FARMINGTON — Already set for the 17U championship game of the Chad Wolffe Classic, the Bryant Black Sox Junior American Legion team made a bid to finish pool play undefeated on Saturday. Trailing 3-1, they rallied in the top of the seventh, scoring to make it one-run game. With the tying run at second and one out, the rally stalled as the Prodigy Prospects 16 team prevailed.
The Sox will play for the 17U title at 11 a.m., at Baum-Walker Stadium on the campus of the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville.
Saturday’s game was played at Farmington High School. Noah Davis had three of Bryant’s six hits including a triple. Ryan Riggs and Will Hathcote had doubles and Ethan Andrews singled.
Prodigy managed just five hits, four of which came against starter Josh Turner, who allowed the three tallies, one unearned. Dakota Clay contributed two shutout innings of relief while Tyler Bates closed, pitching around a hit in the bottom of the sixth.
The Sox scored first. In the second inning, Bates drew a one-out walk then so did Hayden Thompson. Clay drew a free pass to fill the sacks and Blaine Sears produced a sacrifice fly to make it 1-0.
The Prodigy scored twice in the bottom of the second. Two singles, an error and a double produced the runs. The inning ended when a batter flew out to Bates in left. With the runners tagging, Turner cut off the throw and fired to Clay at third to double up the runner trying to get back to the bag.
Bryant loaded the bases in the third. Davis singled, and Riggs doubled. With two out, Bates walked to fill the bases. Thompson made a bid at a big hit, but his liner was snagged at third.
Prodigy tacked on a run on a walk and a two-out triple to make it 3-1 but Turner forced them to strand the runner at third.
Walks to Clay and Sears started the fourth but it came to naught.
Clay pitched around a pair of one-out walks in the bottom of the fourth. In the fifth, Andrews singled with one out but was doubled off first when Bates lined out to the first baseman.
Prodigy was retired in order in the bottom of the fifth. The sixth was scoreless, setting up the Sox’ rally which began with a single by Davis. With one out, Hathcote came through with a double that chased home Davis.
Hathcote, however, was stranded at third.
