LITTLE ROCK — Brayden Beenken and Luke Bickerstaff brought some order to a wild Junior American Legion game on Tuesday night at UALR’s Gary Hogan Field. The Bryant Black Sox led 7-6 after two innings but with Beenken and Bickerstaff quieting the bats of the Little Rock Cobras, the Sox kept scoring and came away with a 15-7 win.
The Sox took advantage of 13 walks, two hit batsmen and four Little Rock errors with nine hits including two each for Grant Dunbar, Hunter Holt and Carson Kemp.
The win improved the Sox to 9-14-4. It was their fifth win in the last seven games. They’re scheduled to play at Cabot on Wednesday, July 7.
Bryant broke out to a 7-0 lead in the first two innings, but the Cobras plated six in the bottom of the second to get back into the game. The Sox, however, kept scoring, adding three in the third and four in the fourth to build their big lead. The Cobras added a run in the bottom of the fourth. Bickerstaff relieved to get out of that inning then finished the contest, fanning three without allowing a hit the rest of the way.
Singles by Dunbar, Holt and Kemp produced Bryant’s first run in the top of the opening frame. Justen Myles followed with a knock to left that made it 2-0. Kemp scored on a passed ball as Bickerstaff was working a walk. Reid Catton drew a free pass on four pitches to load the bases then a passed ball allowed Myles to score making it 4-0.
Starter Michael Parker pitched around a pair of walks in the bottom of the first and, in the second, the Sox got back to work at the plate. Dunbar again led off and reached on the first Cobras error. Brady Brower walked and with one out, so did Kemp.
After a pitching change, Myles hit a grounder to the Cobras’ second baseman. He tried to get the out at the plate, but Dunbar beat the throw as Myles reached first safely. With the bases full, Bickerstaff blooped a single to center to make it 6-0.
Catton grounded into a force at the plate but when the catcher tried to double up Catton at first, he threw it away allowing Myles to score.
Three walks and three singles started Little Rock’s second-inning rally. Ryland relieved but couldn’t get out of the inning. After an error and a single, Beenken took the bump and, after a passed ball allowed the sixth run, induced a foul pop that Holt hauled down to end the inning.
Walks to Jaxon Ham and Dunbar started Bryant’s third. Brower got a sacrifice bunt down and, when the ball was misplayed, reached safely, and loading the bases. Ham and Dunbar worked a double steal to make it 8-6 and, after Holt was plunked by a 2-2 delivery, filling the sacks again.
Kemp delivered a run with a sacrifice fly and, after Myles was struck by a pitch, Bickerstaff picked up an RBI when he grounded into a force at second.
Little Rock loaded the bases in the bottom of the third on a double, a single and a hit batsman but the Sox turned an inning-ending doubleplay to keep it 10-6.
A walk to Clay Crawford started the Sox’ fourth. He stole second and third then scored on Ham’s single. Walks to Dunbar and Brower loaded the bases for Holt, who drilled a double to left, clearing the bases, making it 14-6.
Beenken walked the lead-off batter in the bottom of the fourth but retired the next two batters. But he struggled to get the third out, hitting a batter and walking the next. Another free pass forced in a run and Bickerstaff took his turn on the hill. He induced a grounder to Crawfird at short. He threw to Catton at third for a force out that ended the inning.
The Sox got that run back in the sixth on walks to Holt and Beenken. Myles lined out to the pitcher who, trying to double up Beenken at first, threw the ball away allowing Holt to score the final run of the contest.
Bickerstaff had pitched around an error in the fifth then fanned two in a 1-2-3 sixth. He again retired the side in order in the seventh.
