FORT SMITH — Between them, the Bryant Black Sox and Fort Smith Kerwins Senior American Legion teams belted four home runs at Forsgren Field and Evans Boys Club Thursday night. Unfortunately for the Sox, three of them were slugged by Kerwins’ Sportsmen as they forged a 10-6 win.
Jason Hastings homered for Bryant. He also had a double. Dylan Hurt added three hits and Brandan Warner two but the Sox were held to just one run over the first five innings as Kerwins built a 7-1 lead.
Bryant rallied for four runs in the top of the sixth to get within two runs but Fort Smith scored three in the home half to fortify its lead.
The loss was the second in as many nights for the Sox who host a doubleheader against El Dorado tonight at Bryant High School Field. Now 3-2-2, the Black Sox will be playing at home for the first time this season.
Hastings and Kerwins starter Jorden Lawrence of Ouachita Baptist University and Fort Smith Southside, dueled with no score over the first two innings. In the third, the Sox scratched out a run with a two-out uprising that started with Drew Tipton getting plunked by a pitch. Warner singled to left. Tipton stole second and scored on an errant throw.
An error opened the gates for Kerwins to score twice in the bottom of the inning. Jake Herrel reached second on the play. Colby Demato walked but the Sox got an out when Christian Brasher tried to sacrifice. First baseman Blake Patterson charged in aggressively, pounced on the ball and fired to third for a force.
But Kory Pollard was struck by a pitch to load the bases. Mason Edgmon singled up the middle to plate a run then Christian Neves reached on an error as the second run came in.
Hastings escaped further damage by striking out Will Klek.
The Sox put themselves in position to answer in the top of the fourth when Hastings doubled and Hurt singled him to third but Lawrence escaped with a strikeout and a doubleplay. Logan Allen grounded to short with Hastings breaking for the plate. The throw there beat him and when Hurt rounded second, a relay there got him before he could get back.
A one-out double by Drew Person and another Bryant error allowed Kerwins to add a run in the bottom of the fourth. With two down and a strike away from the close of the inning, Brasher belted the first of the Sportsmen homers, making it 5-1.
A walk to Pollard and a double by Edgmon followed. Pollard tried to score on the play, however, and the Bryant relay nailed him at the plate to end the inning.
Lawrence pitched around a two-out error in the top of the fifth and the Sportsmen added two in the home half on a two-out, two-run blast by Person.
In the top of the sixth, Patterson walked and Hastings belted his homer to left. Hurt singled and, with one out, Allen reached on an error. A passed ball allowed them to move up to second and third then a wild pitch got Hurt home. Connor Tatum’s two-out single plated Allen and it was 7-5.
Pollard’s solo homer and a two-run triple by Josh Woolly provided the response of Fort Smith in the home sixth, making it 10-5.
Bryant tried to battle back in the seventh. Warner was hit by a pitch from reliever Clay Tyler, Patterson singled and, after Kerwins turned a doubleplay, Hurt singled in Warner. Walks to Seth Tucker and Allen loaded the bases but all three were stranded.
Trey Breeding, who relieved in the sixth, retired the side in order in the seventh and, with the help of a doubleplay, eased through the eighth.
Meanwhile, the Sox put together a threat in the eighth. Tatum walked but was out trying to steal second. With two down, Warner singled and Patterson was struck by a delivery from Austin Pierce. But a strikeout ended the inning.
Pierce set Bryant down in order in the ninth to close out the win.
