Bryant 19, Russellville 7
EDITOR’S NOTE: Because the look back at each day in Bryant athletic history has been so favorably received during the time when there was no sports during the COVID-19 shutdown, BryantDaily.com will continueposting past stories of Bryant athletics either posted on BryantDaily.com (from 2009 to the present) or published in the Bryant Times (from 1998 to 2008).
Scott Yant hit his first home run ever and it was a grand slam to highlight a seven-run third in Bryant’s romp over Russellville. Yant wound up 3-for-4 in the game, scoring three times as well as driving in four with the slam.
B.J. Wood also drilled a homer, a three-run shot in a five-run fourth. It was one of his three hits. White had two hits and three knocked in while Littleton drove in four with a pair of singles.
Cody Dreher struggled some as the Bryant starter but worked four innings to pick up the win with a fine relief performance by Minton that produced his first save of the season.
Bryant took a 4-0 lead in the first with the help of two walks, three wild pitches and an error.
Russellville’s Matt Ellis cut the margin to one with a three-run homer in the bottom of the inning. The drive was down the left-field line and Bryant argued that it was foul, but to no avail.
So the Sox proceeded to add to their lead with two in the second. White’s two-out double drove in both runs.
A two-run double by Casey Tadel made it 6-5 after two innings. That’s when Bryant took control with its big inning.
Littleton walked to lead off the third. Chambers doubled then walks to Jones and Moore forced in a run. Yant then slugged his homer down the left-field line. It was disputed by the Russellville coaches but, again, to no avail.
After the second pitching change of the inning, Wood singled. He swiped second and took third on a passed ball. White walked and stole second then Littleton came through in the clutch with a bloop single to right that chased both runs home, making it 13-5.
Dreher worked a scoreless bottom of the third and Bryant piled on five more in the fourth. Jones doubled and Yant singled ahead of Wood’s yard-yank into the bullpen in right. With two down, White belted his second ground-rule double. Graddy beat out an infield hit then swiped second to set up Littleton again. And, again, he came through with a single on a 2-2 pitch, chasing both White and Graddy home.
Russellville added an unearned run in the fourth then both teams scored a run in the seventh but Bryant held on to the double-digit lead to end it early on the run-rule.
