Senior Sox return from Monticello with a pair of one-sided wins
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By Rob Patrick
MONTICELLO — One local observer mentioned that it’d been years since the Monticello Billies had been run-ruled, either in high school or American Legion baseball.
But, on Monday night on their home field, the Billies were run-ruled twice by the resurgent Bryant Black Sox, 13-1 in five innings and 15-4 in three, in a Legion contest at Monticello High School field.[more]
It was basically the same Monticello team that finished as the Class 5A State runner-up in the spring.
But that was not the only first involving the Sox on the evening. In the second game, first baseman/right fielder Brady Butler took the mound and corner infielder Landon Pickett went behind the plate, each for the first time since last summer. And Caleb Milam smacked his first home run since Babe Ruth League ball.
After scoring five runs in five games including four straight losses, the Sox have now scored 34 runs in their last three games, taking a 7-5 overall record into the annual Twin Lakes/Lockeroom Classic in Mountain Home, starting Wednesday.
Bryant coach Darren Hurt said the team had a brief session in the batting cages before going to Little Rock for Wednesday’s Zone 4 game against Continental Express. And it seemed to do the trick as the Sox snapped their skid with a 6-1 win.
Monday’s trip to Monticello underscored that notion. Hunter Mayall led the way on the night, going 4 for 4 with three doubles, two walks, a sacrifice fly, four runs scored and five knocked in.
In the opener, Chris Joiner and Brennan Bullock each had two hits and three RBI.
In the nightcap, Pickett, despite developing some chafing as he worked behind the plate in the heat, went 3 for 3 with a single, double and triple, knocking in five. He lacked just a home run from hitting for the cycle but only got the three at bats.
Maybe he should chafe more often.
Also in the first game, the Monticello folks got to see University of Arkansas signee Ben Wells, who has also been drafted by the Chicago Cubs. Wells didn’t disappoint, striking out 12 in five frames and allowed just one unearned run and two hits.
Butler, in the second game, struggled with his control early on but allowed just three hits. Of the four runs he allowed, only two were earned.
The Sox needed that kind of lift from Butler because they could be playing five games from Wednesday through Sunday at Mountain Home which could, obviously, require work from a lot of different arms particularly in light of the fact that Wells won’t be there. He’ll be in Fayetteville, playing in the Arkansas High School Coaches Association All-Star baseball games this weekend.
Against Monticello, Wells struck out six of the first seven batters he faced. In the third, he issued a one-out walk to T.J. Sanders but fanned the next two. But a third-strike pitch in the dirt to Hunter Lawson with two down was retrieved by catcher Dylan Cross who’s throw to first was in the dirt allowing the runner to reach.
With the inning extended, Caleb Bryant pulled a single into right to drive in the run.
But the Billies only managed one other baserunner in the game. Jordan Tilley singled to center to lead off the fourth but never got any further.
Bryant had established a 6-0 lead in the second inning when Monticello starting pitcher Jordan Hashem issued walks to Butler and Bullock then a single by Pickett to load the bags for Dylan Cross. And, when Cross drew a walk, the first run was on the board.
With one out, Joiner pulled a single into the gap to drive in Bullock and Pickett. And, when Caleb Garrett beat out a perfect bunt up the third-base line for a hit, the sacks were jammed again, this time with Mayall stepping in. Another walk forced in a fourth run and finished the mound stint for Hashem.
Sanders took over and his first pitch hit Jordan Taylor (who wound up being hit five times on the night, three times of which he was awarded first base, once it was ruled he leaned into the pitch and, the fifth time, it was ruled a foul ball). Joiner scored to make it 5-0.
And when Sanders issued a walk to Butler, it forced in the sixth run.
To his credit, Sanders retired the next two to force the Sox to leave the bases loaded.
In the third, Sanders walked Cross and Tyler Brown. Evan Jobe, running for the catcher Cross, advanced to third on a ball in the dirt despite the fact that it didn’t get very far away from catcher Zach Robinson. Joiner then singled Jobe home.
Brown, who wound up on third, scored on a sacrifice fly by Garrett before Mayall scorched one between the third baseman and the bag that chased Joiner in from first. A late throw to the plate allowed Mayall to hustle into third.
Taylor was hit by a pitch again and, with two down, Bullock surprised the Billies with a bunt that he beat out for a single that allowed Mayall to score.
A third Monticello pitcher, Zach Crossett, got the final out of the inning on a bouncer to short.
The Sox put the finishing touches on the onslaught in the top of the fifth. Mayall doubled and scored on a two-out error that allowed Butler to reach. Bullock then plugged the gap in left-center and sprinted all the way around for an RBI triple. He scored too when Pickett’s grounder to short drew a wild throw to first.
In the second game, the Sox jumped on starter Sam Cason. Joiner walked and was off on the pitch when Garrett shot a single to center that was misplayed. Joiner wound up scoring and Garrett made it to third before the ball was retrieved. Even Mayall’s lone out of the night produced a run at that point. Garrett tagged and scored easily on his long fly to left.
Taylor was then hit by yet another pitch. He took second on Butler’s hot shot to third that was knocked down by Crossett, who recovered and threw to first in time.
Bullock shot a single to left for the RBI and, after he stole second, Pickett ripped a single up the middle to make it 4-0.
Butler issued an opening walk to Brandon Matthews and the speedster wound up scoring all the way from first on a double into the left-field corner by Cason. A wild pitch got Hashem, the courtesy runner, to third as Caleb Bryant walked. Heath Lawson, in as a courtesy runner for Bryant the Billies’ catcher, took off for second and drew an ill-advised throw that got away, allowing Hashem to score and Lawson to reach third. Lason would score on a grounder to first by Tilley to make it 4-3 before Butler settled in and retired the next two including Crossett on strikes.
