FAYETTEVILLE — The Bryant Black Sox Junior American Legion team wrapped up play in the 16 and under Showcase Series of the Chad Wolff Classic with a win and a loss on Saturday. In the afternoon, they downed the Poplar Bluff, Mo., Vipers, 7-2 at the University of Arkansas’ Baum Stadium. Saturday evening, they were tied with the Arkansas Prospects, 3-3, only to have the Prospects snap the tie with a run in the bottom of the sixth. They held the Sox scoreless in the top of the seventh to earn the 4-3 victory.
The Bryant 15-and-under team is scheduled to host Bauxite for a doubleheader on Monday, June 18, and the Bryant 17-and-under team is set to play twice in Fort Smith on Tuesday, June 19.
Black Sox 7, Vipers 2
Ryan Riggs had two hits and four runs batted in to lead the Sox to victory. Garrett Wilson split the six-innings with Blaine Sears. Wilson allowed two runs on four hits with four walks and two strikeouts. Sears blanked the Vipers on three hits over the final three frames, walking one and fanning three.
The Sox took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Noah Davis drew a one-out walk and Peyton Dillon was hit by a pitch. Wilson singled in the first run then Kannon Allison, in as a courtesy runner, stole second to set the stage for Riggs’ two-run single up the middle.
Wilson pitched out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the top of the second. A hot one-hopper to Zion Collins at first resulted in a force at the plate for the second out then a strikeout ended the threat.
But the Vipers broke through with two runs in the top of the third. After a lead-off single, Wilson retired two batters and came within a strike of getting through the inning unscathed. But a walk and another pair of singles made it 3-2.
It stayed that way until the bottom of the fourth when Collins led off with a triple and, with one out, Aaron Morgan singled him in.
After Poplar Bluff was unable to take advantage of a one-out hit in the top of the fifth, the Sox increased the margin in the home half. Dillon singled and Will Hathcote drew a walk. After a double steal with Tyler Bates in to run for Hathcote, Riggs ripped a two-run double to make it 6-2.
Jarod Yarbrough, running for Riggs, moved up to third on the wild pitch then scored on a sacrifice. Fly by Slade Renfrow to make it 7-2.
The Vipers loaded the bases in the top of the sixth on a pair of singles and a walk. But Sears got a strikeout then induced a fly to Speer in center to protect the lead.
Prospects 4, Black Sox 3
The Sox rallied from a 3-1 deficit to tie the game in the top of the fifth. In the bottom of the sixth, a lead-off single, a wild pitch and a groundout got a runner to third for the Prospects. An RBI single made it 4-3.
In the top of the seventh, Morgan led off with a lined single to right but the Propects turned a doubleplay before Sears ripped a double to right. Speer popped out to the first baseman to end the game.
The Prospects had taken a 1-0 lead in the home first on a lead-off double and a bloop single. After that, starter Christian Motes settled in and got out of the inning.
Wilson singled in the top of the second but was stranded. In turn, Motes worked around a pair of knocks in the bottom of the second. A grounder to Collins at third resulted in a force at the bag.
The Sox managed to tie it in the top of the fourth. Noah Davis singled and was sacrificed to second by Riggs. With two away, Davis stole third and Renfrow drew a walk. Collins came through with the RBI single.
In the bottom of the inning, however, the Prospects snapped the tie with a pair of runs. Two walks, a sacrifice and a two-out, two-strike double made it 3-1.
Bryant countered in the top of the fifth with Sears getting the offense going with a one-out single to center. Speer bounced one up the middle and Davis drilled a knock to left to get Sears home.
Riggs followed with a pop to the shallow outfield that the second baseman tracked down. The speedy Speer tagged at third and beat the throw to the plate to make it 3-3.
The Prospects started the home fifth with a single but, on a fly to right, Morgan fired back in to first to double up the runner.
But the Sox were set down in order in the top of the sixth, setting up the difference-making home sixth for the Prospects.
