Blake Patterson enjoyed a great game at the plate and on the mound Friday night, which was no surprise to Bryant Blacksox Manager Darren Hurt.
Patterson belted a home run and allowed only two hits in six solid innings as the Blacksox rolled to an 8-0 victory over the Midwest City (Okla.) Outlaws on Friday night to advance to the winners' bracket finals of the American Legion Mid-South Regionals.
Coming on in relief of starter Evan Lee to start the fourth inning, Patterson gave up 2 hits, struck out four and walked no one. Patterson retired 16 of the final 17 batters he faced.
At the plate, Patterson was 3 for 5 with the home run and two doubles, the last of which also drove in a run.
"Blake threw a perfect game earlier this year and he had a couple of doubles that night," Hurt said. "The kid can flat swing it. He's an all-around type of guy. And when he pitches well, believe it or not, he hits it well. They kind of go together for whatever reason."
Friday's four games were moved to Curran Conway Park in Little Rock after a thunderstorm flooded the field at Burns Park in North Little Rock. Provided there was no rain late Friday night or early this morning, today's games will return to North Little Rock.
Bryant will play the winner of Friday's late game between Tupelo, Miss. and Columbia, Tenn., in tonight's winners' bracket final.
Bryant (44-4) banged out 12 hits against four Midwest City pitchers. Patterson had all three of Bryant's extra base hits. Dalton Holt went 2 for 5 with two singles and a RBI. Korey Thompson was 2 for 3 and had a sacrifice bunt, making him 4 for 5 for the tournament with three sacrifice bunts.
Lee, who had not pitched since June 14, gave up a lead-off double to Stevie Thompson in the first inning and Justin McGregor followed with a single. But the Outlaws squandered their chance to take an early lead when Thompson was thrown out at the plate attempting to score on Josh Rolette's ground ball to third baseman Brandon Warner.
Both Cameron Warren and Corey Zangari flew out to centerfielder Chase Tucker, and the Oklahoma state champions (49-17) never had another runner get past second base the rest of the way.
Lee gave up lead-off walks in both the second and third innings, but faced only four batters in each frame.
"Evan has just got to get his work in and get to where he can throw more and more pitches," Hurt said. "But he did fine. He did a good job."
Two batters reached base against Patterson in the fourth inning, but a double play ground out to end the inning was the first of 11 consecutive batters to be retired by the 5-10 right-hander, who will be a senior at Bryant High School this fall.
Bryant also picked up runs on a single by Dalton Holt, a sacrifice fly from Trevor Ezell and on bases-loaded walks to Trey Breeding and Chase Tucker.
Oklahoma;000 000 000 -- 0 4 3
Bryant;111 001 22x -- 8 12 1
Price, Mullins (7), Reeves (8), Weese (8), and Rolette. Lee, Patterson (4) and Lessenberry. W -- Patterson. L --Price. HR -- Patterson (Bryant).
Sports on 08/09/2014