Junior Sox make it three straight with 10-5 win over LR Blue
EDITOR’S NOTE: In this time of COVID-19, with no sports action, BryantDaily.com will be posting 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
Through three innings the Bryant Black Sox and Little Rock Post 1 Blue Junior American Legion teams were trading licks (and some self-inflicted bruises). Though the Sox had the better of it at that point, 9-5, it looked like the back-and-forth would continue when Blue’s Ethan Shepard and David Waterson smacked back-to-back two-out singles in the top of the fourth.
But Bryant starter Dylan Pritchett took that moment to get tough — bow up, as the coaches like to say. He struck out No. 3 hitter Derrick Grimmett and, after working out of another jam in the fifth, shut the Little Rock team out the rest of the way as the Sox notched their third straight win, 10-5, at Bryant High School Field on Saturday night.
It was the third game in a row that Bryant scored in double figures too as they head down the home stretch, building momentum for the start of District Tournament play on July 3 in Sheridan. They improved to 12-7 overall with a tentatively scheduled contest at White Hall set for Thursday, June 25. They’ll wrap up the regular season with a pair of games at North Little Rock on Sunday, June 28, before hosting Benton in the finale on Monday, June 29.[more]
The Sox spotted Blue a 1-0 lead in the first when Waterson walked, stole second and, with two down, scored on a bloop single by Antonio Gayden.
In the bottom of the inning, Chris Joiner led off with a single for Bryant. He stole second and, after Pritchett drew a one-out walk, moved to third on a slow roller off Landon Pickett’s bat that Blue pitcher Derrick Grimmett fielded. His throw to first was just in time to retire Pickett.
Grimmett appeared to be out of the inning but Milam’s grounder to short was booted. Joiner scored and the Sox proceeded to take advantage, racking up five runs in the inning.
Evan Jobe and Tyler Brown each singled in a run. Brodie Nixon followed with a tap to third that drew a wild throw to first allowing both Jobe and Brown to score, making it 5-1.
Pritchett started the second with some control problems. He hit Mack Yeary then walked Patrick Anderson and Taylor Knox to load the bases. Justin Jackson singled in two runs then Shepard singled in a third to make it 5-4. But Pickett, the Bryant catcher, threw out Jackson when he tried a delayed steal of third and, moments later, gunned down Shepard as he tried to swipe second.
Pritchett struck out Waterson to preserve the lead.
Lucas Castleberry reached on an error to start the bottom of the inning and, with two down, scored all the way from first when Milam’s fly to right was dropped.
Post 1 got that run back in the top of the third but lost a chance to get more. Grimmett beat out an infield hit then raced to third on a double by Gayden. After Josh Hale fouled out to Pickett, a suicide squeeze play blew up for the Little Rock team. Yeary missed the pitch and Pickett tagged out Grimmett.
Yeary went on to beat out an infield hit and he and Gayden worked a double steal to get a run home. But, with the tying run at second, Pritchett struck out Patrick Anderson and the game went to the home third with Bryant clinging to a 6-5 edge.
A one-out walk to Joiner was followed by a grounder to third off Castleberry’s bat. Joiner was forced at second but the bid to make it an inning-ending doubleplay resulted in a wild throw to first. Castleberry wound up at second and when Pritchett cracked a triple to right-center, the Sox lead was 7-5.
Pickett drew a walk then Milam came through with a clutch RBI single to make it 8-5.
Grimmett gave way to Yeary on the mound but the new hurler was greeted by Jobe’s looping double down the right-field line which got Pickett home.
Pritchett worked out of the fourth-inning jam but Yeary pitched around singles by Blake Davidson and Pritchett with the help of his catcher, Jackson, who threw Pritchett out trying to steal second to end the threat.
Blue proceeded to load the bases in the top of the fifth on a one-out bloop single by Hale, an error and a two-out walk but Pritchett struck out Jackson to escape unscathed once again.
Pickett walked again to start the bottom of the fifth. Milam’s fly to left was dropped and, after a wild pitch moved them up a base, Brown lifted a sacrifice fly to right to account for the final run.
In the sixth, Waterson smacked a one-out double to give Little Rock hope but Grimmett grounded out to short and Gayden struck out to end the game.
BRYANT 10, LITTLE ROCK POST 1 5
Junior Division
Blue ab r h bi Black Sox ab r h bi
Shepard, ss 4 0 2 1 Joiner, cf 3 1 1 0
Waterson, lf 3 1 2 0 Castleberry, ss 4 2 0 0
Grimmett, p-1b 4 0 1 0 Pritchett, p 3 2 2 1
Gayden, cf 4 1 2 1 Pickett, c 2 2 0 0
Hale, 3b-rf 3 0 1 0 Milam, lf 4 1 1 1
Yeary, 1b-p 2 1 1 0 Jobe, rf 3 1 2 2
Anderson, 2b 2 1 0 0 Brown, 2b 1 1 1 2
Knox, rf 0 1 0 0 Nixon, 3b 4 0 0 0
Kurris, 3b 1 0 0 0 Davidson, 1b 3 0 1 0
Jackson, c 3 0 1 2
Totals 26 5 10 4 Totals 27 10 8 6
LR Blue 131 000 — 5
BRYANT 513 01x — 10
E—Shepard 2, Hale, Anderson 2, Knox, Joiner, Castleberry, Waterson. LOB—LR Blue 8, Bryant 10. 2B—Gayden, Jobe, Waterson. 3B—Pritchett. SB—Joiner, Waterson, Gayden, Yeary. SF—Brown.
Pitching ip r er h bb so
LR Blue
Grimmett (L) 2.2 8 4 5 5 1
Yeary 2.1 1 0 3 1 2
Bryant
Pritchett 6 5 5 10 4 6
HBP—Yeary (by Pritchett), Brown (by Yeary). WP—Pritchett, Yeary. PB—Pickett.
