June 17 in Bryant athletic history: 2010

Sox overwhelm Searcy in second game of pool play

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MOUNTAIN HOME — Jordan Taylor’s first post-Babe Ruth League home run proved to be a memorable one.

On Thursday, June 17, Taylor highlighted an 8-run outburst in the second inning by the Bryant Black Sox Senior American Legion team with a grand slam, part of a 12-0 romp in four innings over Searcy Crain Automotive on day two of pool play at the 24th annual Twin Lakes Classic at Cooper Park.[more]

Brady Butler hit a game-ending solo shot (in accordance with a 12-after-four run rule for the tournament) and Hunter Mayall drove in three runs in support of Blake Davidson’s shutout pitching. The Bryant right-hander allowed just two hits, walked two and fanned six in four frames.

Lucas Castleberry and Landon Pickett each had two hits for the Sox.

Now 8-6, the Sox were set to play Creve Coeur, Mo., on Friday at 2:30 in a bid to advance to the single-elimination championship tournament on Saturday.

Winning by run-rule helped the Sox save pitching. Through two games, they’ve used just two hurlers and Davidson only threw 50 pitches against Searcy. That’s important with the possibility of playing four more games over the next three days.

“We weren’t going to throw Blake any more after he threw the four,” noted Bryant manager Darren Hurt. “He didn’t have to throw a lot of pitches and we didn’t have to throw anyone else. Looks like right now, we’re start (Caleb) Milam tomorrow with Pickett in the bullpen then we’ll have to piece it together as best as we can.”

The Sox opened the tourney on Wednesday with a tough 4-3 loss to Eureka, Mo.

“We actually played defense today,” Hurt related. “We made all of our plays. It was a lot more fun today.”

The game started out like it might be a pitcher’s duel between Davidson and Searcy’s Jonathan Luthe, who red-shirted as a freshman at Three Rivers Community College this spring. In the second inning, however, Luthe ran into control problems and the Sox took advantage.

Butler drew a walk to open the frame and while Brennan Bullock was trying to sacrifice, he too drew a free pass. Pickett singled to left to load the bases for Castleberry who smacked a base hit to left to drive in the game’s first two runs.

Tyler Brown sacrificed runners to second and third before walks to Chris Joiner and Caleb Garrett, who took ball four on a 3-1 pitch that was set to be a squeeze play. That made it 3-0.

With the bags full, Mayall worked the count full then was hit by a pitch to force in another run.

At that point, Luthe was replaced but the new hurler was greeted by Taylor’s slam.

Bryant scored three more in the third to set up the run-rule. Singles by Pickett and Castleberry set the table. Brown, in an attempt to sacrifice, placed his bunt so well he reached without a play. Evan Jobe, running for Pickett, scored moments later on a sacrifice fly to left by Joiner. And, with two down, Mayall lined a double to chase home Castleberry and Brown. That made it 11-0.

Butler led off the bottom of the fourth with his game-ending blast.