BENTON — What do 12 hits, 14 walks and four errors add up to?
Why, a 23-0 romp in four innings, that’s what.
And that’s what the Bryant 11-year-old All-Stars were able to enjoy as they opened District Tournament play against the North Garland County All-Stars on Friday night at Bernard Holland Park.
The Bryant 11’s include Landon Abernathy, Logan Allen, Drew Brown, Jake East, Jeffery Hastings, Dylan Hurt, Austin Kelley, Hayden Knowles, Garrett Misenheimer, Aaron Orender, Landon Smith and Diego Vargas. Jerry East is the manager with assistance from Rick Brown and Rusty Misenheimer.[more]
Bryant was set to play in the winners bracket final on Saturday at 6 p.m.
Jake East pitched the shutout allowing just one hit. He fanned six, walked one and hit a batter.
Offensively, Knowles, Hurt and Misenheimer each had two hits. Knowles highlighted a six-run first with a long home run to center.
East got that first-inning uprising started with a single to center. He stole his way to third and scored as Hurt, Misenheimer and Orender drew consecutive walks. Kelly followed with a drive to right that was misplayed. He wound up at second as two more scored. Orender came home on a wild pitch then Knowles unloaded to cap things off.
In the bottom of the inning, an error and a hit batsman had two aboard for North Garland but East fanned two and the Stars retired the trail runner by executing a rundown.
In the second, Bryant blew the game up with a 10-run blitz that East again instigated with a walk and a pair of stolen bases. With one out, Hurt pulled a double down the left-field line and Misenheimer burned the center fielder for a two-bagger to make it 8-0. Orender and Kelly drew walks to load the bags for Knowles who delivered a single that drove in two more. He swiped second to put runners at second and third for Smith who came through with a single.
Walks to Brown, East, Allen and Misenheimer followed before Orender sent a drive to left that was misplayed for two bases as the lead ballooned to 16-0.
After North Garland went down in order in the bottom of the second, Bryant revved up the carousel again in the top of the third. Abernathy got things started with a single then Vargas was hit by a pitch and Allen drew a walk. With two down, a free pass to Misenheimer produced a run. Orender’s infield tap was misplayed to keep the inning going then Hastings’ bouncer to short to booted allowing Allen to score, making it 19-0.
East struck out the first two in the bottom of the third before North Garland managed its lone hit, a single to left. After issuing his lone walk, East ended the threat with another strikeout.
Bryant’s fourth started with Abernathy again. He walked this time. Vargas drew a pass and so did East. Though Abernathy was out at the plate, Allen reached safely to keep the bags full then Hurt and Misenheimer delivered hits. With two down, Hastings’ drive to right was misplayed and Knowles reached on an infield error as the Hurt scored the final run.
