By JASON KING
Leader sportswriter
A pair of late-game runs from Conway handed Sylvan Hills two close losses Saturday at Kevin McReynolds field in Sherwood during an American Legion Class A doubleheader with the Wampus Cats. The Bruins trailed by only one run in the opener until Jessie Cormier scored on a passed ball in the bottom of the sixth to tie it at 4-4. Conway was able to retake the lead in the seventh, holding on for a 5-4 win.
The second game was even closer. Sylvan Hills’ only run in the contest came from lead-off batter Jessie Everett in the top of the first inning. Conway tied the game in the bottom of the second, and scored the winning run in the fifth to bring the game to a halt due to time.
The Wampus Cats took the early lead in the opener, scoring two runs in the first inning. Sylvan Hills was able to make up one of those runs in the first with lead-off batter Everett. After reaching first with a single, Everett was driven home moments later off a double from Ricky Wheeler. The run pulled the Bruins to within one heading into the second inning.
Conway built on its lead in the top of the second with another pair of runs to go up 4-1. The Bruins once again came away with only one run during their turn; this time it was T.C. Squires singling to put the score in position, and scoring off a Conway error. Everett’s run made the score 4-2 after two innings. Ross Bogard pulled Sylvan Hills to within one in the bottom of the fourth inning with an RBI that scored Wheeler, who had singled at the start of the Bruins’ turn in the fourth. Wheeler’s run closed the gap to 4-3 Conway.
Sylvan Hills completed the comeback in the bottom of the sixth. Cormier led off the inning with a single down the third-base line. He got to second with a steal, and then made his way to third off a 5-3 fielder’s choice for the Wampus Cats. A passed ball during Wheeler’s turn at the plate allowed Cormier to make it in, tying the game with one inning remaining.
Conway almost went three-and-out in the seventh, but a fielding error in right field allowed the second batter on. The potential third out came on a fly ball, but another error in the outfield allowed the winning run to score. The Bruins did go three-and-out in the bottom of the seventh, handing the game-one win to Conway.
The Bruins got off to a strong start in the second game, scoring with lead-off batter Everett. Bogard drove Everett in with a double to give Sylvan Hills a 1-0 lead. A chance to take a commanding lead diminished in the second with an outstanding play from the Conway shortstop. Dalton, Wheeler and Cormier occupied the bases with only one out. A hit to shortstop was caught and quickly thrown to second, catching Wheeler for the third out of the inning.
Conway tied the game in the bottom of the second, and relied on its defense to keep the Bruins from scoring further runs. The Wampus Cats took to the plate in the bottom of the fifth as time expired, scoring the final run of the afternoon to win the second game 2-1 and taking the sweep.
Sylvan Hills hosted Jacksonville in a Class A and AAA doubleheader yesterday after Leader deadlines, and will be back in action Thursday with a Class A doubleheader against Pine Bluff in Sherwood starting at 6 p.m.
