Queck, Jr. Sox blank LR Blue
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
Austin Queck tossed a five-hit shutout and the Bryant Black Sox Junior American Legion team blew open a close game with a seven-run sixth on the way to snapping a three-game skid with a 9-0 win over the Little Rock Post 1 Blue Juniors on Monday, June 23.
Queck fanned four and pitched around four walks, a hit batsman and an error, forcing Blue to strand 10 base runners.
Austin Benning, Garrett Bock, Brady Butler and Hunter Alford each had two hits for the Sox against Blue lefty Mack Yeary. The game was scoreless until the fourth. After Queck had worked out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the top of the inning, the Sox broke through. Bock’s infield hit was the spark. Butler followed with a single that was misplayed in right, putting runners at second and third. Jonathan Wade picked up an RBI with a groundout then Butler scored when Alford’s roller to short was booted.
The only inning in which Blue didn’t put someone on base was the fifth when Queck eased through the top of the lineup on just eight pitches. In the sixth, however, Little Rock loaded the bases again on a single and a pair of two-out walks but Queck got Patrick Anderson to fly out to Bock in center to end the threat.
In turn, the Sox blew the game up and nearly made it a run-rule win. Benning started things off the with a single. Base hits by Bock and Butler loaded the bases for Ben Wells, who singled in the first run. Wade singled as well, to make it 4-0. Alford’s single to right not only brought Butler in but, when it was misplayed in the outfield, Wells followed. B.J. Ellis added an RBI single, the seventh consecutive hit by the Sox. With one out, Sergio Arias reached on an error to load the sacks again. Benning’s second hit of the inning made it 8-0. Ellis was forced at the plate for the second out on a bouncer to short by Bock but a walk to Butler forced in run number nine.
Queck worked around a two-out walk in the top of the seventh to wrap up the victory.
The win improved the Sox to 16-10 going into a rugged pool at the Peoples Bank Wood Bat Classic at Sheridan beginning Thursday, June 26. They were set to play Senior teams from Lake Hamilton and North Little Rock (on Friday) then a tough AA team from Woodlawn on Saturday.
