NORTH LITTLE ROCK — After a 13-2 win that included a two-run homer by Cameron Coleman, the Bryant Everett Black Sox Junior American Legion team appeared to be on their way to a doubleheader sweep over North Little Rock Thursday night. They were one out away from a 5-4 victory when North Little Rock put together a two-run rally to walk off with a 6-5 win in the five-inning nightcap, earning a split.
In the opener, the Sox scored three times in the third then added five in the fourth for an 8-0 lead. North Little Rock scored a run in the bottom of the fourth only to have Bryant erupt for five in the top of the fifth.
Christian Harp went the distance on the mound for the five-inning victory. He allowed the two runs, both unearned, on four hits with five strikeouts.
The Sox benefited from 13 walks and two hit batsmen with six hits including Coleman’s third-inning blast.
It was scoreless when Brandon Hoover drew a free pass to lead off the third. He advanced to second on a passed ball as the count went to 3-1 on Coleman who unloaded on the next pitch to right-center.
The Sox added another run in the inning. Scott Schmidt walked and Harp pulled a single to left. Matthew Sandidge drew a walk to load the bases and Schmidt scored when Jeffrey Hastings grounded into a force at second.
In the fourth, Myers Buck and Hoover were each hit by pitches to set things up for Coleman again. He ripped a single to right-center to drive in a run. Schmidt’s fly to right was dropped allowing Hoover to score, making it 5-0.
As Harp was drawing a walk, both Coleman and Schmidt scored on passed balls. Walks to Sandidge and Ethan Thompson loaded the bases and, again, Hastings put the ball in play to pick up an RBI on another fielder’s choice.
Harp had retired the side in order in the first and third innings. In the second, he pitched around a pair of lead-off singles. In the fourth, he surrendered a lead-off single but got the next batter to bounce into a force. Another base hit and an error brought the run around before catcher Grayson Prince ended the inning by throwing out one runner trying to take third and, moments later, another trying to swipe second.
Bryant’s fifth-inning burst began when Hoover reached on an error. Coleman walked and when Schmidt beat out a bunt single, the bases were loaded. With one out, Sandidge shot a single to center. Thompson’s grounder to third was booted then Hastings walked. Buck capped off the inning with a run-scoring single.
North Little Rock tacked on a run in the bottom of the fifth on a double, a passed ball and an errant throw before Harp closed it out.
The second game was tied 3-3 going into the fourth. The Sox scored twice to regain the lead. Hastings reached on an error as did Buck. Hoover came through with a two-out RBI single then Coleman doubled in a run.
North Little Rock trimmed a run off the 5-3 lead in the home fourth then forced the Sox to strand a runner at second in the top of the fifth.
Buck, who relieved Hoover in the third and got out of a jam after North Little Rock had tied it with a couple of runs, set down the first two in the bottom of the fifth. But a pair of singles, a hit batsman, a walk and a final base hit produced the game-winning rally for North Little Rock.
Bryant had taken a 2-0 lead in the opening frame. Buck reached on an error and Coleman singled him to third. After Coleman swiped second, Schmidt walked. A balk allowed Buck to score and, after a walk to Harp filled the sacks, Sandidge singled to make it 2-0.
North Little Rock got on the board with a run in the second with a walk, a stolen base and a single.
Bryant got that run back in the top of the third. Coleman, who was 3 for 3 in the game and 5 for 5 on the night with two walks, cracked a single to left. He stole his way to third then scored on a clutch two-out double by Harp.
Down 3-1, North Little Rock tied it in the bottom of the inning. Buck came on with one out and forced them to strand the potential go-ahead run at third. He got a strikeout and a groundout.
After the Sox regained the upper hand in the top of the fourth, North Little Rock used a walk, a two-out single and an error to plate a run.
Harp led off the fifth with a walk and took second on a passed ball but got no further, setting the stage for North Little Rock’s comeback.
