Twenty-nine runs proves to be enough for Sox to get past Vipers twice
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).
LITTLE ROCK — In the late stages of a stretch in which they play 25 games in 21 days, Bryant Black Sox Senior American Legion team manager Darren Hurt called on some less experienced pitchers to take the mound in a Zone 4 doubleheader against the Little Rock Post 1 Vipers and UALR’s Curren-Conway Field Tuesday night.
Trey Breeding, the team’s primary catcher, struggled early but followed up with four shutout innings in a 13-3 win in game one. In game two, Aaron Orender started and held the Vipers scoreless through three innings before running into trouble. With relief help from Beaux Bonvillain (who started with a rugged inning) and some heavy lifting by the offense, the Sox out-lasted the Vipers 16-10 for a sweep.
Now 24-5-2 overall, Bryant is 4-0 in Zone 4 games with four more to play against their primary competition. After a non-league twinbill against Sheridan tonight, the Sox will host Zone rival Benton for two games on Thursday to complete their 21-day gauntlet. On Monday, July 13, they travel to Texarkana to play the team that has shared dominance with Bryant in Zone 4 and the state over the last 10 years or so.
Texarkana will host the Zone tourney starting July 17.
So the Black Sox combined for 29 runs on 21 hits in the two games against Little Rock. In the opener, Brandan Warner and Blake Patterson each went 3 for 3, both reaching base in all four plate appearances. Patterson and Evan Lee drove in three runs apiece. Jason Hastings and Logan Allen knocked in two each.
Warner led off four of the five innings and scored each time.
In the second game, Allen, Patterson, Lee, Garrett Misenheimer and Nick Kehrees each had two hits. Allen drove in three. Lee, Orender and Connor Tatum had two RBIs apiece.
Bryant 13, Little Rock 3
The Sox scored five runs in the first and the Vipers scored three. The difference was that Bryant kept scoring and Little Rock stopped as Breeding allowed just one hit after the opening frame.
Warner doubled to start Bryant’s initial outburst. Breeding sacrificed him to third then Patterson yanked an RBI single into right. Lee hit a hot shot to second that was booted then Hastings was hit by a pitch from Vipers starter Kory Winning. Misenheimer ripped a one-hopper at third that was kicked as Patterson scored. That set up Allen’s two-run double to deep left. Kehrees drove in the fifth run with a grounder to the right side of the infield.
Little Rock’s first began with a walk to Renner Smith. Markus Bracey singled to left then so did River Warnock, loading the bases. A wild pitch allowed a run to score and, after Breeding fanned Jonathan Carruth, Jo Jo Johnson grounded back to the mound. Breeding got Bracey in a rundown and he was tagged out.
But Tucker Mann singled in a run and Rashaud Townsend doubled in another to make it 5-3 before Breeding ended the inning with his second strikeout.
He would work around a two-out single in the second, a two-out walk in the third and a one-out walk in the fifth.
Meanwhile, the Sox added two runs in the second. Warner singled and swiped second. He scored on Patterson’s triple to deep center. Lee’s grounder to second plated Patterson, making it 7-3.
The onslaught resumed in the fourth with Warner leading off with a walk and the second of his three stolen bases in the game. With one out, Patterson drilled a double to left center, Lee plugged the gap in right-center for an RBI triple and Hastings picked up an RBI on a grounder to second. When it was misplayed, he reached but, after a pitching change, the Vipers got out of the inning, stranding the bases loaded.
Bryant made it a run-rule lead in the top of the fifth. This time, Warner singled and stole second. Breeding drew a walk and Patterson was struck by a pitch, filling the bases. Lee bounced into a force at second and Warner scored. Hastings then delivered a sacrifice fly.
After Misenheimer was hit by a pitch, Allen’s grounder to second was misplayed allowing Lee to score the 13th run.
Breeding was helped out by his defense. Both Tatum, at second, and Kehrees, at short made eye-popping plays.
Bryant 16, Little Rock 10
It looked like the Sox were on their way to another run-rule win as they built an 8-0 lead after three innings. But Little Rock scored six in the fourth, highlighted by Warnock’s inside-the-park grand slam.
Bryant turned the 8-6 lead into a 13-6 edge but the Vipers scored four more in the top of the fifth. A three-run fifth in the home half put the game out of reach when Bonvillain settled down and got through the sixth and seventh unscathed.
The Sox grabbed a 3-0 lead in the second. Hastings and Misenheimer drew walks then both moved up on passed balls. Orender beat out an infield hit for an RBI then, with Orender on the move from first, Kehrees bounced a single through the spot vacated by the Vipers’ shortstop. Misenheimer scored and Orender raced to third. He would score on a passed ball.
In the third, Lee and Hastings each chopped infield hits. Bracey, who started the game on the mound for Little Rock then gave way to Mann who proceeded to walk Misenheimer and Orender to force in a run. With one out, Tatum and Warner each drew RBI passes. Allen’s sacrifice fly made it 7-0 then Patterson reached on an error as Tatum scored to cap off the inning.
Orender had allowed just three hits through three innings. In the fourth, he surrendered a lead-off double to Mann but then retired the next two batters. Smith singled in a run, Winning walked and DeShun Hampton was hit by a pitch. Johnson was plunked to force in a run then Warnock belted a drive over the head of Hastings in right. The ball rolled to the wall and Warnock circled the bases behind his three teammates.
Bonvillain relieved and got Carruth to bounce out to Kehrees at short, sending it to the bottom of the inning.
Bryant got five back. Misenheimer ignited the uprising with a one-out double just inside the line at third. Bonvillain worked a walk then Kehrees was struck by a delivery from Mann. With two down, Warner drew an RBI walk and Allen was hit by a pitch to force in Bonvillain.
Kehrees scored on a passed ball as Patterson was drawing a walk. Lee then ripped a single to right to knock in a pair.
But the comfort of a 13-6 lead didn’t last long. In the top of the fifth, Mann and Townsend each singled. Bracey reached on an error and Smith doubled in two. Bonvillain fanned Winning but Hampton plugged the gap in right-center for a two-run single.
Hampton stole second to get into scoring position with one out but Bonvillain picked him off then struck out Johnson to prevent further damage.
Misenheimer beat out an infield hit to start Bryant’s fifth. Bonvillain walked again the Kehrees beat out a bunt single to load the bases. Tatum’s bunt single plated Misenheimer then Bonvillain scored as Little Rock turned a doubleplay.
With a runner at third and two down, Allen came through with an RBI single to make it 16-10.
In the top of the sixth, Hastings made a diving catch to rob Warnock of another hit. Carruth singled but Bonvillain picked him off first. Mann bounced out to the sure-handed Warner at third.
After the Sox were retired in order for the only time all night, Bonvillain retired the first two in the top of the seventh. Smith singled and Justin Allen walked to give the Vipers some hope. But Hampton bounced out to Patterson at first to end the game.
