Wilson, Sears spin shutout as Junior Sox advance at tourney
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CARTERSVILLE, Ga. — Garret Wilson and Blaine Sears combined on a two-hit shutout and the Bryant Black Sox 15-and-under Junior American Legion team whipped SwingAway Stars and Stripes of Kennesaw, Ga., 8-0, on Wednesday to win their pool at the Perfect Game/East Cobb Invitational Tournament.
The Sox moved on as the second-placed team in their pool. The Georgia Roadrunners won the pool. They were set to play the Atlanta Warriors on Thursday.
Over four innings, Wilson fanned seven and walked three while surrendering two singles. Sears walked one and struck out five more in two hitless innings of relief.
Bryant had nine hits against Stars and Stripes including three doubles by Noah Davis.
A four-run home first set the Sox on their way. A walk to Lawson Speer opened the door. Ryan Riggs doubled him to third then Davis belted his first two-bagger to drive both Speer and courtesy runner Kannon Allison home. Wilson singled home Davis to make it 3-0.
Coleman came on as a pinch-runner for Wilson. Sears was struck by a 1-1 pitch then the duo worked a double steal.
With one out, Tyler Bates delivered a sacrifice fly and it was 4-0.
Ethan Andrews lined a single to center, sending Sears to third but both were stranded when Josh Turner tapped back to the mound.
A lead-off walk came to naught for Stars and Stripes in the top of the second. In the home half, Davis doubled with two away and Wilson drew a walk. But it remained 4-0 going into the top of the third. Wilson worked around a two-out single.
In the home third, Sears walked and Will Hathcote sacrificed him to second. Bates bounced out to second and Sears took third. After Andrews drew a free pass, Turner singled to make it 5-0.
In the fourth, Speer singled to left and took second on Riggs’ tapper to the pitcher. Davis doubled him home.
Sears relieved in the top of the fifth and struck out the side. In turn, the Sox were unable to take advantage of a one-out single by Bates, Andrews being pinged by a pitch and Speer drawing a two-out walk.
In the sixth, however, they made it a run-rule win. Davis and Wilson walked. Davis took third on a wild pitch and scored when Sears bounced into a fielder’s choice, beating the threw home from third.
