By KELLY FENTON
Leader sports editor
Sylvan Hills Optimist junior Legion team salvaged a win in the Gwatney Chevrolet Tournament on Sunday at Burns Park.
The Bruins opened with losses to Sheridan and Gwatney, but took advantage of Benton’s generosity on Sunday to post an 8-7 victory and a fifth-place finish.
Benton pitching issued six walks, hit two more and committed three errors, allowing the Bruins to score their eight runs on only six hits. Sylvan Hills was in a giving mood, too, issuing seven walks and hitting two, while committing three errors. But Sylvan Hills got the victory when Cain Cormier singled in Justin Cook as time expired in the 2-hour time limit game.
Cook opened the fifth inning of a 7-7 tie by lining his first offering into right for a single and Forrest Harrison singled him to third. One out later, Cormier hit a sharp single through the hole at shortstop.
Sylvan Hills grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first after Lance Hunter reached on an error and came around on Blake Rasdon’s RBI single. But two walks, an infield single and a throwing error produced a pair of runs and a 2-1 Benton lead in the second.
The Bruins tied it in the bottom half on three walks and a wild pitch.
But Sylvan Hills returned the favor in the third with three walks and a wild pitch and Benton temporarily led 3-2.
Hunter got things going for the Bruins in the bottom of the third with a walk, and Trey Sims, on in relief of Rasdon-in the third, delivered a pinch hit single. Michael Lock was hit with a pitch to load the bases and the Bruins tied it when Cook drew a walk. Both Austin Spears and Lock scored when Will Carter reached on a throwing error. Cook scored on a wild pitch to give Sylvan Hills a 6-3 lead.
But Benton took advantage of two Sylvan Hills errors and a pair of singles to narrow the gap to 6-5 in the fourth. Brian Chastain singled leading off for the Bruins in the bottom half of the inning and eventually scored on Sims’ sacrifice fly.
Sims ran into trouble in the fifth, hitting a batter and giving up a single to start the inning. Spears, the Bruins’ first baseman, made a nifty play on a sacrifice bunt attempt, charging and throwing across to third to get the lead runner. But two walks, a sacrifice fly and a wild pitch tied the game at 7.
Spears came on with two outs and the go-ahead run at second and got a fly out to end the inning. Spears picked up the win after facing just one batter.
Cormier, Chastain, Rasdon, Sims, Cook and Harrison had one hit each. Cook scored three times.
