SPRINGDALE — In a consolation brackets contest at the Five Tool Showcase Tournament in northwest Arkansas, the Bryant Black Sox Junior American Legion team grabbed a 3-0 lead over the Skills Baseball (15U) team in the bottom of the second on Sunday. Josh Turner made that hold up until running into trouble in the fourth when Skills rallied for four runs to take the lead. That wound up holding up for a 4-3 win, leaving Bryant 1-3 in the tournament and 20-7 overall going into a trip to Fort Smith on Tuesday, July 2.
The Junior Legion State Tournament is set for July 12-16 at UCA in Conway.
The Sox were limited to just one hit in the game, a single by Will Hathcote, which didn’t come until two were out in the bottom of the sixth.
Skills’ first two batters in the game hit singles but Turner retired the next two batters then catcher Ryan Riggs threw out the trail runner when he tried to steal second to end the inning.
He pitched a 1-2-3 second.
In the bottom of the second, Peyton Dillon drew a lead-off walk then J.T. Parker walked as well. Hathcote was hit by a pitch to load up the bases before Kyler Pabon earned a free pass to force in the game’s first tally.
Dakota Clay came through with a sacrifice fly that allowed Hathcote to tag and got to third as well. Pabon went to second when the throw into the infield got away. Moments later, as Blaine Sears was working a walk, a wild pitch allowed Hathcote to score the third run.
Skills was retired in quick fashion in the top of the third but so were the Sox in the bottom of the inning.
A bunt single started Skills’ fourth-inning uprising. An error followed as two were aboard. After a wild pitch put both in scoring position, a single drove them home, making it 3-2. Moments later, on a 2-1 pitch, a homerun put Skills ahead 4-3.
Tyler Bates relieved and retired the side, holding Skills the rest of the way as he fanned eight in four innings. He pitched around a one-out walk and a single in the top of the fifth then a one-out double in the top of the sixth. The seventh went 1-2-3.
Meanwhile, the Sox mustered mothering in the fourth nor fifth. In the sixth, J.T. Parker reached on a third-strike wild pitch then Hathcote blooped his single to center. Parker went to third but was thrown out trying to come home, ending the threat.
The Sox were set down in order in the bottom of the seventh.
