Resilient Blacksox play for each other

The Bryant Blacksox’s road to the Big Easy was anything but trouble-free.

After dropping a 10-1 decision to Fort Smith on the opening day of the American Legion Senior State Tournament in Conway, the Blacksox won six consecutive games in four days to qualify for this week’s Mid-South Regional in New Orleans.

Bryant is making its fifth consecutive regional appearance. Last season, the Blacksox advanced all the way into the World Series semifinals.

“I think it’s because these kids play for each other, they love each other,” Bryant Manager Darren Hurt said. “They didn’t want the season to end. That’s what we feed off of.”

The Blacksox will play Salina,

Kan., in today’s regional opener at Kirsch Rooney Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 11:30 a.m.

Bryant’s extraordinary finish to the state tournament included back-to-back doubleheader sweeps on the final two days and was capped by a pair of 3-0 victories over Sheridan on the final day.

Pitcher Will McEntire collected two wins in the tournament and was named MVP. In the losers bracket finale — a 5-3 victory over Fort Smith — McEntire threw 6 shutout innings, allowing 6 hits and 1 walk.

Myers Buck and Scott Schmidt were Bryant’s pitching stars in the two victories over Sheridan. Both lasted six innings of the seven-inning games.

“What they did was amazing,” said infielder Logan Chambers, who earned the tournament’s top hitting honors. “Some may say we did it offensively, but they held their batters down to allow us to do this.”

Chambers was 3 for 7 with 4 runs scored in the tournament’s final two games, including a home run on the second pitch of the championship game.

Catcher Cade Drennan also shined offensively for the Blacksox, going 7 of 14 with 6 RBI in Bryant’s final four games of the state tournament.

Like Bryant, Salina had to win twice on the final day — and used some quality pitching to do so — in the Kansas state tournament to advance to the Mid-South Regional.

Salina defeated Iola, Kan., 5-0 in the first game and then 3-2 in the second game.

The winner of the MidSouth Regional advances to Shelby, N.C., for the World Series, which begins Aug. 16.