CABOT — The Bryant Black Sox 17-and-under Junior American Legion team out-hit the Texarkana Razorbacks 17-and-under team but five walks, three errors and two hit batsmen hindered the Sox’ effort to get to the finals of the 2018 Memorial Day Weekend Junior Tournament on Monday. Texarkana took advantage for a 7-3 win to knock the Sox out of the tourney and hand them their first loss of the season.
Texarkana grabbed a 2-0 lead in the top of the second and it stayed that way until the fifth when they posted three more runs. Though Bryant got on the board in the bottom of the fifth, Texarkana tacked on and earned the victory.
The Sox wound up with seven hits, two each by Noah Davis and Connor Coleman.
A trio of Bryant pitchers worked the game but only three of the seven runs were earned. Will Hathcote started and surrendered those first two runs. Both were unearned. He walked two, hit two and fanned six while scattering three hits in four frames. Tyler Bates pitched the fifth. Only one of the three runs he gave up was earned. Garrett Wilson pitched the final frame.
In Texarkana’s second, a bunt single opened the gate. With one out, an error allowed the runner to race to third. An infield hit brought him home. Another error allowed the second run to score.
The Sox threatened in the bottom of the second when, with two away, Hathcote and Blaine Sears each walked, and Coleman beat out an infield hit. But a strikeout ended the inning.
In the fifth, an error and a walk started a three-run uprising as Texarkana increased its lead.
Bryant got a run in the home fifth when, with two down, Davis doubled, and Lawson Speer singled him home. Kannon Allison followed with a knock to put runners at second and third but, again, a strikeout ended the uprising.
A pair of walks in the top of the sixth led to a pair of runs as the lead grew to 7-1.
In the home sixth, Ryan Riggs walked and, with two down, Coleman beat out another infield hit. Zion Collins singled in Riggs and Davis knocked in Coleman with a base hit. Speer made a bid to keep it going but his line drive was caught to end the game.
Now 5-1 on the season after sweeping four games in pool play at the tourney, the Sox are set to play at Benton on Tuesday at 6 p.m.
