Black Sox smudge Oxford Printing
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LITTLE ROCK — The Bryant Black Sox A American Legion team scored in every inning including five times in the top of the fifth to earn a run-rule victory over Little Rock Oxford Printing, 13-4 in five innings at Fair High School Wednesday, May 26.
The Sox took advantage of 12 walks and two hit batsmen with eight hits from eight different players to rack up their 13 runs.
Right-hander Chris Sory took a three-hitter into the bottom of the fifth then finished things off by limiting the Printers to just two runs in that final frame despite three hits, two Bryant errors and a hit batter.
The Sox jumped to a 4-0 lead in the first three innings. In the opening at-bat, a walk to Luke Brown, a single by Dustin Morris and a free pass to Beau Hamblin loaded the bases for Zack Dickson who delivered the game’s first run with a sacrifice fly.
In the second, one-out walks to David Mitchem, Hunter Gregory and Brown loaded the bases again. This time, a wild pitch by Oxford pitcher Chris Beasley allowed the run to score.
In the top of the third, Dickson singled and Sean Sebourn walked. Dickson was forced out at third on a grounder to short by Brad Bryan but, moments later, a wild pickoff throw enabled Sebourn and Bryan to move to second and third. Drew Lawson chased them home with a double.
After working around a two-out double in the first and an inning-opening error in the second, Sory surrendered a pair of runs in the third though Oxford needed the help of a Bryant error to get both runs home.
But the Sox trumped that in the top of the fourth, scoring four times without a hit. Oxford kicked the ball three times and reliever Jeremy Cummings issued three walks a hit a batter as 10 Bryant players came to the plate.
Sory worked a 1-2-3 home fourth, keeping it 8-2 then the Sox put the game away in the top of the fifth. Hamblin started the final uprising with a triple. After Ryan Sanders was hit by a pitch, a wild pitch allowed Hamblin to score.
With one down, Brad Bryan walked and Mark Smith chased home two runs with another three-bagger. Mitchem singled in Smith to make it 12-2.
A double by Hunter Gregory send Mitchem to third and he scored the final tally on a grounder to short by Eric Harrison.
Oxford tried to mount a comeback in the bottom of the inning. Derrick Fleming singled and took second when the ball was misplayed in the outfield. He stole third and scored on a single by Ryan Mahaffey. An error allowed Mahaffey to reach second. Sory hit the next batter to put runners at first and second but he regained his control to strike out Chris Harris. Gerald Harris singled in Mahaffey but then Sory got the next two batters to pop out to end the ballgame.
