Junior Sox take first state match
CONWAY – The Bryant Jr. Black Sox cruised to a 10-0 win over Mountain Home in five innings to begin the Junior American Legion State Tournament on Friday at Bear Stadium in Conway.
The Jr. Sox scored three runs each in the first and third innings, while putting up two apiece in the second and fourth innings to set the 10-0 final.
Bryant’s Peyton Dillon and Joshua Turner combined for a two-hit shutout, with Dillon pitching two scoreless innings, allowing one hit and a walk, with one strikeout. Turner gave up just one hit without a walk in three scoreless innings while striking out two.
The Jr. Sox (23-8) would get some free passes to start the bottom of the first inning as leadoff man Lawson
Speer walked, as did Ryan Riggs. A bunt single by Noah Davis loaded them up for JT
Parker, who walked to force in a run. Will Hathcote followed with an RBI fielder’s choice for the 2-0 lead and Davis made it 3-0 scoring on a passed ball.
Dakota Clay walked and Blaine Sears singled to start the second and two runs would come across on an error two batters later for the 5-0 advantage after two.
Bryant began the third with four consecutive singles, with Aaron Morgan’s going for an RBI, and Sears walked with the bases juiced to force in another run. After a double play, Riggs singled in Clay for the 8-0 lead after three.
The Jr. Sox made it 10-0 after four innings with Colby Morrow hitting an RBI double and Gavin Burton later scoring on an error to set the final score.
Morrow and Morgan both went 2 for 3 with an RBI, while Riggs went 1 for 2 and knocked in three. Hathcote and Sears both had a hit and RBI, while Davis and Clay added a hit in the win.
The win sets the Black Sox up with the winner of Brinkley and the Sheridan Swarm today at 5 p.m. at Bear Stadium in Conway.