ARKADELPHIA — The Bryant Black Sox Senior American Legion team improved to 3-0 in pool play at the Battle in Arkadelphia showcase on Saturday with an 11-1 win over the Texarkana Eagles and a 6-4 decision over the Arkansas Pulpwood 18U team.
The Sox, now 20-8, will wrap up pool play on Sunday against the Arkansas Pulpwood 17U team with the chance of advancing to the championship game of the event.
Bryant 11, Texarkana 1
Colby Morrow and Braxton Prather combined on a five-inning three-hitter as the Sox combined for nine hits including doubles by Morrow and Logan White plus a triple by Noah Davis. That trio each had two knocks as did Ryan Riggs.
Bryant took a 4-0 lead in the third and, after Texarkana eked out a run in the bottom of the fourth, blew the game up with a seven-run fifth.
Morrow faced the minimum over the first three innings. He allowed a walk in the second but a doubleplay erased him as it brought the inning to a close.
The Sox’ breakout third started with a walk to Blaine Sears. He took second on a passed ball as Riggs drew a free pass. Another passed ball preceded a walk to Davis to load the bases. Conner Martin walked to force in the first run, and, after a pitching change, Morrow grounded out to first as Riggs scored to make it 2-0.
Lawson Speer’s sacrifice fly got Davis home then White capped the scoring with an infield hit, getting Martin across the plate.
A pair of singles and a walk loaded the bases for the Eagles in the bottom of the fourth. But when Davis speared a line drive and doubled off the runner at second, the Sox were in position to get out of the inning unscathed. The Eagles, however, worked a double steal to get one in before a grounder to Davis led to the end of the inning.
Bryant’s fifth-inning eruption started with a double to center by Morrow. After Speer was struck by a 2-0 pitch, White yanked a grounder inside the bag at third for an RBI two-bagger.
A walk to Ethan Andrews loaded the bases. Gavin Burton grounded into a force at second but picked up the RBI as Speer scored. White came in when Blaine Sears’ fly to right was misplayed. Burton went to third and Sears wound up on second then both sprinted home on Riggs’ ground single to right.
Davis then greeted another new hurler with his triple. And when the ball was misplayed, he followed Riggs across the plate to make it 11-1.
The Eagles managed a one-out single against Prather in the bottom of the fifth. But Prather picked him off then induced a grounder to Cade Parker at third for the final out.
Bryant 6, Arkansas Pulpwood 18U 4
The Sox built a 6-1 lead then held on after Pulpwood trimmed the gap over the final four innings. Sears picked up the win with three innings of relief after White got the start.
Bryant staked out a 2-0 lead in the first. Riggs worked a lead-off walk and, with one out, took second on a passed ball. Martin struck out but the third strike got past the catcher, who threw to first only to have the ball missed. That allowed Riggs to score and Martin to take second. Morrow’s single got Martin home.
Pulpwood used an error and two singles to get on the board in the bottom of the first. A walk loaded the bases, but the inning ended in dramatic fashion. Lawson Speer caught a fly to center and when the runner at third tried to score, Speer threw him out at the plate.
Drew Hatman walked to start the second inning. An errant pickoff throw from the catcher allowed him to take second. He scored on Sears’ single to right. Riggs bounced into a force at second before Davis hit a fly to left that was dropped.
Martin singled in Riggs, sending Davis to third. A throw to the plate allowed Martin to take second. A wild pitch allowed Davis to score then Martin came in on a groundout by Morrow, making it 6-1.
A double and a wild throw on a sacrifice bunt attempt allowed Pulpwood to add a run in the bottom of the second. A pair of walks had the bases loaded with two down, but White got the final out of the inning with a fly to Hatman in right.
An errant throw on a grounder to third allowed Pulpwood to get a runner to second in the bottom of the third. Sears retired the next two but a single followed, chasing home the run. A comebacker to Sears led to the final out as the score remained 6-3.
Pulpwood went down in order in the bottom of the fourth. In the fifth, a one-out triple and a two-out single trimmed another run off the margin. Another single put the potential tying runs on base before Sears ended the game with a strikeout.