It didn’t stay close for long. Bryant erupted for eight runs in the second. Joiner’s infield hit with one out got the carousel turning. He stole second and took third on another lined single to center by Garrett. After Garrett stole second, Mayall lashed another double to left to make it 6-3. Taylor then traded places with him, doubling to left.
With two down, Bullock coaxed a walk to set the table for Pickett who belted a fading liner to right-center. Monticello’s Thomas Lafever dove to try to catch or at least stop the ball but it got past him and Pickett, an offensive lineman in football, legged out a triple to make it 9-3.
Lucas Castleberry tomahawked a fastball through the hole in the left side of the infield for an RBI single, bringing up Milam against the third Monticello pitcher, Nathan Pesaresi. On a 3-1 pitch, Milam pulled the ball down the left-field line clearing the fence for a two-run jack that make it 12-3.
Monticello managed an unearned run in the bottom of the inning. Mason Hooker walked then Tyler Collins bunted. The ball settled just in front of the plate and Pickett pounced and threw to second. But the throw was in the dirt and Taylor couldn’t dig it up.
A single by Pesaresi loaded the bases with the top of the batting order due. Matthews got a run home with a sacrifice fly but Butler forced the Billies to strand two when he fanned Sanders and got Bryant to pop out to Castleberry at third to close out the inning with the Sox leading 12-4.
For good measure, they added three more in the third. With one out, Monticello coaches moved their outfielders around to the left since that’s where all three of Mayall’s hits to that point had gone. But, on the first pitch, Mayall spoiled that strategy, yanking a single to right.
Taylor, in turn, avoided being hit but took a walk instead. Both runners moved up on Butler’s bouncer to first. Bullock walked to load the bases for Pickett, who plugged the gap in left-center for a two-run double and, when the relay from the outfield got away from the Billies, Bullock came on in with the 15th run.
Butler retired the first two in the bottom of the third. Lafever singled and Hooker walked only to have Butler strike out Collins to end the game.
BRYANT 13-15, MONTICELLO 1-4
GAME 1
Black Sox ab r h bi Billies ab r h bi
Joiner, 2b-rf 4 2 2 3 Matthews, 2b 3 0 0 0
Garrett, cf 3 1 1 1 Lawson, cf 3 0 0 0
Mayall, 1b 2 2 2 2 Bryant, ss 2 0 1 1
Taylor, ss 2 0 0 1 Cason, rf 1 0 0 0
Butler, rf 2 2 0 1 Tilley, dh 2 0 1 0
Hurt, 2b 0 0 0 0 Gasaway, lf 2 0 0 0
Bullock, lf 3 2 2 3 Crossett, 3b-1b-p 2 0 0 0
Pickett, dh 4 1 1 0 Robinson, c 2 0 0 0
Cross, c 2 0 1 1 Sanders, 1b-p 1 1 0 0
Jobe, cr 0 2 0 0 Hashem, p-3b 0 0 0 0
Brown, 3b2100
Wells, p 0 0 0 0
Totals 24 13 9 12 Totals 18 1 2 1
BRYANT 064 03 — 13
Monticello 001 00 — 1
E—Cross, Hashem, Bryant. DP—Monticello 1. LOB—Bryant 8, Monticello 3. 2B—Mayall 2. 3B—Bullock. SF—Garrett.
Pitching ip r er h bb so
Bryant
Wells (W) 5 1 0 2 2 12
Monticello
Hashem (L) 1.1 6 6 3 5 0
Sanders 1.1 4 4 3 3 2
Crossett 2.1 3 0 3 0 0
HBP—Taylor 2 (by Sanders), Brown (by Crossett). WP—Sanders.
GAME 2
Black Sox ab r h bi Billies ab r h bi
Joiner, 2b 2 2 1 0 Matthews, ss 0 1 0 1
Garrett, cf 3 2 2 1 Cason, p 1 0 1 1
Mayall, 1b 2 2 2 3 Hashem, cr 0 1 0 0
Taylor, ss 1 2 1 1 Sanders, 1b 1 0 0 0
Jobe, pr-rf 0 1 0 0 Bryant, c 1 0 0 0
Butler, p 3 0 0 0 Lawson, cr 0 1 0 0
Bullock, lf 1 3 1 1 Tilley, rf 2 0 0 1
Pickett, c 3 0 3 5 Crossett, 3b 2 0 0 0
Jobe, cr 0 1 0 0 Lafever, cf 2 0 1 0
Neal, cr 0 0 0 0 Hooker, 2b 0 1 0 0
Castleberry, 3b-ss 3 1 1 1 Collins, lf 2 0 0 0
Milam, rf-3b 2 1 1 2 Pesaresi, 1b-p 1 0 1 0
Hashem, cr0000
Totals 20 15 12 14 Totals 12 4 3 3
BRYANT 483 — 15
Monticello 310 — 4
E—Lafever, Pickett 2, Matthews. LOB—Bryant 2, Monticello 4. 2B—Cason, Mayall, Taylor, Pickett. 3B—Pickett. HR—Milam. SB—Bullock, Jobe, Joiner. SF—Mayall, Matthews.
Pitching ip r er h bb so
Bryant
Butler (W) 3 4 2 3 4 3
Monticello
Cason (L) 1.2 11 7 9 2 2
Pesaresi 1.1 4 3 3 2 0
HBP—Taylor (by Cason). WP—Butler.
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