AMERICAN LEGION STATE

Bryant gets assertive, takes title

— The Bryant Black Sox and their aggressive, free-swinging style are headed to the American Legion Mid-South Regional Tournament.

Hayden Daniel lined a one-out, bases-loaded single into right field in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Black Sox a 5-4 victory over the Texarkana Razorbacks in Tuesday’s championship game of the American Legion state tournament at Burns Park’s Desalvo Stadium in North Little Rock.

Consistently swinging at first pitches, Bryant (33-5) rapped out 15 hits Tuesday to advance to New Orleans for the regional tournament, which begins Thursday, Aug. 9. Bryant will play the Mississippi state champion at 9:30 a.m. in the double-elimination tournament.

“I’ve always been aggressive, and everybody on this team is doing a great job of being aggressive,” said tournament MVP Hunter Mayall, who doubled three times Tuesday, each on the first pitch. “It really helps the team in running bases and everything. It’s wonderful.”

“That’s what we tell them to do,” Bryant Manager Darren Hurt said. “First pitch you like, get on it. Like it or not, and everybody’s different on that [style of play], but I don’t like our players getting down 0-1 in the count and then the pitcher has the advantage. ... Everybody has the green light [to swing].”

The game came down to a thrilling finish. Texarkana tied the game in the top of the ninth inning. After chasing Bryant starter Tyler Nelson with back-to-back, one-out singles, Alan Copeland lifted a sacrifice fly to left that scored Josey Langston with the tying run.

Bryant, however, came right back in the bottom half of the inning.

Landon Pickett, who had homered on the first pitch he saw to lead off the seventh inning, reached on an error to start the bottom of the ninth. After a sacrifice bunt and an intentional walk, Hayden Lessenberry singled off the wall in left field.

Three pitches later, Daniel sent a line drive into right field that fell between centerfielder Luke McGuire and right fielder Ethan Russell to score Pickett.

“That ranks really big in my career hit list,” Daniel said. “To come up big for the team like that is really special. I hit a fastball that was a little outside, but I got a good look at it.”

Texarkana pitcher Colton McMahan went the distance. The junior from Magnolia High School walked only one while Bryant left 13 base runners stranded against him.

“For him to come out and throw a game like that against a very experienced team, my hat is off to him. He did a great job,” Texarkana Manager Dane Peavy said. “He kept us in the game. Unfortunately, it didn’t turn out the way we wanted.”

Nelson was also an unfortunate pitcher. The Bryant starter went 8 1/3 innings, struck out 7, hit a batter and walked 2, but he left with a no-decision. Tryce Schalchlin, who won Bryant’s tournament opener by going 7 2/3 inning of relief against Rogers, picked up the victory Tuesday after throwing only three pitches.

“He was already at 120-plus pitches going into the ninth, but he said he felt wonderful,” Hurt said of Nelson. “I told him, ‘If anybody gets on, I’m going to have to come get you.’ But it was the fifth time through the order and they had seen him all night. ... It is a shame. He deserved the ‘W.’ ”

Schalchlin allowed the tying run to score when Copeland hit a 1-0 pitch to left field. After the first pitch to Hunter Wilcher, Lessenberry, Bryant’s catcher, threw out Trevor Rucker attempting to steal.

Mayall, Bryant’s left fielder, was a solid choice as the tournament’s MVP.

He was 4 for 5 Tuesday and was 14 of 23 (.609) for the tournament with 6 RBI and 4 doubles.

“I just try to help the team win and produce as many runs as possible,” Mayall said. “You’ve got to get hits, you’ve got to score runs, you’ve got to be aggressive, steal bases. I’ve just played my kind of baseball.”

Teammate Marcus Wilson was awarded the tournament’s outstanding hitter award.

The Bryant centerfielder was 15 of 22 (.682) with a home run, 6 RBI and 3 doubles.

Texarkana’s Blake White was awarded the tournament’s outstanding pitcher award.

White recorded a sevenstrikeout, six-hitter against Rogers on Monday.

Ozzie Hurt and Jordan Taylor each had RBI doubles for Bryant on Tuesday.

Texarkana’s 11 hits included two each by Langston, Russell, Copeland, Rucker and Daniel Thompson. Copeland and Wilcher each had two RBI.

Sports, Pages 23 on 08/01/2012

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