Bennett, Martin help AAA Black Sox split with Maumelle
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).
MAUMELLE — Daniel Bennett went the distance on the mound, scattering seven hits, and the Bryant Bowen-Hefley Black Sox AAA American Legion team pounded out 12 hits including three by Zack Martin to earn a split of a doubleheader with Maumelle Friday.
Maumelle came from behind for a 13-12 win in the opener with Bryant taking the nightcap 12-3.
The results left the Black Sox 15-16 on the season going into Monday’s doubleheader at Woodlawn.
Bennett and Brandon Fitts each added two hits in Bryant’s victory. Martin drove in three and Billy Landers and Bennett knocked in two each.
Bennett shut out Maumelle on just three hits over the first four innings while the Sox built a 7-0 lead.
They scored twice in the first thanks to five walks. In the second, Martin drew yet another free pass then raced to third on a double by Fitts. A wild pitch allowed Martin to score and Fitts to take third. Landers brought Fitts home with a sacrifice fly.
In the third, Kris Kuykendall drew a lead-off walk, Anthony Rose singled and Josh Caldwell walked to load the bases for Bennett. He too drew a walk to force in a run then Martin singled in a pair to make it 7-0.
With the help of an inning-opening error — Bryant’s lone miscue of the game — Maumelle broke the shutout with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth but Bryant got both back in the top of the sixth.
Allen Young drew a one-out walk then, with two down, Bennett and Martin slapped singles, the latter driving in Young. Fitts walked to load the bases then Landers was hit by a ptich to force in a run that made it 9-2.
In the bottom of the sixth, a pair of walks and a pair of singles produced a Maumelle run but the Sox turned an inning-ending doubleplay to keep it at that.
In Bryant’s seventh, Logan Critz tripled and scored on a single by Kuykendall. Young grounded into a force at second but Caldwell walked and Bennett singled singled in a run.
Martin’s third hit loaded the bases and Fitts brought in the final run with a sacrifice fly.
Bennett worked around a two-out walk in the bottom of the inning to finish off the complete-game victory.
In the opener, Bryant snapped a 5-5 tie with a run in the top of the fourth then Maumelle erupted for seven in the bottom of the inning. Bryant answered with six in the top of the fifth only to have Maumelle win the game with a bases-loaded single in the bottom of the final inning of the scheduled five-run game.
Landers, Critz, Kuykendall and Caldwell each had two hits for the Black Sox. Landers drove in three and Kuykendall, Caldwell and Martin each drove in a pair.
Maumelle broke on top with three runs in the bottom of the first. But Bryant retaliated with a five-run second. Critz doubled and scored on a single by Kuykendall for Bryant’s first run. An out later, Caldwell singled Kuykendall to third. He scored on a two-out base hit by Martin.
Fitts drew a walk to load the bases for Landers, who cleared them with a double to left-center.
Though Yant and Critz drew walks, the inning ended with bases full when Kuykendall’s liner was snared at short.
And Maumelle tied it up with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning.
Neither team scored in the third, but Bryant snapped the tie in the top of the fourth when Landers singled, stole second and scored on a double by Critz.
Again, however, the Sox left the bases loaded.
Maumelle’s big fourth was aided by four Bryant errors.
The Sox’ tying rally in the fifth began when Fitts was hit by a pitch with one out. He was forced at second on a grounder by Landers. But walks to Yant and Critz followed setting up an RBI single by Kuykendall. Rose reached on an error as Yant scored then Caldwell belted a two-run double to make it 12-10.
Bennett was hit by a pitch to load the bags again before Martin walked to force in one run and Fitts was hit by a pitch again to bring in the tying tally.
The comeback effort was spoiled, however, when Maumelle pushed a run across in the bottom of the inning.
