Junior Sox hammer out win over St. Louis team
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CONWAY — Logan Catton went 3 for 3, scored four runs and knocked in two as the hot-hitting Bryant Black Sox Junior American Legion team won their fifth game in a row on Friday night, 13-3, over the STL Prospects White at Hendrix College.
It was the fourth time in those five games that the Sox scored in double digits. They scored nine runs in the other victory. The barrage has unfolded after Bryant was shut out three times in its previous four contests.
Against the St. Louis team, the Sox scored early and often, taking advantage of 10 walks with 10 hits. Over the first three innings they scored 12 runs.
Myers Buck earned the win on the mound, pitching four innings in the five-frame contest. He allowed just three hits, two unearned runs with three walks and five strikeouts. Micah Holyfield pitched the fifth allowing a run on one hit.
The Sox wound up committing six errors in the game.
At the plate, Coby Greiner added two hits while Brooks Ellis, Logan Chambers and Christian Harp each knocked in a pair of runs.
A four-run burst in the first got things going in the right direction. It came after Buck worked around a pair of walks and an error in the opening half-inning.
Jacob Wright walked and Catton beat out a bunt for a hit. Greiner, bunting as well, beat his out for a hit to load the bases. Ellis waited out a walk to force in a run then Chambers made it 2-0 with a sacrifice fly.
Greiner and Ellis worked a double steal before Sawyer Holt drew a four-pitch pass to fill the sacks again. Walks to Konnor Clontz and Buck made it 4-0.
Buck fanned two in the top of the second the overcome a lead-off single and an error.
The Sox tacked on two in the bottom of the second. Catton beat out an infield hit and Greiner walked. Catton stole third and Ellis was drilled on the second pitch by a new hurler. Chambers again came through with a sacrifice fly and Harp followed suit as the lead ballooned to 6-0.
A single and three errors produced the Prospects’ first two runs in the top of the third but the Sox blew the game up with six in the home half.
The uprising commenced when Clontz lined a single to left. He took second on a wild pitch as Buck drew a free pass. Wright was plunked and the sacks were jammed once again. Clift Chaffin came on as a courtesy runner for Buck while Ryan Taylor subbed in as a courtesy runner for Wright, the Bryant catcher.
That brought up Catton who lined a single to right to knock in two. Greiner lashed a double to drive in Taylor and, after Ellis walked, Harp’s infield hit made it 10-2. And when an errant throw resulted, Greiner scored as well.
Holt capped the inning with a bloop single to left, making it 12-2.
A pair of errors on either side of a walk had the bases juiced for the Prospects in the top of the fourth but Buck ended the threat with a strikeout.
In return, Catton walked, took second on a wild pitch, stole third and scored on a single to right by Ellis.
The St. Louis team managed a final run on a single, a wild pitch, a groundout and a sacrifice bunt in the top of the fifth before Holyfield got the final out on a fly to Holt in left.
Bryant was set to continue tournament play on Saturday at 3:45 p.m., against the Rawlings Tigers Silver at Central Baptist College.
Special thanks to J’Ann Boyd
