Senior Sox capture Zone 4 tourney title, begin State Friday
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TEXARKANA — The Bryant Black Sox completed a sweep of the Zone 4 Senior American Legion Tournament at Joe Blagg Field Monday night, with a 17-1 romp over the Texarkana Razorbacks.
Both teams are headed to the Senior Legion State Tournament in Fort smith, which commences on Friday, June 24. The Sox, defending State champs, will open against Cabot Centennial Bank at 10 a.m. Texarkana will play at 1 p.m., against Blytheville, winners of Zone 2. Other opening round games on Friday will include Conway vs. Jonesboro at 4 p.m., followed by Fort Smith Kerwins and Russellville at 7:30.
Evan Lee combined with Jason Hastings to limit Texarkana to just five hits. Over 5 1/3 innings, Lee fanned 11, walked three and hit a batter. Hastings allowed one hit and a pair of walks over the final 1 2/3 innings.
Bryant established a lead in the second when, with one out, Hastings drilled a double to right-center and Dylan Hurt traded places with a shot to left. Logan Allen’s grounder to the right side got Hurt to third and Alex Shurtleff produced the third two-bagger of the inning, just inside the left-field line to make it 2-0. Connor Tatum’s single brought Shurtleff around.
Meanwhile, Lee worked around a lead-off walk to Nick Myers in the first. Will Smith walked to lead off the second then Jackson Martin reached with one out when his drag bunt was misplayed. Lee fanned the next two batters to keep it 3-0. And, in the third, he struck out the side after a walk and a hit batsman but Myers and Brandon White aboard. In the top of the fourth, Texarkana managed its first hit, a double by Martin. But he was stranded.
In the home fourth, Hurt singled to left and Allen beat out a bunt. Shurtleff sacrificed them to second and third then Tatum picked up an RBI with a groundout.
Lee struck out the side again in the fifth around a single by White and a walk to Hall. The Sox then broke the game open. With two down in the bottom of the fifth, Trey Breeding drilled a double and Hastings reached on an error. Hurt walked to load the bases for Allen, who came through with a two-run single. Another run scored when Shurtleff hit a grounder to short. He was safe when the ball was booted. A walk to Tatum forced in a run before Drew Tipton belted another double to make it 10-0. Walks to Warner and Blake Patterson loaded the bases again and Tipton scored on a passed ball to cap the scoring.
Texarkana got on the board in the top of the sixth. After a single and a force at second, another base hit resulted in the pitching change. A walk loaded the bases and a sacrifice fly brought the run in. Hastings got the final out on a tap back to the mound.
A six-run sixth made it even more lopsided. Walks to Hastings and Hurt set the table for Allen’s two-run double. Shurtleff was hit by a pitch and Tatum singled in Allen. Tipton doubled in a run then Warner’s base hit plated two, setting the final score.
Hastings worked around a walk and a single in the top of the seventh to close out the win.
