LAKEWOOD — A six-run first inning and some sterling relief pitching by Noah Davis and Will Hathcote sparked the Bryant 9-year-old All-Stars to their second win at the South Arkansas State Tournament Saturday. They defeated Crossett’s All-Stars 12-4.
The Bryant 9-year-old All-Stars are Aidan Adams, Tyler Bates, Dakota Clay, Cooper Davis, Noah Davis, Peyton Dillon, Will Hathcote, Cameron McDonald, Justin Orender, Ryan Riggs, Austin Schroeder, Lawson Speer, Garrett Wilson. They are managed by Matt Orender. He’s assisted by Jeff Clay and Paul Speer.
The big first inning was ignited by a lead-off triple by Noah Davis. Speer walked and stole second then Wilson drove in the first run with a grounder to short. With two down, Speer stole home then Schroeder and Clay singled ahead of a two-run triple by Cooper Davis.
Orender walked and swiped second to set the table for McDonald who capped off the inning with a two-run double.
Crossett trimmed a run off the lead in the bottom of the first and three more in the bottom of the second.
Neither team scored in the third as Noah Davis took over as the third Bryant pitcher, working around a lead-off single.
Bryant got back on track offensively in the top of the fourth, starting with a double by Dillon. Schroeder walked and, after both runners moved up on Clay’s grounder, Orender singled them in. McDonald singled and Noah Davis chased him home with a triple to make it 10-4.
Noah Davis gave up two hits in the bottom of the inning but Bryant got the lead runner in a rundown and tagged him out to end the inning.
Doubles by Schroeder, Hathcoate and Adams produced the final two runs.
Hathcote took over on the mound in the bottom of the inning and struck out two around a walk and a groundout, completing the victory.
