Two-run sixth, Greiner’s relief help Senior Sox pick up 5-3 win
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Photos courtesy of Debra Catton
Coby Greiner (Photo courtesy of Debra Catton)
ROGERS — Coby Greiner pitched a scoreless seventh in relief of Will McEntire and, after snapping a 2-2 tie with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth, the Bryant Black Sox held off the Arkansas Anglers for a 5-3 win in pool play in the 17/18 division of the Chad Wolfe Classic at Veterans Stadium on Friday evening.
The Sox, now 13-2, are now 2-0 in their pool going into Saturday’s 9 a.m., game against YBC 17 at Fayetteville High School. They’ll complete pool play Sunday morning at 9 against Perfect Timing Red at Baum Stadium.
The game-breaking uprising began with a single to right by Brandon Hoover. Pinch-runner Gage Stark stole second before Matthew Sandidge drew a walk. Grayson Prince followed with a sacrifice bunt that resulted in an errant throw. Both Stark and Sandidge scored.
Prince wound up at third and tried to score when Logan Catton got a bunt down. But Prince was thrown out as Catton hustled to second. But he was stranded.
With two out in the bottom of the sixth, a single and a walk gave the Anglers a chance to counter. Another walk loaded the bases then a run scored on an error before McEntire got the final out on a pop to Konnor Clontz at second.
Logan Chambers walked with one out in the top of the seventh. He stole second and, with two away, Hoover came through with an RBI single to make it 5-3.
Greiner came on to start the bottom of the seventh and an error allowed the lead-off man for the Anglers to reach base. A pop to short produced the first out then Greiner picked off the runner at first before ending the game with a strikeout.
The Sox never trailed in the game after taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Chambers and Scott Schmidt opened the game with consecutive singles. Hoover sacrificed them to second and third then Chambers scored on a passed ball.
With Schmidt at third, Sandidge lofted a fly to left. Schmidt tagged up and tried to score but the Anglers worked the relay in time for the out at the plate that ended the inning.
McEntire struck out a pair in the bottom of the first then the Sox made it 2-0. Prince walked and, with one out, stole second. With two down, Clontz singled to bring him home before he was thrown out trying to get to second on the throw.
The Anglers used a single, a steal and a two-out knock to get on the board in the bottom of the second. With a runner at second, McEntire ended the uprising with a strikeout.
They tied it in the bottom of the fourth on a double and a one-out single. McEntire picked the runner off first then recorded another strikeout to send it to the fifth.
That set up the Sox go-ahead rally in the sixth.
