Bryant makes quick work of Ricemen
EDITOR’S NOTE: In this time of COVID-19, with no sports action, BryantDaily.com will be posting 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
STUTTGART — It was over before the skeeters came out.
Usually, an American Legion baseball game at Stuttgart means bug spray, repellent candles, and a couple of trips past the ballpark in the fogger truck to keep the mosquitoes to nearly bearable.
But when the Bryant Black Sox Senior team visited on Tuesday, June 17, an early start and an early finish enabled the fans and players to escape the usual feeding frenzy from the bugs. Instead, the feeding frenzy descended on the Stuttgart pitchers as Bryant hammered out 17 runs in the first three innings including 10 in the second to bury the Ricemen 17-1.
Jordan Knight drove in seven runs in the first two innings with a three-run double and a grand slam homer to lead the attack. Kaleb Jobe went 4-for-4 with four runs batted in and four other Sox — Garrett Bock, Tyler Sawyer, David Guarno and Sergio Arias — had two hits.
Sawyer, Matt Hargrave and Preston Adami, meanwhile, limited the Ricemen to one unearned run on two hits in the five-inning contest.
The Sox’ first run was a gift. Jobe singled with one down in the first inning then Stuttgart starter Travis Davenport walked Sawyer and Guarno to load the bases so that when Tyler Pickett was hit by a pitch, it forced in a run. Moments later, Knight drilled a double to left-center to clear the bags and make it 4-0.
After Sawyer pitched around an error and a single in the bottom of the inning, the game officially became a rout in the second. Jonathan Wade reached on an error to start the ferris wheel. Arias walked and Bock beat out a bunt for a single to load the bags. Jobe delivered a run with a sacrifice fly and, with two down, Guarno singled in another. Pickett was hit by a pitch again before Knight unloaded on a fat 1-0 offering from Davenport to make it 10-0.
Walks to Drew Ransdell and Wade kept the inning going. After a pitching change, Arias reached on a throwing error that allowed Ransdell to score. Bock was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Jobe who drilled a single to right to chase home two more. Sawyer capped the inning with an RBI single.
The carnage continued in the third. Knight walked but was forced at second on a grounder by Ransdell. After a wild pitch and a strikeout, Arias smacked a single up the middle to drive him in. Bock singled to set up Jobe who doubled in a run. Sawyer singled and it was 17-0.
Stuttgart’s lone run came in the fourth on a walk, a stolen base and an error.
