Pitchers for Bryant 15’s toss a pair of shutouts at Bauxite
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BAUXITE — Pitchers for the Bryant Black Sox 15-and-under Junior American Legion team blanked a pair of opponents as the team won twice at Bauxite on Saturday in a tournament that turned into a Classic format after teams dropped out.
In the opener, a 6-0 win over Sheridan, Josh Turner, Tyler Bates and Blaine Sears combined on a shutout despite giving up 11 singles. Over four-and-a-third innings, Turner walked two and struck out seven while scattering six hits. Bates took over in the fifth and fanned two while pitching around four knocks. Sears finished with a scoreless seventh, allowing a hit and a walk. He struck out one.
At the plate, Ryan Riggs and Sears each had two hits and Bates knocked in a pair. Sears and Lawson Speer each doubled, and Kannon Allison drilled a triple.
In the nightcap, the Sox’ Christian Motes, Cameron McDonald and Garrett Wilson whitewashed Bauxite on seven hits in a 9-0 win. Motes scattered five of those in the first five frames with McDonald and Wilson finishing with an inning apiece.
Speer, Riggs, Wilson and Bates had two hits each. Bates drove in three and had a double.
Bryant 6, Sheridan 0
A three-run fifth broke open a 2-0 pitchers’ duel. The Sox had claimed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second when Allison led off with his three-bagger and scored when Bates grounded out to second.
The second run came in the bottom of the fourth. Sears singled, stole second with one out then took third when Allison grounded to first. Bates came through in the clutch with the RBI single.
The fifth began with Riggs dumping a single into center. With one out, Sears belted double to left that chase in Riggs. With two down, Sears took third on a wild pitch as Allison worked a walk.
On a double-steal, Sears scored, and Allison made it to second. Morgan drew a walk then a passed ball allowed Allison to score, making it 5-0.
Sheridan had two singles with one out in the top of the sixth. A grounder to third resulted in a force. Another base hit followed but, from right field, Allison fired home in time to retire the lead runner as he tried to score from second, ending the inning.
With two down in the bottom of the sixth, Speer doubled, took third on a wild pitch and scored on Riggs’ grounder up the middle.
Sears worked around a single and a walk in the top of the seventh. Riggs, his catcher threw out the lead runner, trying to advance on a pitch in the dirt. A strikeout ended the game.
Bryant 9, Bauxite 0
The Sox jumped out to a 4-0 lead with three in the first and one in the second. The opening burst began with a walk to Speer and a single by Riggs. With one out, Speer scored on a passed ball. Riggs wound up at third. Sears drew a walk and stole second. With two downs, Riggs scored on a passed ball and Bates singled in Sears to make it 3-0.
In the bottom of the inning, Motes surrendered a one-out single. A hit batsman put runners at second and third, but Riggs threw out the lead runner trying to steal.
Ethan Andrews was struck by the second pitch of the top of the second. With one out, he stole second. He tagged and went to third when Riggs lined out to first then scored on a passed ball.
Motes worked around a pair of singles in the bottom of the second then set down the side in order in the home third. He pitched around a two-out single in the fourth.
Bryant added on in the top of the fifth. Riggs was struck by a 1-1 delivery then stole second. He tagged and went to third on a fly to right by Wilson. Sears singled him home.
Sears stole his way to third and Allison walked ahead of Bates’ two-run double to center. With two away, Turner walked, and Morgan bounced into a fielder’s choice as Bates scored.
The final run came in the sixth when Speer singled, Riggs walked, Wilson beat out an infield hit to load the bases and Andrews’ fly to left fell in for an RBI hit.
The Bryant 15’s are scheduled to play next at the Perfect Game showcase in Atlanta on June 4.
