SHERIDAN — Sheridan Yellowjackets’ right-hander Jackson Sorey, with seventh-inning relief help from Ruston Johnson, limited the Bryant Hornets to just two singles in a 2-1 victory on Friday evening.
The Jackets, who were shut out by Bryant’s Logan Grant and Will McEntire over the first five innings, scored two unearned runs in the home sixth to pull out the win.
It was just the second loss in 10 games this season for the Hornets, who open 6A-Central Conference play next Tuesday at home against Fort Smith Northside.
Sheridan had just three hits in the game.
Leading 1-0, the Hornets could’ve gotten through the sixth unscathed. The lead-off hitter in the inning for the Jackets, Montana Korte, hit a comebacker to McEntire. But his throw to first was in the dirt and Korte reached safely.
McEntire struck out the next batter Haydn Finley but the third strike was in the dirt and got away from catcher Ryan Riggs. Finley reached safely as Korte, who had advanced on a previous wild pitch, moved up to third.
Sheridan’s Tyler Cacciatori flew out to Gage Stark in shallow left as the runners held then Finley stole second. McEntire struck out Hayden Hicks but sophomore Cooper Oliphant grounded a ball through the left side for a two-run single to put Sheridan on top.
The Hornets made a bid to tie it with two down in the top of the seventh. Stark drew a walk and Logan Catton was hit by a pitch. That’s when Sorey gave way to Johnson who got Coby Greiner to fly to right to end the game.
The Hornets had taken a 1-0 lead in the top of the second. With two down, Stark drew a walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored when Catton delivered a single to right.
Grant, who pitched around a lead-off single in the first, worked around a one-out hit in the second. He set down the Jackets in order in the third.
Sorey set down seven in a row before issuing another walk to Stark to open the top of the fifth. But Stark was thrown out trying to steal and it went to the bottom of the fifth still a 1-0 game.
McEntire struck out the side around a two-out walk in the home fifth.
In the top of the sixth, Logan Chambers walked, and Noah Davis grounded a single to left. They moved to second and third on Austin Ledbetter’s groundout to first.
With Jake Wright at the plate with a 1-2 count, a pitch in the dirt got away. Chambers tried to score but, on a bang-bang play, was called out.
