Six-run fifth lifts AAA Sox past Trailer
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 TIMES
With a rather subdued atmosphere and everyone on their best behavior, the Bryant Black Sox AAA American Legion team outlasted Arkansas Trailer of Little Rock 10-8 at Bryant High School Saturday night.
The game, a make-up from a date rained out in May, was a rematch of the teams involved in a brouhaha (among coaches, parents and umpires, but not players) on June 25. That game was suspended with Trailer leading 9-8 in the top of the sixth and is still in dispute.
The Sox rallied for six runs in the bottom of the fifth then held off a seventh-inning rally to earn the victory which improved their overall record to 31-10 and their Zone 4 mark to 9-2 (or 9-3 depending on the ruling about the prior game).
Trailer had just put together a five-run inning in the top of the fifth to erase a 4-1 deficit. Bryant jumped on Arkansas Trailer starter Aaron Meeks in the home half with inning-opening doubles by Kevin Littleton and Cody Graddy. But Graddy’s drive, deep and high, to left was in danger of being caught so Littleton had to hold up and only made it to third. An out later, Chris Sory was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Dustin Morris who came through with a game-tying single up the middle that chased Meeks.
Reliever Mike Muller was greeted by Matt White who rifled a single up the middle, loading the bases once more. Michael McClellan drew an RBI walk to put Bryant ahead and, with two out, Beau Hamblin lofted a fly down the right-field line that was dropped allowing three to score.
Hamblin, who relieved starter Brad Chism in the fifth, pitched a 1-2-3 sixth but ran into trouble in the seventh. He hit Reggie Murray to start the inning then an error allowed Brian Heckmann to reach safely, advancing to second on a bad throw. Murray scored on the play. Casey Dwyer then beat out an infield hit and so did Chris Houk as Heckmann scored to make it 10-8.
Trying to sacrifice with no one out, Richard O’Brien bunted hard back to Hamblin who whirled and threw for the force at third. He then struck out Drew Holbert. But Wilkerson worked for a walk to put the tying run on base. Representing the go-ahead run, Muller came to the plate but Hamblin got him to pop out to Matt Lewis at first to end the game.
Chism had pitched well through the first four innings. He worked around a single in the second then Bryant scored in the home half to take the initial lead. Hamblin reached on an error, Littleton singled then both advanced on a tap in front of the plate by Lewis. With two out, Sory came through on a 2-2 pitch, driving a two-run single to left.
In the top of the third, Wilkerson walked and Muller sacrificed him to second. Trevor Holbert grounded to short and Wilkerson, after seeing the throw go to first, took off for an unoccupied third base. Morris, the shortstop, tried to get over to cover. But Lewis’s attempt to hit the running Morris with a throw proved problematic. The throw missed the mark and Wilkerson was able to score.
Chism, however, fanned the next batter Murray to keep it at that.
In the fourth, Trailer threatened to tie it. Heckmann singled and swiped second then tried to score on a base hit to right by Houk. But Littleton, charging in from right field, gunned a throw to the plate that nailed Heckmann to preserve the lead.
Bryant added to it in the fourth. Lewis singled, Sory sacrificed and, with two out, White’s grounder to third was misplayed allowing the run to score. McClellan singled White to third and Jordan Davis slapped a single to left to make it 4-0.
Trailer’s big fifth started with an infield hit and was aided by a walk and an error. Heckmann doubled in a pair of runs, Dwyer and O’Brien each singled one in.
The loss dropped Trailer to 17-19 overall, 5-9 in zone 4 play.
