Streak includes 15-2 thumping of LR Red
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).
By ROB PATRICK
BRYANT TIMES
LITTLE ROCK — Maybe the Bryant Black Sox AA American Legion team likes hitting at UALR’s Gary Hogan Field. For the second night in a row, the Sox put up double digits in hits and runs and eased to victory at Hogan. After blasting Little Rock Blue, 11-3, in six innings on Monday, June 27, they buried Little Rock Red, 15-2 in four frames on Tuesday.
It was Bryant’s third consecutive win after a stretch in which they’d lost five of seven.
David Martin and Justin Gaddy each drove in three runs. Martin and Joey Winiecki had two hits apiece.
A nine-run second turned a scoreless game into a laugher. The Sox sent 13 batters to the plate and used four hits to take advantage of three Red errors and four walks.
Tyler Pickett’s lead-off single got things started. David Guarno then grounded to third baseman Brad Kisinger who tried to get a force on Ryan Wilson, running for Pickett, at second. But the throw was wild and Wilson got to third and Guarno to second on the play.
A walk to Ryan Guffey loaded the bases then a wild pitch brought in the first run. Aaron Beard drew a walk to load the bases for Alex Kehrees. A grounder to short looked like another force play but another throwing error resulted and both Guarno and Guffey were able to score, making it 3-0.
Another walk, this time to Joey Winiecki kept the inning going and Martin singled in a fourth tally.
Devin Hurt’s grounder to third resulted in a force out at the plate but Red catcher Jake Durham made a bad throw to first trying to get the doubleplay and both Winiecki and Martin raced home as Hurt sprinted all the way to third. Moments later, he scored on a groundout off Gaddy’s bat.
A walk to Pickett ended the moundwork of hard-luck starter Matt Webb. Matt Tappan relieved and was greeted by Guarno, who pulled a double down the left field line, setting the table for Guffey who’s two-run single to left completed the scoring blitz.
In the fourth, the Sox picked up where they left off. Kehrees walked and Wilson, pinch-running, took second on a sacrifice bunt by Winiecki. Martin singled him home.
Hurt’s double forced another pitching change but Gaddy had a rude greeting for the new hurler too, belting a two-run double over the center fielder’s head. And when the relay was off-target, Gaddy wound up at third on the play. Pickett brought him home with a sacrifice fly, making it 13-0.
Bryant starter Aaron Beard, who gave up one hit and two walks in two innings of work, gave way to Gaston Youngblood. Making his first appearance on the mound since June 5, Youngblood struggled with his control. A lead-off single, a pair of walks and a sacrifice fly got Red on the board. A wild pitch made it 13-2.
Tanner Zuber relieved after a third walk and retired the next four batters to finish the game.
Bryant tacked on a pair of runs in the top of the fourth when Youngblood drew a walk and scored on a long double by Michael Haydon. Winiecki singled Haydon to third and he scored from there on a groundout by Martin.
