SHERIDAN — Stunned by an opening-round loss to Magnet Cove, the Bryant Black Sox Junior American Legion team bounced back on Saturday by ousting Sheridan Mosley Holdings, 15-3. On Sunday, they were locked in a 2-2 battle with Benton Williams Tire going into the final inning. A three-run seventh gave Benton a lead, however. Bryant rallied in the home half of the inning, scratched out a run and had the bases loaded with the potential winning run on first when Benton got the final to survive another day.
The loss ended the season for the Junior Sox, who finished 23-13 overall.
Benton 5, Bryant 3
In the bottom of the seventh, Grayson Prince reached on an error but was still at first with two away. Myers Buck kept the inning alive with a line-drive single to left. Logan Catton walked to load the bases for Logan Chambers, who beat out an infield hit for an RBI. Jake Wright followed and got a good swing on a 2-2 pitch but skied to left to end the game.
Benton grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Bryant tied it in the bottom of the second when Prince doubled and scored on a two-out single to right by Ryan Lessenberry.
Benton scratched out a second run in the top of the third only to have Bryant tie it in the home half. Chambers singled with one out then Wright walked. A passed ball moved them up to second and third for Brooks Ellis, who drove home the run with a groundout to second.
Bryant pitcher Will McEntire worked a 1-2-3 four, fanning a pair but the Sox were set down as well. McEntire pitched around a two-out single in the fifth and a lead-off walk in the sixth.
Meanwhile, 11 Bryant batters were retired in a row as the game went to the seventh. McEntire finished his day with a strikeout then Christian Harp came on to get the second out.
But a air of walks followed. Harp fanned the next batter but the ball was in the dirt and got away as the batter reached safely loading the bases. A triple cleared them and put Benton in position to win.
Bryant 15, Sheridan Mosley Holdings 3
Konnor Clontz and Chambers combined to stop one of Sheridan’s three teams in the tournament on just three hits on Saturday.
At the plate, Chambers, Wright and Prince each had two hits. Sawyer Holt knocked in a pair.
The game was tight early as the teams traded runs in the first two frames. But the Sox broke the 2-2 tie with four in the third and they were never headed off.
Sheridan managed a third run in the home third but was blanked by Chambers the rest of the way.
A run in the fifth made it 7-3 then Bryant erupted for five in the sixth and three in the seventh to make it a rout.
In the first, Chambers singled and Wright was struck by a 3-1 pitch. Ellis drew a free pass then Brandon Hoover was plunked to force in the run.
After Sheridan tied it in the bottom of the first, also on a hit batsman with the bases loaded, the Sox reclaimed the upper hand. Holt was drilled, Buck walked and Catton was hit by a 1-0 pitch. With one out, Wright grounded into a force at the plate but Ellis drew a free pass to put the Sox up 2-1.
Sheridan scored an unearned run in the bottom of the inning to knot it back up again. But Bryant’s third commenced with a walk to Prince. Clontz sacrificed him to second then a wild pitch got him to third. Holt singled to drive him in, snapping the tie.
Buck was hit by a pitch and Catton walked to load the bases. Chambers got a run home when he grounded into a force at second. An error on the relay to first allowed Buck to score to make it 5-2.
Wright walked then Ellis singled in courtesy runner Micah Holyfield to cap the uprising.
Sheridan took advantage of a pair of walks to score its final run of the game in the bottom of the third. Bryant got that back in the top of the fifth. Walks to Wright and Hoover then an infield hit by Prince filled the bases. Clontz worked a free pass to force in the run.
Chambers pitched around a lead-off single in the bottom of the fifth then the run-bonanza set in. Buck singled to start the sixth. Catton followed suit then Chambers bunted them to second and third. With two down, Ellis hit a hard grounder to first that was misplayed allowing both Buck and Catton to score.
Hoover, Prince and Clontz each walked, bringing in another run. Holt drove in a run with a groundout and when Buck was hit by a pitch, Prince scored to make it 12-3.
Chambers pitched around a two-out single in the bottom of the sixth. The Bryant seventh began with a double by Chambers. Wright singled him in.
With one out, Hoover reached on an error then Prince doubled in a run. Hoover scored the final tally when Clontz’ drive to left was misplayed.
Chambers surrendered a two-out walk in the seventh before putting the game away by inducing a grounder to Buck at third.
