Black Sox reach winners bracket finals
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).
PINE BLUFF — David Guarno hit his third home run in two days and Tyler Sawyer went the distance on the mound as the Bryant Black Sox Senior American Legion team rolled to a 16-3 win in seven innings over Texarkana in the second round of the Zone 4 post-season tournament at Taylor Field on Friday, July 25.
The Sox, 28-8, advanced to the winners bracket final against Little Rock Blue on Saturday. The two teams were 1-2 in the regular-season. The winner advances to the tournament’s championship round and earns one of the league’s two bids to the State tournament in North Little Rock, July 31-Aug.6.
As was the case in their tourney opener against Lake Hamilton on Thursday, the Sox fell behind early against Texarkana. This time, consecutive singles to start the game including one on a bunt produced a run with Will Wagner picking up the RBI. A sacrifice fly made it 2-0.
Sawyer didn’t allow another hit until a lead-off single in the fourth and, in the meantime, Bryant grabbed the lead. Sawyer doubled with two down in the bottom of the inning then Guarno unloaded on a 1-0 pitch to tie the game.
In the second, Trent Daniel singled, took second on an error and third on a base hit by Michael Haydon. Drew Ransdell was hit by a pitch to load the bases the Garrett Bock drew an RBI walk. Tyler Pickett followed with a two-run single on which Bock scored as well when the ball was misplayed in right. Sawyer reached on an error and Guarno banged a double off the walk to make it 7-2. Jordan Knight’s sacrifice fly brought in Sawyer with the sixth run of the inning.
Texarkana whittled a run off the lead in the fourth and it stayed 8-3 until Bryant erupted for eight more in the seventh to make it a run-rule win. Sawyer reached on an error, Guarno was hit by a pitch and Knight walked to set the table. Kaleb Jobe and Daniel each singled in a run then Knight scored on a wild pitch. Moments later, another wild delivery allowed Jobe to score before Ransdell singled in Daniel to make it 14-3. Pickett singled in Daniel and an error allowed Ransdell to score. Consecutive walks to Sawyer, Guarno and Knight forced in a run then Sawyer came home on another wild pitch to set the final score.
Sawyer closed out the game by retiring 11 of the last Texarkana batters. He wound up with six strikeouts and one walk.
