MEMORIAL DAY 2010

By Martin Couch

Recently, Bryant Police Chief Tony Coffman invited the local media outlets to attend a monthly meeting of the Saline County law enforcement officers to discuss a cooperative working environment to get information to the citizens.

By Martin Couch

A small bridge that goes up and over a deeply dug culvert, then plunges down to the level of the street isn’t the most easily accessible entrance from Highway 5 to Forest Drive in Bryant’s Ward 2.

By Martin Couch

Bryant’s Adrian Henley of Ward 3 might be the youngest of the eight city aldermen, but his voice carries weight among the city council.

Growing up in Bryant since he was 14 and graduating from Bryant High School, Henley decided he wanted to be involved in his community.

By Rob Patrick

BAUXITE — The Bryant Black Sox Junior American Legion team didn’t make it to the championship round of the wood bat tournament at Bauxite High School after suffering an 11-4 loss to the Sheridan AA team but head coach Darren Hurt said his team got what it needed from the tourney, short of winning it.

The top two teams from each of two four-team pools advanced to Monday’s championship round. Bryant, finishing 1-1-1, matched Maumelle, the team the Sox tied 0-0 on Saturday, but the first tie breaker was runs allowed and the 11 that Sheridan put up proved too many for the Sox who shut out two opponents on Saturday.

TULSA — Oral Roberts University outfielder Joey Winiecki of Bryant has been named to the all-Summit League second team. The speedy Winiecki is batting .337 with 22 runs batted in and 13 stolen bases overall this season. In league play, he has hit .327 with 16 RBIs and eight thefts.

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — In their first game at the National Junior College World Series, the Crowder College Roughriders were shutout on just two hits by Iowa Western Community College left-hander Taylor Eikenberry, losing 12-0 in seven innings. Eikenberry walked three and struck out seven. He surrendered a single to Alex Larkin to lead off the third. Koby Peebles had a single in the fourth then Eikenberry set down the last 11 batters he faced.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Travis Wood of Bryant allowed a two-run homer in the first inning but little else on Sunday on his way to his third win of the season for the Louisville Bats, the AAA farm club of the Cincinnati Reds.

Wood also contributed a double in three at-bats and scored twice to help his team surge to a 9-6 win over the Gwinnett Braves in International League play.

Photos by Kevin Nagle (www.actionsportspix.net)

By Rob Patrick

“It’s the first time I’ve ever scored one run in two games and didn’t lose,” declared Bryant Black Sox coach Darren Hurt after his team completed its second game of the day in the Bauxite Tournament on Saturday.

The Sox’s first game finished in a scoreless tie. In the second, Dylan Cross and Quinton Motto combined on a two-hit shutout and Bryant eked out a run for a 1-0 win over the Little Rock Continental Express Junior team.

The tournament is being played with wooden bats, which limits the offense. The sweet spot on a wood bat is probably less than half the size of the much more forgiving metal bats that most amateur teams use normally. So the games often boil down to which team pitches best, which one avoids defensive mistakes, limiting their opponent’s opportunities.

Besides allowing just two hits, between them, Cross and Motto didn’t walk anybody. Cross hit a batter.In all, Bryant pitchers threw 13 scoreless innings in the two games.

“The pitchers threw well today,” Hurt acknowledged. “I think the highest pitch count was 42. Every one of them was effective. The defense played well too.”