Legion baseball
AMERICAN LEGION MID-SOUTH REGIONAL
After another state championship, the Bryant Black Sox will play in the American Legion Mid-South Regional beginning today in Hastings, Neb.
The standard for the Bryant Black Sox is win the Senior American Legion state tournament.
Bryant achieved the feat for the third consecutive season July 28 in Conway and will play in the American Legion Mid-South Regional beginning today in Hastings, Neb.
“The thing is, they know coming in, there’s no excuses,” Bryant Coach Darren Hurt said. “The expectation is still to go win a state championship. You’ve got to get a little luck along the way.
“They know what the expectations are coming in. They know what the guys ahead of them have done three out of the past four years. They fight hard to achieve the same thing.”
The Black Sox won the Senior American Legion state championship with a 15-1 victory in six innings over Paragould on July 28 at Bear Stadium in Conway. Peyton Dillard hit a grand slam as part of Bryant’s 10-run sixth inning to pull away.
Logan Chambers was the tournament MVP after hitting .471 with 4 RBI and 7 runs scored.
Slade Renfrow earned the tournament’s Most Outstanding Pitcher award. Renfrow went 2-0 and allowed 2 runs (1 earned) in 11 innings.
Hurt was pleased with Renfrow’s state tournament performance.
“We needed him to step up on the mound,” Hurt said. “We needed him to be a guy for us. He’s answered.”
Bryant will play the tournament host, Hastings, Neb., in today’s regional opener at Duncan Field. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Central. Today’s winner will play the winner of Festus, Mo.-Emporia, Kan. at 6:30 p.m. Thursday.
The tournament also features Coweta, Okla.; Texarkana, Texas; Sedalia, Mo.; and Fremont, Neb.
“It’s going to be tough,” Hurt said. “We draw the host team the first game. They’re not going to be a pushover, because the Nebraska area is a Legion hotbed. They’re playing a lot of tough competition up there.”
Renfrow, who moved to Bryant before the 2018-19 school year from Louisiana, will start today’s game for the Black Sox. He said he is looking forward to pitching in the regional.
“I want to compete,” Renfrow said. “I want to show everybody what I’ve got. I want to do the best for my team.”
Bryant fell one victory short of reaching the World Series for the second consecutive season last year in New Orleans, losing to Gonzales, La.
The Black Sox hope they can get back to the World Series for the second time in three seasons.
“These guys are excited,” Hurt said. “Getting to the World Series would be a big deal for these kids.”
The winner of the MidSouth Regional advances to Shelby, N.C., for the World Series, which begins Aug. 15.