Brown singled to left with two down. With one out in the third, Slaton issued walks to Taylor and Butler. Bullock followed with a bouncer up the middle that Taylor Parker, the Lakeside shortstop, flashed to field, stepping on second and throwing to first for an inning-ending doubleplay.
Montgomery relieved in the fourth and struck out the side but the Rams couldn’t muster anything against Davidson in the top of the fifth, thanks, in part, to a nice play at third by Brown on a shot by Spakes.
BRYANT BLACK SOX SENIOR 2, HOT SPRINGS LAKESIDE AA 1
Rams ab r h bi Black Sox ab r h bi
Parker, ss 2 0 0 0 Joiner, rf 2 0 0 0
Ritter, 3b 2 0 0 0 Garrett, cf 2 0 0 0
Rogers, c 2 0 1 0 Taylor, ss 1 1 1 0
Slaton, p-1b 2 0 0 0 Butler, 1b 0 1 0 0
Karsten, 2b 2 0 1 0 Bullock, lf 2 0 1 2
R.Pratt, rf 1 1 0 0 Castleberry, 2b 2 0 0 0
F.Pratt, 1b-cf 1 0 0 0 Hurt, 2b 0 0 0 0
Spakes, lf 2 0 1 1 Milam, dh 2 0 0 0
Hiett, cf 1 0 0 0 Cross, c 2 0 0 0
Montgomery, p 0 0 0 0 Brown, 3b 1 0 1 0
Hill, ph 1 0 0 0 Davidson, p 0 0 0 0
Totals 16 1 3 1 Totals 14 2 3 2
Lakeside 010 00 — 1
BRYANT 200 0x — 2
E—none. DP—Lakeside 1. LOB—Lakeside 2, Bryant 5. 3B—Bullock. S—F.Pratt.
Pitching ip r er h bb so
Lakeside
Slaton (L) 4 2 2 3 2 1
Montgomery 1 0 0 0 0 3
Bryant
Davidson (W) 5 1 1 3 1 3
HBP—Butler (by Slaton).
