SHERIDAN — With the game tied 7-7 going into the seventh inning, the Bryant Sport Shop Black Sox AA American Legion team rallied for two runs. But the Sheridan Yellowjackets AA team, host of the annual Peoples Bank Wood Bat Classic, came up with three in the bottom of the inning to pin a frustrating loss on the Sox in their second game in pool play at the tournament.
The Sox, now 5-4, are 1-1 in their pool going into Saturday’s final pool-play game against Beebe at 8 p.m. Bracket play will be contested on Sunday.
In a seesaw game, Bryant had taken a 7-6 lead with a four-run fourth. Sheridan tied it in the bottom of the fifth. The Sox’ seventh-inning uprising began with Cameron Coleman’s drive to the base of the fence in right center at Oliver Williams Field. He legged out a triple and scored moments later on a drive down the left-field line by Hunter Oglesby. The ball skipped past the leftfielder and Oglesby wound up with a triple as well. Joey Cates, who was 3 for 3 in the game, smacked a single to center, making it 9-7.
Brandon Hoover singled and Sheridan made a pitching change. On a pitch in the dirt, Cates took off for third and, on a bang-bang play, was called out after Sheridan catcher Evan Thompson had pounced on the ball.
But Christian Harp greeted Jace Phillips, the new Jackets’ hurler, with a single to left. And a wild pitch allowed runners to move to second and third. But Phillips wriggled out of the jam at that point.
Both teams struggled to find the strike zone in the game. Between them, there were 20 free passes issued, 14 of them by Bryant pitchers. In fact, Sheridan had managed seven runs on just three hits going into the seventh.
On in relief of Cates, C.J. Wallace was able to work around two walks in a scoreless sixth, thanks in part to a nice play up the middle by second baseman Myers Buck. Those two walks came with two down. In the seventh, the two walks came at the start of the inning. Phillips and Tyler Cleveland, the beneficiaries of those passes, were able to move up on a wild pitch then Thompson singled to left to make it 9-8.
Courtesy runner Caleb Clay stole second then Chance Wallingsford tied the game with a sacrifice fly. That brought up Hunter Hicks. With the infield in for a play at the plate and just one out, Hicks hit a bouncer to Cates at short. He charged in to make the play but when he looked to throw to the plate in hopes of cutting down the winning run, it was uncovered. Clay scored the winning run.
The Sox had taken a 1-0 lead in the first when Oglesby walked, Cates doubled and a wild pitch was uncorked by Sheridan starter David Rainwater.
In the home half, a pair of two-out walks and a wild pitch set the stage for an RBI single by Nick Whitley and a bloop double by Rainwater that gave Sheridan the lead.
The Jackets added a run in the second on a walk, a balk, a stolen base and an errant throw.
The Sox tied it in the top of the third with their own walk-fueled two-out uprising. Oglesby, Cates and Caleb Chaffin each drew free passes then Harp came through with a single to center that knocked in a pair. Chaffin was about to score as well but didn’t get to the plate before Harp was thrown out trying to get to third, leaving it 3-3.
A single, four walks and an errant throw enabled Sheridan to score three times in the bottom of the third, regaining the advantage 6-3. But the Sox answered right back. Matthew Sandidge walked, took second on a wild pitch and, with two down, scored on a clutch single by Buck. Coleman walked then Oglesby’s grounder to short was misplayed allowing Buck to sprint home. Cates then came through with a shot to left-center for a double to drive in two. That gave Bryant its one-run lead but Cates was out trying to reach third, ending the inning.
Thanks in part to a sprawling catch in center by Oglesby on a sinking liner, the Sox held Sheridan scoreless for the first time in the bottom of the fourth. But Jessie Smith, on in relief of Rainwater, retired the Sox in order in the top of the fifth.
In the home half, a pair of walks, a wild pitch and an errant throw produced the run that tied the game. Cates, otherwise, struck out the side to finish strong. Even though his last two frames were his most effective, Cates’ pitch count kept him from continuing. Wallace took over in the sixth.
Alex Thompson was robbed of a hit in the top of the sixth for the Sox as the game remained tied going into the seventh.
