Junior Sox snap tie in home sixth, pick up second win at Omaha
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OMAHA, Neb. — Hunter Oglesby scored from third on a sacrifice fly by Jordan Gentry to snap a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the sixth then Connor Tatum pitched a 1-2-3 top of the seventh as the Everett Black Sox Junior American Legion team of Bryant won its second game of the 17-and-under Battle of Omaha. The 3-2 win over Independence, Mo., improved the Sox’ record to 9-4 on the season and 2-1 in the tournament going into a contest against Hickman-Norris of Hickman and Ferth, Neb.
Oglesby doubled to open the bottom of the sixth after and reached third when the ball was misplayed in right. Gentry tied into a 1-1 pitch for his sacrifice fly to left.
Tatum, who relieved starter Jake East in the fifth, didn’t allow a hit or a walk as he closed it out. He fanned four including one in the top of the seventh, which concluded with a comebacker to the mound.
The game was scoreless for three innings. The Sox threatened in the first when Tatum and Dylan Hurt each singled but were stranded. Independence loaded the bases in the second but East and the Sox escaped with a strikeout.
In the third, Independence made another bid to score with a one-out double but Hurt threw out the runner trying to steal third. That proved fortuitous when the next two batters singled. Again, East came up with a strikeout to get out of the jam.
In the fourth, however, the Missouri team used a single, a sacrifice and another hit to break the stalemate. The Sox got that run back in the bottom of the inning when Aaron Orender walked, took second on a balk and scored when Cameron Coleman ripped a triple to center. And when Coleman scored on a wild pitch, Bryant had a 2-1 lead.
In turn, Independence loaded the bases in the top of the fifth with a double and a pair of walked with one out. Tatum relieved and knocked down a shot back to the box. The tying run scored but he got the out at first and forced Independence to strand runners at second and third with a strikeout.
Tatum wound up retiring all eight batters he faced.
