Bryant AA drubs Rams in opener
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By ROB PATRICK
BRYANT TIMES
Zach Sanders went 3-for-3 and Danny Reimenschneider drove in four runs with a single and a double as the Bryant Blacksox AA American Legion team made its debut for 2004 with an 11-1 romp over the Hot Springs Lakeside Rams A squad on Tuesday, May 18.
The Sox racked up 11 hits while Aaron Beard and Tanner Zuber combined to limit the Rams to three hits including a double and a single in the fourth inning that produced their only run.
Bryant took the lead with a two-run first. Devin Hurt walked with one out and took second on an errant pickoff throw. He remained there with two down before Aaron Davidson came through with a clutch RBI single.
A base hit by Sanders and a walk to John Newman extended the inning, loading the bases for Lance Hodges, who beat out an infield hit to drive in a run. Sanders tried to catch Lakeside napping and sneak home on the play, as well, but was thrown out.
In the second, the Sox picked right up where they’d left off as Gaston Youngblood singled. Zach Kellum put down a good sacrifice bunt and when Lakeside pitcher Ray Slayton threw wildly to first, he reached safely and Youngblood raced to third.
Kellum swiped second then Reimenschneider drilled a two-run single to make it 4-0.
The lead doubled in the third. With one out, Sanders singled. Newman followed with a slow roller to third. Lakeside’s third baseman Seth Harris tried to get a force at second but his throw was off line and Sanders picked up third base as well. He and Sanders then worked a double steal to produce a run. And when a bad throw resulted, Newman reached third. He scored when Hodges singled.
After Youngblood grounded into a force at second, the inning continued with a walk to Kellum. Reimenschneider then capped the inning with a double that chased both Youngblood and Kellum across the plate to make it 8-0.
After Lakeside scored, the Sox completed the scoring in the bottom of the inning. Hurt was hit by a pitch then raced all the way home from first on a double by Casey Grisham. An error allowed Davidson to reach but, on a delayed break to third, Grisham was thrown out.
Sanders, however, cracked a triple to center to make it 10-1 then Newman singled to bring him in.
