Key hits lift AA Sox to 8-5 win
EDITOR’S NOTE: Because the look back at each day in Bryant athletic history has been so favorably received during the time when there were no sports during the COVID-19 shutdown, BryantDaily.com will continue 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
LITTLE ROCK — Tyler Pickett’s two-out, two-run triple keyed a four-run fourth and Preston Adami’s two-out, two-run double in the fifth provided some cushion as the Bryant Black Sox AA American Legion team notched their 20th win of the season, 8-5, over Little Rock Post 1 Red at UALR’s Gary Hogan Field on Tuesday, June 27.
Justin Gaddy went the distance on the mound for the Sox, improving to 3-0 on the season.
The Sox held a 2-1 lead going into the fourth. Their two had been produced in the second when David Guarno reached on an error then beat a throw to second on Logan Cruse’s sacrifice bunt attempt. Guarno took third when Cody Walker bounced into a force at second then scored when Jeremy Burge’s grounder to third resulted in a wild throw to the plate.
Walker, who reached third on the play, came home moments later on Jake Jackson’s sacrifice fly.
Red managed a run in the third on a single, a sacrifice and a wild pitch ahead of Scott Chalene’s RBI single.
Bryant’s fourth began with an opposite field single by Cruse and a base hit to left center by Walker. A wild pitch moved them up to second and third for Burge, who delivered Cruse with a sacrifice fly.
Unfortunately, the play at the plate was close enough that Cruse had to slide and, as it turned out even though the throw was wild, he suffered a broken hand which ends his season.
Walker, who wound up at third on the play, who score on a groundout by Trent Daniel after Adami was hit by a pitch and Jackson walked to load the bases. That set up Pickett’s drive to center which sailed over the head of Red outfielder Phillip Lay after he misjudged it.
Gaddy retired Post 1 on just five pitches in the bottom of the inning and, in the top of the fifth, the Sox got Guarno and Walker aboard head of Adami’s double which he sliced down the right-field line.
Red tried to rally, picking up two runs in the sixth and two more in the seventh. With the potential tying run at the plate, Gaddy got Red cleanup hitter Matt DeSalvo to ground to Jackson at short for a game-ending force out.
