Jr. Sox split in Memphis
MEMPHIS – Though getting off to a slow start at the Mid-summer Tournament in Memphis, the Bryant
Jr. Black Sox (17U) would finish the tournament with two wins this past weekend to improve to 10-7-1 on the season. The Jr. Sox fell 5-3 to the Memphis Tigers and 11-4 to Easley Baseball on Friday and early Saturday, but regrouped Saturday afternoon to down Paragould 8-1 and Sunday defeated the STL Gamers 11-5.
The Jr. Sox brought out the bats against the Gamers on Sunday, pounding out 11 runs on 12 hits with a Colby Morrow RBI single to plate JT Parker in the bottom of the first to get the scoring started. STL knotted things up with an RBI single in the top of the second, but Bryant broke it open in the bottom of the inning.
Luke Dreher doubled to get things started, and after a fly out, Cade Parker singled to put runners on the corners. Jordan Knox laid down a squeeze bunt to plate Dreher for the 2-1 lead, which would never be relinquished. Lawson Speer singled and Connor Martin scored Parker with a single
to left. JT Parker followed with a 2-RBI double for the 5-1 lead after two.
The Gamers picked up a run on a sacrifice fly in the fourth, but the Jr. Sox upped their lead to 9-2 with a 4-spot in the bottom of the fourth, helped by an error, JT Parker RBI triple and a run on a passed ball.
Speer made it 10-2 with an RBI single in the fifth before the Gamers finally got to Bryant starter Jaxon Ham in the sixth. After getting the first two outs, Ham gave up five straight hits and a walk resulting in three runs before Caleb Greiner got the final out on a fielder’s choice. Morrow capped the scoring with an RBI single in the bottom of the sixth.
Speer finished with a 3-for-4 day with two runs and an RBI. JT Parker was 2 for 2 with three runs and three RBIS, Morrow was 2 for 4 with two RBIS and Cade Parker was 2 for 3 with two runs. Martin had a hit and three RBIS, Knox a hit and RBI and Dreher also had a knock in the win. Greiner gave up a hit and recorded a strikeout in 1.1 innings of relief.
Morrow had another good game in the 8-1 victory over the Paragould Chaos. Morrow gave up just three hits and a walk in five shutout innings while striking out six, and also had a hit and RBI in the win.
The Jr. Sox jumped on Chaos with five runs in the first inning and added three more in the fourth for the
8-0 lead before Paragould scored its lone run in the top of the sixth.
Martin finished 2 for 3 with two runs, Dreher went 1 for 3 with two RBIS, and Speer, JT Parker, and Gavin Burton all added a hit and RBI apiece.
Easley Baseball handled the Sox in the 11-4 defeat, outhitting Bryant 13-6, with Morrow Bryant’s only player with a multi-hit game. Dreher added a hit and two RBIS.