By Mark Haney
The Daily Citizen
PARAGOULD – The Class A State American Legion tournament is underway and B&B Oil is already making some noise. B&B Oil trailed Sheridan 5-2 on Friday afternoon, but rallied late to pull out the 6-5 win.
Sheridan got on the scoreboard first. After reaching on a double in the first inning, the Sheridan baserunner was able to score the go-ahead run on a single into right field to take the 1-0 lead.
B&B Oil responded in the bottom of the third inning. After B&B Oil loaded the bases on three straight singles, Josh Spears lined a single into center field, scoring two and giving B&B the 2-1 lead. That lead would last until the fifth inning.
In the top of the fifth, after putting two on, a Sheridan batter hit a three-run blast to recapture the lead at 4-2. Following the homer, Sheridan continued to add to its lead. After another Sheridan batter reached on a double, he was driven in on a single to give Sheridan the 5-2 lead.
The score would stay at the 5-2 Sheridan advantage until the bottom of the seventh inning. After Zach Fagan, Jared Haggard and Tanner Ball reached on back-to-back-to-back singles, Spears put a double into right field, scoring Fagan and Haggard and moving Ball to third base. Bryson Scott got a single next to tie the game at five as he drove in Ball. With two on and none out, Jordan Johnston hit a walk-off single to score Spears and give B&B Oil the 6-5 win.
On the mound, Spears pitched the first four innings allowing four runs on six hits while striking out six. According to B&B Oil coach Brett Burton, Spears was having an off day but managed to keep focused.
“They were hitting him early, but Josh made the necessary adjustments,” Burton said. “He’s usually in the zone a lot but had a tough time. Even though he struggled he kept us in the game and burned some innings.”
Following Spears on the mound was Scott who pitched the fifth and sixth innings allowing only one run on one hit while striking out one. Fagan came in during the top of the seventh to shut Sheridan down and pick up the win. In the inning he allowed no runs while striking out two.
Burton said he was very pleased with the team’s performance.
“The one thing that really defines this team is they are always in every ball game,” Burton said. “They never give up. In this game they did what they had to do to stay in it.”
Today, they face the winner of Paragould and North Little Rock. According to Burton, he expects B&B Oil’s opponent to be Paragould, a team B&B Oil is too familiar with.
“We’ve played them five times this year and have won three,” Burton said. “We lost one and tied the other. They have a really solid team whose hitting is coming around. Plus they have some very aggressive base-running and are very well-coached.”
Burton said he will start either Ball or Dillon Lindsey in the second-round contest which is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m.
