Senior Sox bounce back to forge first win at CWC
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Photos courtesy of Paul Dotson
Logan Allen (right) is congratulated by coach Ozzie Hurt as he rounds third following his solo homer. (Photo courtesy of Paul Dotson)
FAYETTEVILLE — With the bad taste of a 6-6 tie still lingering from their game at the CWC Showcase at Shiloh Christian High School on Saturday, the Bryant Black Sox Senior American Legion team put together a more satisfying performance against the Rawlings Prospects on Friday morning at Fayetteville High School. Behind shutout pitching from Alex Shurtleff over the first six innings and four extra-base hits including a solo homer by Logan Allen, Bryant built a 5-0 lead on the way to a 5-2 victory.
Allen and Garrett Misenheimer each had two hits. Misenheimer’s included a double while Dylan Hurt and Matthew Sandidge each drilled triples along the way.
Shurtleff scattered seven hits, walked just one and fanned eight. Boston Heil finished up in the seventh and battled through some early struggles to close it out.
Bryant, which improved to 5-1-1, was set to play again on Friday afternoon against the KC Bulletts in Bentonville.
Against Rawlings, the Sox took a 1-0 lead after Shurtleff worked around a pair of two-out singles in the top of the first, ending the threat with his first strikeout. Hurt’s triple set up the run with one out. Misenheimer followed with an infield hit for the RBI.
Shurtleff worked a 1-2-3 second and, in the home half, Jake East walked and stole second. He tagged and advanced to third on a fly to center by Cates but, upon appeal, was ruled out for leaving second too soon.
As things often unfold in such instances, Sandidge belted his triple moments later. He was stranded.
Alex Shurtleff pitched six innings of shutout ball. (Photo courtesy of Paul Dotson)
The Prospects threatened in the third with a lead-off hit and a two-out single that put runners at the corners. Again, however, Shurtleff got a strikeout to keep it 1-0.
Allen, Misenheimer and Jordan Gentry each walked in the home third but were stranded. In turn, Shurtleff fanned two, surrendered a single then induced a comebacker in the fourth.
Bryant’s fourth Cates legging out an infield hit. Though he was caught stealing, Sandidge drew a free pass and was able to steal second and third. Seth Tucker came through in the clutch, lashing an RBI single to right to make it 2-0.
Though Tucker was thrown out trying to get to second as Rawlings cut off the throw to the plate, on the very next pitch, Allen unloaded with his bomb to left.
The Prospects were retired in order in the fifth and the Sox added on. Misenheimer instigated a two-run burst with his double into the left-field corner. Austin Kelly was struck by a pitch and Gentry slapped a single to right to load the bases for East who cashed in with a sacrifice fly. Kelly advanced from second to third on the play and was able to tag and score on a sac fly by Cates to make it 5-0.
Dylan Hurt follows through on his first-inning triple as Garrett Misenheimer warms up on deck. (Photo courtesy of Paul Dotson)
Rawlings filled the bases with no one out in the sixth but the lead runner was thrown out trying to score on a pitch in the dirt. Shurtleff struck out the next batter and, after a walk packed the bags again, he recorded his final strikeout of his outing to escape once more.
Heil was greeted by consecutive singles in the seventh. After a fly out, an infield hit loaded the base and another hit produced the Prospects’ first run. A blooper fell in but East, at shortstop, got to the ball and got a force at second as a run scored. A grounder to Tucker at second resulted in another force to end the game.
Special thanks to Sandy Orender
First baseman Aaron Orender tracks a foul pop. (Photo courtesy of Paul Dotson)
