Senior Sox earn sweep behind Oglesby, Kelly, Heil
EDITOR’S NOTE: Because the look back at each day in Bryant athletic history has been so favorably received during the time when there was no sports during the COVID-19 shutdown, BryantDaily.com will continueposting past stories of Bryant athletics either posted on BryantDaily.com (from 2009 to the present) or published in the Bryant Times (from 1998 to 2008).
Photos courtesy of Paul Dotson
NORPHLET — The Bryant Black Sox Senior American Legion team swept a Zone 4 doubleheader against the El Dorado Oilers Thursday night. Hunter Oglesby pitched a two-hit shutout in the 6-0 victory in the opener then, in the nightcap, Austin Kelly drilled an RBI double for a walk-off win as the Sox rallied in the bottom of the seventh to overcome a 3-2 deficit and forge a 4-3 win.
Bryant improved to 21-6-1 overall with the victories and 4-0 in Zone 4 pending Friday’s twinbill at home against the undefeated Texarkana Razorbacks.
Bryant 6, El Dorado 0
Oglesby fanned six and walked one as he got through seven complete using just 74 pitches.
Bryant grabbed a 3-0 lead in the opening inning, getting all three runs after two were out. Garrett Misenheimer’s single to center started the uprising. Kelly was hit by a delivery then Jake East beat out a bunt single to load the bases for Seth Tucker, who smacked a two-run knock to right. East scored on an errant throw.
The Oilers didn’t manage a base-runner until a lead-off walk in the third. But a comebacker to the mound resulted in a force at second. Oglesby rank up a strikeout then got the final out inducing a grounder to Aaron Orender at first to keep it 3-0.
El Dorado never got two runners aboard in an inning and Oglesby retired the last 12 in a row.
The Sox added some insurance runs in the top of the seventh. Logan Allen singled but was forced at second on a grounder by Hurt. A wild pitch allowed Hurt to reach second then Misenheimer’s single to center put runners at the corners. Kelly’s RBI single to left made it 4-0.
After East beat out an infield hit to load the bases, Tucker singled to center, driving in two more and the final score was on the board.
Bryant 4, El Dorado 3
Bryant was the home team in the second team and, trailing 3-2, benefitted from some walks in the bottom of the seventh. Orender and Scott Schmidt each drew free passes then Allen beat out an infield hit. With the bags packed, Hurt waited out a walk that forced in the tying run.
Misenheimer’s grounder to third resulted in a force at the plate then Kelly came through with the game-winning hit.
The Oilers took advantgage of some control struggles by Bryant starter Joey Cates to score all three of its run in the first. They used two hits to take advantage of five walks. Boston Heil relieved and got the final out.
The Sox got a run back in the home first when Hurt tripled and Misenheimer doubled him in.
In the bottom of the second, East walked and was sacrificed to second by Tucker. Orender’s base hit drove in a run to make it 3-2.
Neither team could get much going the rest of the way. In the sixth, Kelly was plunked and stole second. Jordan Gentry hit a fly to right and Kelly tagged to go to third. El Dorado decided to appeal the tag but, in the process a balk was called on the pitcher by the homeplate umpire. The appeal went through and Kelly was called out. Bryant manager Darren Hurt argued that the balk took precedent since it was called before the appeal was made but to no avail.
With two down, East singled and Tucker walked to renew Bryant’s comeback hopes. But East was thrown out trying to steal third, ending the inning with more controversy.
