SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — One thing about Showcase baseball: They settle for ties.
The Bryant Black Sox Senior American Legion team opened pool play at the Mid America Premier Showcase with a 5-5 tie against the 417 Hooks of Springfield on Thursday. Bryant held a 5-4 lead going into the bottom of the seventh. The Hooks managed a tying run and that the bases loaded when the final out, a liner to shortstop Connor Martin was recorded.
And the game was over.
The Sox are scheduled for another game on Friday against MidWest Prospects 17U of St. Peters, Mo., at 6 p.m.
The Hooks broked out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning as Bryant starter Will Hathcote struggled with his command. He walked four in the inning and hit a batter. One run scored on a passed ball, the other came in on a groundout. They stranded three.
The Sox tied it in the top of the second. One-out walks to Coby Greiner and Blaine Sears and a two-out pass to Lawson Speer loaded the bases. Noah Davis walked to force in a run then Ryan Riggs walked to force in another.
Hathcote settled in after giving up a lead-off single in the bottom of the second and Bryant took a lead in the top of the third. Cade Drennan doubled and took third on a groundout. Greiner squeezed in the run with a bunt to the first baseman.
Again, however, 417 tied it in the bottom of the inning. A two-out error opened the door. A stolen base then a single produced the run.
The Sox stranded three in the top of the fifth but Hathcote struck out the side around a two-out walk in the home half.
The Hooks took a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the sixth on a walk, a stolen base and a two-out single.
This time, the Sox rallied. Logan Catton opened the top of the seventh and was hit by a pitch. With one out, Catton stole second and Peyton Dillon reached on a third-strike wild pitch as Catton moved to third. Slade Renfrow, in to run for Dillon, stole second before Greiner slapped a single to right, driving in both runners to give the Sox a 5-4 lead.
Though Greiner was thrown out trying to steal second, Sears singled then Martin and Speer walked to fill the bags. But a strikeout ended the outburst.
A lead-off single led to a pitching change as Sears relieved in the bottom of the inning. He fanned the first batter he faced but back to back singles to left brought the tying run around. A fly to right and the final liner to Martin ended the game.
