Junior Sox add second win in pool play in Georgia
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CARTERSVILLE, Ga. — Peyton Dillon snapped a 2-2 tie with an RBI triple in the bottom of the fourth and, behind the pitching of Will McEntire, with seventh-inning relief from Jake Wright, the Bryant Black Sox Junior American Legion team downed USA Showcase Blue, 5-2, this morning.
The win made the Sox 2-0 in pool play, which they’ll wrap up Saturday afternoon at 2 against KCXtreme. Bracket play begins Sunday.
McEntire pitched the first six innings, fanned six and walked just one. He surrendered just four hits all of which came in the top of the third when Showcase grabbed a 2-0 lead. The Bryant right-hander allowed just one base-runner the rest of his stint, a lead-off walk in the fourth that was erased when catcher Ryan Lessenberry threw to second on a steal attempt. The runner headed back to first but shortstop Konnor Clontz threw back to Dillon at first for the out.
Wright worked a 1-2-3 seventh to close out the win. He needed just six pitches.
USA’s lead didn’t last long. In the bottom of the third, Dillon lined a one-out single to center. He advanced on a groundout by Lessenberry then scored when Clontz’s grounder to short was misplayed.
Logan Chambers singled Clontz to third then Wright doubled in the tying run.
The Sox took the lead in the fourth. After two were retired, Cade Drennan beat out an infield hit. A pitch later, Dillon drilled his triple. Lessenberry singled him in and the Sox led 4-2.
After McEntire eased through the top of the fifth, Coby Greiner smacked a one-out single in the home half. Greiner stole second and third before Logan Catton drew a walk. On a pickoff attempt at first, Greiner took off for home and beat the relay to make it 5-2.
In the bottom of the sixth, Clontz drew a one-out walk then so did Chambers. But Clontz was caught trying to steal third. With Chambers at second, Wright reached on an error at short but Greiner was robbed of a hit by USA shortstop Jake Lutz.
