GERMANTOWN, Tenn. — Right-hander Will Hathcote fired a five-inning perfect game and the Bryant Black Sox Senior American Legion team hammered out 11 runs on 12 hits including three each by Ryan Riggs and Peyton Dillon on Saturday.
The 11-0 win over Wow Factor 18U of Bartlett, Tenn., coupled with Friday’s shutout win over Easley Baseball in pool play for The Hagan, the Mid-Summer Showcase, marked the first time this season the Senior Sox, now 4-9 overall, have won back-to-back games. At 2-0 in pool play, they were set to take on the Houston Mustangs 18U team of Germantown, Tenn., at 3:45 p.m., on Saturday.
Hathcote struck out eight and walked no one as he retired all 15 Wow Factor batters in the game. The Sox played errorless defense behind him.
Bryant struck for three runs in the top of the first as five of the first six batters hit safely. Noah Davis led off with a double then Riggs singled him home with a liner into center. Logan Catton burned the leftfielder for a double and Cade Drennan made it 2-0 with a sacrifice fly.
Dillon singled to center then Gage Stark got a bunt down on a squeeze play and beat it out for an RBI single.
The lead expanded in the second. Blaine Sears drew a lead-off walk and Davis was hit by a pitch. Riggs got a bunt down that went for a hit, loading the bases. With one out, Drennan walked to force in a run and Dillon bat out an infield hit to make it 5-0. Stark’s sharp single to left plated Slade Renfrow (running for Riggs) and Drennan.
While Hathcote continued to set down the Tennessee batters, the Sox completed the rout in the top of the fourth.
Riggs singled, Catton walked and Drennan laced a two-run triple to right. Dillon singled him in to make it 10-0. With one out, Coby Greiner sent Stark to second with a base hit to right. The duo worked a double steal, and, on a wild pitch, Stark scored the final run.
Hathcote finished out the game in style, striking out the side in the bottom of the fifth.
