OZARK, Mo. — The Bryant Black Sox Senior American Legion team was on the verge of advancing to the championship game of the Mid America Premier Showcase on Sunday with a 4-1 lead going into the seventh inning against Willard Baseball.
But Willard put together a rally for four runs in the top of the seventh then held the Sox scoreless in the bottom of the inning to forge a stunning 5-4 win over Bryant to advance.
It was the first loss of the tournament for the Black Sox, now 15-11-1 this season. They’re scheduled to host Russellville in a doubleheader on Tuesday.
Willard took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a walk and a long double. After that, however, right-hander Blaine Sears pitched shutout baseball into the top of the seventh inning when a lead-off double led to a pitching change. Willard had just two hits between the first-inning double and the seventh-inning double. Sears walked four and struck out eight.
The Sox took the lead in the bottom of the first. With two out, Logan Catton singled to right. He then sprinted home on a double into the left-field corner by Cade Drennan. Three pitches later, Peyton Dillon doubled to chase home Logan White, who was in as a courtesy runner for the Bryant catcher.
After Sears set down the side in order in the top of the second, the Sox tacked on. Brayden Lester walked and took second on a wild pitch. He stole third as Lawson Speer was drawing a free pass. The duo then worked a double steal with Speer staying in a rundown long enough for Lester to score.
Willard managed a one-out walk in the third but nothing more. In the top of the fourth, a lead-off single and a walk started the inning but a tap back to Sears resulted in a force at third. The next batter struck out. A fly to Coby Greiner in center ended the threat.
In the bottom of the inning, Speer ripped a triple with two out and two strikes. Noah Davis singled to make it 4-1.
Sears worked around a lead-off walk in the top of the fifth and, in turn, a lead-off single by Drennan went for naught.
A two-out double was wasted by Willard in the top of the sixth but, after the Sox were retired in order, Sears was greeted by a double to start the seventh.
Tyler Bates relieved and surrendered a bloop single to put runners at the corners. The next batter was struck by a 1-1 pitch to fill the bases.
With a 3-0 count, Greiner was called in to relieve. He completed the walk and the score was 4-2. On a 2-2 count, a single drove in a pair of tie the game. A sacrifice fly made it 5-4 before Greiner induced a doubleplay ball on a comebacker to end the uprising.
In Bryant’s seventh, Catton worked a one-out walk against the Willard closer. But a fly to center and pop to first brought the game to an end.
Willard went on to play the Arkansas Knights in the championship game late this afternoon.
