Photos courtesy of Samantha Breeding
The Bryant Black Sox Senior American Legion team went 5-0 in pool play to earn the top seed for bracket play at the annual Keith Hagan Memorial All-American Classic at the University of Memphis. The team is set to play in the semifinals today at 2 p.m., against the winner of a first-round bracket game between Nashville Baseball Academy and Rawlings Recruits.
The Sox, 16-3-2, have shut out three opponents, starting with an 8-0 win over the St. Louis Nationals on Friday. They’ve outscored their five rivals 28-2. On Saturday, the Sox defeated Batters Box Demarini (the other semifinalist), 3-1. Sunday brought a 2-0 win over the Ontario Blue Jays. They wrapped up pool play on Monday by stopping Nashville Baseball Academy, 7-1, then blanking the Rawlings Recruits, 8-0.
The Bryant Everett Black Sox Junior team (17-and-under) will also begin bracket play today after going 2-2-1 in pool play. The Junior Sox lost 5-1 to Arkansas Express, based in Springdale, on Friday, then battled to a scoreless tie with the MidSouth Gamers on Saturday. They got on the winning track later that day with a 3-2 win over the St. Louis Prospects. Sunday, the Sox clubbed the Madison County Thunder, 14-4, before wrapping up pool play on Monday with a 2-0 loss to Kickapoo Baseball out of Springfield, Mo.
The Junior Sox are also scheduled to start bracket play at 2 today. They’ll face Birmingham Baseball.
Details of the tournament games will be available at the conclusion of the event.
The Senior Sox begin play in the annual Southwest Illinois Firecracker Classic in Alton, Ill., on Friday, July 3. They’ll play Fairview Heights and Festus, Mo., on Friday then Jefferson City, Mo., and Barrington, Ill., on Saturday in pool play.
