HOT SPRINGS — The Bryant 11-year-old All-Stars completed a sweep of their games in District Tournament play with a pair of victories over Hot Springs to capture the championship.Bryant won the winners bracket final on Saturday, June 27, 10-0, and, after Hot Springs came back out of the losers bracket, Bryant captured the championship with a 7-2 win on Sunday.
The Bryant 11-year-olds, coached by Bryon Glenn assisted by Johnny Alliston and Scott Yant, include Connor Alliston, Bailey Bowers, Luke Brantley, Chase Brooks, Zach Byars, Jordan Gentry, Caleb McElyea, Liam Miller, Connor Riley, Connor Tatum, Matthew Vangilder and Hunter Winkles.
The team will begin play in the State tournament in Cabot on July 10. Regionals will be in Jonesboro July 30.[more]
Bryant 7, Hot Springs 2
A five-run third inning put the Bryant Stars in the driver’s seat in the title game after Hot Springs struck for two runs in the top of the third to forge a 2-2 tie.
Vangilder, who came on in relief of Alliston the starter to get the final out of the third, shut out Hot Springs on two hits the rest of the way, aided by a nifty 1-3-5 doubleplay on a sacrifice attempt in the fourth.
Bryant took a 1-0 lead in the first wen Tatum walked, stole second and scored on a two-out single to center by Gentry.
Hot Springs, after being retired in order in the first, threatened in the top of the second, thanks to a trio of walks but the first baserunner was thrown out trying to steal and, with two down, Bryant got a force at second on a bloop to right to end the threat.
In turn, Bryant added a run to the lead in the bottom of the inning. Alliston singled and eventually scored after McElyea and Miller grounded out.
With one out in the third, Hot Springs strung together a trio of hits with a walk to plate a run. The second scored when a grounder to third resulted in a force there. After another walk, Vangilder was brought on with the bases loaded. He ended the inning with a strikeout.
Bryant answered in the bottom of the inning with the help of lead-off walks to Brooks and Tatum. Bowers and Gentry ripped singles and, with two out, Vangilder added a base hit. Miller reached on an error before Byars capped the inning with an RBI single.
The fourth inning doubleplay by the Bryant Stars came after a lead-off walk. On a bunt attempt, Vangilder threw to first for the first out and when the baserunner tried to advance on to third, he was thrown out as well.
A lead-off single in the fifth was erased when the runner was thrown out trying to steal. A one-out single in the sixth came to nothing when the runner was thrown out at second on a pickoff.
Bryant 10, Hot Springs 0
Bowers and Byars combined on a one-hit shutout in a four-inning run-rule win.Bryant scored three times in the first, once in the third then six times in the fourth to finish it off.
After Bowers retired the side in order in the top of the first, Tatum drew a walk to start the bottom of the inning. With one out, Bowers reached on an error before Gentry cracked a double. Alliston made it 2-0 with a sacrifice then, after Gentry moved up to third on a balk, he scored when Winkles reached on an error.
In the second, Bowers hit a batter and walked a couple. But, along the way, a lead runner was thrown out at third and the second out came when the next baserunner was caught in a rundown and tagged out between third and home. A popup to second ended the inning.
Bryant was held in the bottom of the second but, in the third, Bowers struck out the side. The Bryant Stars tacked on a run in the bottom of the inning. Bowers singled with one out but was forced at second on a grounder to short by Gentry. A stolen base got Gentry to second and he advanced to third after walks to McElyea and Winkles. He scored on a passed ball as Vangilder drew a third walk. A force at the plate on a tap in front of the dish by Miller ended the inning.
Byars relieved in the fourth and retired the first two before giving up the lone Hot Springs hit. An error allowed a second runner aboard with the lead runner reaching third. But he was thrown out at the plate to end the inning.
Bryant blew the game open in the bottom of the inning, starting with a walk to Brooks. With one out, Byars and Bowers each singled. With two down, consecutive walks to McElyea, Winkles and Vangilder pushed more runs home before Miller capped the inning off with a base hit.
