MEMPHIS — Behind the shutout pitching of Jake Wright, Scott Schmidt and Boston Heil, the Bryant Black Sox Senior American Legion team won its second pool play contest, 4-0 over the East Coast Elite on Saturday. The top three in the Sox’ lineup, Logan Chambers, Jake Wright and Cade Drennan combined to go 6 of 11 at the plate with four runs batted. Each had a double as well.
The Bryant trio of pitchers held Elite to just four singles. Wright pitched the first four innings, allowing a hit and striking out five. Schmidt pitched in with a scoreless fifth before Heil took over and finished it out.
Neither team scored over the first two frames. The Sox managed just a one-out walk to Myers Buck in the second. Wright started the bottom of the first with a strikeout and a single then retired 11 in a row.
In the top of the third, Bryant broke out. With one away, Coby Greiner singled to left and Chambers drilled a double to right that chased him home. Though Chambers was caught trying to get to third on the play, Wright waited out a walk and Drennan smacked his double to center. Wright scored from first to make it 2-0.
After being retired in order in the fourth, the Sox added a run in the top of the fifth. Greiner walked and went to second on Chambers’ groundout. Wright singled in the run.
In the fifth, Schmidt relieved and surrendered a one-out single only to induce a grounder from the next batter that, starting with Logan Catton at second, turned into a doubleplay.
After Heil set down Elite in the bottom of the sixth, the Sox tacked one on. Chambers drilled a one-out single, took second on an error and scored when Wright belted a double.
East Coast Elite tried to rally in the bottom of the seventh and managed a pair of one-out singles. But both runners were stranded as Heil got the second out on strikes then induced a grounder to short for a game-ending force at second.
The Sox were set to play twice on Sunday, against East Coast Select and Houston High School of Memphis.
