Junior Sox forge 5-3 win over Southside Prospects
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CONWAY — It took a couple of innings for Micah Holyfield to get his bearings on the mound today but when he did, he was able to close out the Bryant Black Sox Junior American Legion team’s 5-3 win over the Southside Prospects 16-and-under team from the St. Louis area at a showcase tournament game at Conway High School.
Holyfield picked up the win in relief of Jacob Wright. Though he allowed a run in the fourth and two in the fifth, he blanked the Prospects over the last two frames. The Sox snapped a 1-1 tie with three runs in the bottom of the fourth and withstood Southside’s rally, adding an insurance run in the sixth.
Bryant is 2-1 in pool play in the tournament and is scheduled to close out that portion of the tournament Sunday at UCA against the Ozark Baseball Club 16U team from Ozark, Mo. First pitch is expected at 12:30 p.m.
Offensively, the Sox banged out 10 hits including three by Logan Chambers and two each from Wright and Scott Schmidt. Brandon Hoover drove in three runs with a bases-loaded double in the fourth.
Wright started on the mound by striking out the side in the first. He then singled to start the home half of the inning. After stealing second, Wright went to third when Hoover reached on an error. Schmidt stroked a single to right to drive him home.
On a third-strike wild pitch and a pair of walks, the Prospects loaded the bases with one out in the second. But Wright fanned a batter and got the third out on a pop up to Schmidt at second.
The Sox were unable to add on in the home second despite a walks to Ryan Lessenberry and Wright plus a single by Chambers. Hoover flew out to end the inning.
But he would come through the next time he came up with the bases full.
The Prospects loaded the bases in the top of the third on a third-strike wild pitch and a pair of two-out walks but, again, Wright wriggled off the hook to keep it 1-0.
Holyfield took over in the fourth and, after striking out the first batter, issued a walk. A balk and a wild pitch allowed the runner to reach third. He scored from there on a sacrifice fly, tying the game.
The Sox came right back with their big fourth. Lessenberry and Konnor Clontz each reached on an error. With Jacob Coppock in to run for Lessenberry, the Sox’ catcher, Chambers singled to load the bags. On an 0-1 pitch, Hoover banged a double to center to make it 4-1.
Schmidt singled as they made a bid to add on but Hoover was thrown out at the plate to end the inning.
Southside used a hit batsman and three singles to score twice in the top of the fifth, cutting the margin to 4-3. With the potential tying run on third and go-ahead run at second, Holyfield escaped by inducing a grounder to Schmidt at second to send it to the home fifth.
Sawyer Holt singled in the home fifth but the Prospects turned a doubleplay to keep it 4-3.
A one-out single in the top of the sixth gave them hope of a rally but Lessenberry threw out the runner when he tried to steal second. A base hit to center followed but a comebacker to Holyfield brought the inning to a close.
Insurance came in the bottom of the sixth when Lessenberry singled. Coppock came on to run and reached second on a sacrifice by Clontz. Wright chased the run home with a double to left.
They made a bid to get more when Chambers singled and Hoover was issued an intentional walk to fill the sacks but a popout and a fly to left ended the inning.
Holyfield proceeded to close it out in style. After a fly to Holt in center produced the first out, Holyfield struck out the last two batters.
