SPRINGDALE — The Bryant Black Sox Senior American Legion team completed a three-game sweep of pool play at the Big Fire Hawk World Series on Saturday with an 11-3 win over the Cooperstown Cobras 17 Navy team out of Fort Worth, Texas at Shiloh Christian High School. The Sox advance to bracket play as the top seed, the only team to go unbeaten and untied in pool action. They were set to take on NBC 17 Scout of St. Louis, Mo., in the semifinal.
Conner Martin, Logan White and Gavin Burton each had two hits and Blaine Sears drove in three as the Sox broke out to a 6-0 lead going into the fourth. Right-hander Brandon Thomisee shut out the Cobras through three then surrendered three runs in the fourth. He gave way to Josh Turner, who finished the six-inning contest. The Sox blew the game up with a five-run uprising in answer to the Cooperstown rally.
While Thomisee set down nine of the first 10 batters he faced, the Sox grabbed a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the second. A one-out walk to White instigated the burst. Burton blooped a single to center and White, after stealing second, advanced to third.
J.T. Parker was struck by a 2-2 pitch and the bases were full for Sears. He hit a grounder to the mound. A wild throw allowed White and Burton to score. Parker wound up at third and Sears took second. An errant pickoff throw allowed Parker to score, making it 3-0.
In the second, Martin led off with a single and Colby Morrow was hit by a 1-1 pitch. After a pitching change, Lawson Speer sacrificed the runners to second and third. White got Martin home with a two-strike double to left. Burton singled in two, and it was 6-0.
Thomisee retired the first batter of the top of the fourth but a double, a walk, a single and a sacrifice fly produced the Cobras’ first run. A single made it 6-2.
Turner relieved and surrendered another run-scoring hit before getting out of the inning on a strikeout.
Bryant’s game-breaking eruption in the bottom of the fourth started with a double by Ryan Riggs. With one out, Martin singled. Morrow drew a walk to load the bases for Speer, who waited out a free pass to force in a run. White singled in Martin and, with two down, Parker drew an RBI walk. A two-run single by Sears completed the onslaught as the lead ballooned to 11-3.
Turner pitched around a single in the top of the fifth then issued a lead-off walk in the top of the sixth. But, with one out, the runner was caught trying to steal second by Riggs, the Sox’ catcher. A fly to White in right ended the contest.
Bryan improved to 25-8 with the victory.
