After getting shut out 4-0 in their first American Legion World Series game in 10 years Thursday by Idaho, the Bryant Black Sox brought out the big sticks Saturday hitting three homeruns in a 7-4 victory over Hopewell, New Jersey, at Keeter Stadium in Shelby, North Carolina, in their second to improve to 1-1 in the tournament and stayed alive in pool play with the victory.
Bryant wraps up pool play today against Randolph County, North Carolina, with presumably a must-win scenario to advance to the world series semifinals. Bryant is in the Stars Division of the tourney and the top two teams out of the Stars and Stripes Division advance to the semis, which begin Monday with the championship game following on Tuesday.
Black Sox players Jake Wright, Logan Allen and Seth Tucker all went deep for Bryant on Saturday, helping ignite an offense which had been struggling ever since the Mid-South Regional in New Orleans. Bryant had not hit a homerun all season before Saturday.
“We go from no homeruns on the season to three,” Black Sox Coach Darren Hurt laughed. “I don’t really know where that came from, but it was sure nice to see.”