The Bryant Athletic Association All-Stars advanced to the championship round of the 2017 Little League 12-and-under District 3 tournament with a 15-0 romp over the Pine Bluff Western All-Stars at Bishop Park today.
Pine Bluff Western will play against White Hall for the chance to challenge on Sunday at 4 p.m. to determine who will challenge Bryant for championship on Monday night with an “If” game on Tuesday.
Bryant’s team, coached by Danny Dunn, includes Jorge Acosta, Garrison Blacklaw, Mason Butler, Reid Catton, Clay Crawford, Tucker Dunn, Gavin Hill, Hunter Holt, Mason Lucas, Justin Myles, Reese Rowland, Daniel Taylor and Lakin Woods.
Taylor, Blacklaw and Dunn combined on the shutout allowing just one hit. At the plate, Blacklaw was 2 of 3 with three runs batted in and three runs scored. Rowland went 2 for 3 with three runs scored and two knocked while Taylor scored three times and Dunn drove in three.
Bryant took a 4-0 lead in the first inning. Blacklaw walked, took second on a passed ball and third on Lucas’ groundout. Holt was hit by a pitch and, after he stole second, Taylor walked to load the bases for Rowland, who drove a double to left to drive in two.
After a pitching change, Woods found the gap for a two-run single.
Taylor fanned two in a 1-2-3 bottom of the first and Bryant tacked on a pair of runs in the top of the second as Blacklaw slugged an inside-the-park home run. Myles, who had led off the inning with a walk, also scored on the play to make it 6-0.
Pine Bluff managed its lone hit with one out in the bottom of the second but, on a pop to Blacklaw at shortstop, a throw to first doubled off the base-runner to end the inning.
In the top of the third, Taylor singled and reached second on a passed ball. Rowland’s base hit drew a throw to the plate keeping Taylor at third but Rowland hustled into second to set the stage for Dunn to pick up an RBI with a groundout. Rowland scored on a double by Hill to make it 8-0.
Acosta came back in to run for Hill. He reached third on a passed ball and scored on Butler’s groundout.
Crawford doubled and Blacklaw singled, taking second when the throw in missed the cutoff. Both eventually scored on a passed ball.
Taylor walked with one out in the fourth. Rowland reached on an error then both raced home when Dunn drilled a triple to right. Acosta and Butler drew walks to load the bases. A walk to Crawford forced in a run then the 15th run scored when Blacklaw’s grounder to third resulted in a force at third as Acosta scored.
Dunn then eased through the bottom of the fourth to close out the win.
