Black Sox AAA sweeps twinbill
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).
RISON — A four-run fifth inning overcame a 2-1 deficit in the first game, then the Bryant Bowen-Hefley Black Sox AAA American Legion team erupted for 13 runs in three innings of the second contest to complete a doubleheader sweep of Woodlawn Monday.
The Sox wound up winning the first game 6-2 and the second 13-0 in three to improve to 17-16 on the season. They were set to return to action Wednesday at Sylvan Hills.
Zack Martin singled in the tying run then J.J. Yant doubled to snap the tie in the opener.
Allen Young picked up the victory on the mound with relief help from Anthony Rose.
Billy Landers broke open a scoreless game with a solo homer to lead off the third inning. But Woodlawn pushed across its lone runs in the bottom of the inning to grab the lead.
It held until the Bryant fifth. Brandon Fitts was hit by a pitch to start the rally. He stole second then Landers reached on an error as his grounder to third was booted. Martin singled to left-center to knot the score.
With runners at first and second, Yant worked the count full before cracking a double to right-center to chase Landers home with the tie-breaker.
Martin scored when Logan Critz grounded out to second then Yant came in on a sacrifice fly from Kris Kuykendall.
In the bottom of the inning, a walk and an error had Young in a bit of hot water. With one out, the Sox got a force at second as the lead runner advanced to third. Rose relieved and picked that runner off. The Sox chased him down with Rose getting the putout to end the inning.
In the top of the sixth, Fitts drew a two-out walk and again swiped second. Landers then stroked a single to left to bring him home, making it 6-2.
Rose worked a 1-2-3 sixth then worked around a walk and a one-out single in the seventh to preserve the victory.
In the nightcap, a trio of Woodlawn pitchers struggled with the strike zone, issuing 11 walks in three innings.
Meanwhile, Joey Brown allowed just one hit, walked two and fanned two while earning the shutout victory.
Fitts walked to open the game. Landers singled then both moved up on a wild pitch. Yant walked to load the bases but Fitts was thrown out at the plate moments later on a fielder’s choice when Critz bounced to third.
Kuykendall grounded to second and Woodlawn tried once again to get a force at the plate. But this time, the catcher couldn’t hold the throw and Landers was in safely with the first run.
A walk to Rose forced in a second run then a wild pitch made it 3-0. Martin walked to load the sacks again then Brown drew an RBI pass.
The fifth run scored when Fitts’ grounder to short was botched.
Brown worked around a pair of walks in the bottom of the inning then the Sox muscled up in the second as Critz and Rose each smacked solo homers to increase the lead to 7-0.
The game, originally slated for five innings, was put away by the Sox in three when they scored six times in the top of the third then Brown retired the side in the bottom of the inning, fanning two. Woodlawn managed its lone hit with two out in the bottom of the third, but Brown retired the next batter on a fly to right to end the game.
Bryant’s six-run inning began with consecutive walks to Mark Medlin, Young and Yant. After a pitching change, Critz ripped a double to left-center to chase in a pair.
An out later, Rose reached without anyone advancing when his popup on the infield was dropped. Josh Caldwell followed with a lined single to right that was kicked allowing both Yant and Critz to score.
Martin singled to load the bases and, an out later, Medlin drew another walk to force in a run. Caldwell scored the final tally when Young reached base on a third-strike wild pitch.
