Senior Sox return to action with 9-1 win over Jonesboro
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).
CONWAY — Blake Patterson, Zach Jackson and Nate Rutherford combined on a four-hitter, Chase Tucker blasted a two-run homer and the Bryant Black Sox Senior American Legion team road a six-run fifth to a 9-1 win over the Jonesboro Ricemen Monday. The nine-inning game was held at the University of Central Arkansas and served as a tune-up for the Zone 4 District Tournament at Bryant, which starts this Friday.
The Sox, now 33-4, ended an eight-day layoff since an extended road trip to Memphis and Alton, Ill., for a pair of tournaments. They’ll be back in action tonight at 8 with a final regular-season Zone game against rival Benton McClendon’s at the Bryant High School field.
Tucker’s blast in the second inning got the Sox’ offense going. Hayden Lessenberry had singled to lead off the inning. Bryant added a run in the third then broke the game open with the big fifth.
Patterson shut the Ricemen out on one hit over the first four innings. He walked two and struck out six.
Jackson, who was credited with the win, worked two scoreless innings, allowing just one hit with a walk and two strikeouts. The hit was a single to right with two out in the top of the sixth. A runner who had reached second on an error moments before tried to score on the hit but the Sox worked the relay from Dalton Holt in right to shortstop Trevor Ezell to Lessenberry for the out to end the inning.
Rutherford picked up a three-inning save closing it out, fanning three without a walk. He surrendered two hits, both in the seventh when Jonesboro managed its lone run. The right-hander got out of a two-on, two-out jam with a strikeout to end the seventh then retired six of the last seven batters in the game, pitching around an error in the ninth.
Bryant’s third-inning run was scored by Drew Tipton who had walked. Patterson yanked a single to right to chase him to third. A wild pitch allowed Tipton to score.
The fifth began with Tipton’s single to left. He stole second then reached third on a passed ball. With the infield in, Patterson hit a grounder to short. Tipton scored and when the ball was booted, Patterson reached safely. Lessenberry drew a walk then Tucker beat out a bunt single to load the bases.
Holt was hit by a pitch to force in a run, Brandan Warner singled in two. Korey Thompson added a sacrifice fly and Ezell capped off the inning with a triple to bring Warner around.
The Sox threatened to add on in the sixth when Patterson was struck by a pitch and Holt plugged the gap in right-center for a double but both were stranded. In the seventh, Ezell walked and stole second with two down. Tipton drew a free pass but was forced at second on a grounder to short by C.J. Phillips.
