Taylor tosses three-hit shutout as Senior Sox dismiss LR Blue
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Right-hander Jordan Taylor tossed a three-hit shutout over five innings and the Bryant Black Sox Senior[more] American Legion team claimed an 8-0 run-rule win with five runs in the home fourth on Wednesday, June 29, against Little Rock Post 1 Blue.
Taylor, Tyler Brown and Hunter Mayall each had two hits for the Sox who improved to 10-5 overall and 5-1 in league play going into a busy week of Zone action starting Tuesday, July 5, at Little Rock Continental Express.
Bryant took a 2-0 lead in the second when Chris Joiner reached on an error, Josh Pultro singled and Lucas Castleberry got a squeeze bunt down. With two out, Ozzie Hurt’s grounder to second was misplayed and Pultro scored as well.
In the third, consecutive singles by Brown, Taylor and Landon Pickett made it 3-0.
Meanwhile, Taylor was pitching three perfect innings on just 31 pitches. Travis Godfrey broke up the no-hitter with a single leading off the fourth. With one out, Godfrey stole second and took third on an errant throw. But Taylor picked him off third for the second out. Daniel Imbro reached on an error and stole second but when Brandon Schmidt bounced to second, the Sox were out of the inning with the 3-0 lead intact.
Castleberry opened the bottom of the fourth with a shot to third that was booted. He advanced on a passed ball and scored on a double by Lessenberry to the gap in right-center. Hurt bunted Lessenberry to third and, moments later, he scored on a wild pitch.
Mayall got things started again with a solid single to left. Brown shot a single to right and when it was misplayed, Mayall scored and Brown wound up at third. He scored on a wild pitch to make it 7-0.
Taylor ripped a double, took third on a passed ball and scored on a balk to set up the run-rule.
Blue made a bid to keep alive. Justin Jackson led off the fifth with a single. Taylor then fanned Alex Harvey and Joey Abraham. He got within a strike of ending it there but didn’t get the call on a 3-2 delivery as Jonathan Thompson walked. A base hit by Noah Burks loaded the bags for the top of the order but Godfrey bounced out to short to bring the game to an end.
