EDITOR’S NOTE: All Bryant area youth teams are welcome to submit scorebooks or GameChanger links with rosters to rob@bryantdaily.com to post game reports.
By Madison McEntire
LONOKE — Logan Grant capped the 14-year-old Bryant All-Stars’ undefeated run through a 15-and-under double-elimination tournament in Lonoke with a four-inning no-hitter over Benton on June 14, missing a perfect game when he issued a four-pitch walk with two outs in the final inning of Bryant’s 7-0 win. Bryant had advanced to the championship game with Saturday wins over Sylvan Hills (13-0), Hazen (1-0, with Logan Chambers scoring the lone run on a push bunt by Cade Dupree), and Benton (9-1).
The team members are Jacob Coppock, Logan Grant, Logan Chambers, Cade Dupree, Coby Greiner, Ryan Taylor, Brock Bariola, Logan Catton, Will McEntire, Sawyer Holt, Ryan Lessenberry, Cameron Tipton, Elijah King and Clift Chaffin. They are managed by Michael Catton with help from assistant coaches Phillip Dupree and Madison McEntire.
Bryant quickly seized control in the bottom of the first when they plated two runs. Coppock led off with a walk on a 3-2 pitch, stole second and went to third when Chambers grounded to short. After Grant went down swinging, Dupree walked and stole second. Taylor then lined a single to right-center to score them both.
In the third, Bryant scored two more to lead 4-0. Lessenberry led off with a solid single to center. Chaffin entered to run for Lessenberry and then Coppock walked again to put two on. Chambers then stroked a single to center to load the bases and Grant lofted a sac fly to right to bring in Chaffin and make the score 3-0, with Coppock moving to third on the play. Dupree bounced back to the mound but Coppock slid under the throw to the plate to score the fourth run. With runners on second and third, Bryant was poised to increase their lead but Chambers was thrown out at the plate when Taylor grounded to the third baseman and then Tipton, hitting for Greiner, lined the first pitch right at the second baseman for the third out.
Grant started the top of the fourth with the final two of his five strikeouts but then allowed his only baserunner of the game when he walked Benton’s leadoff hitter on four pitches. The next batter came closest of any Benton player to getting a hit when he lined softly back up the middle and the ball glanced off Grant’s glove; however Greiner charged in from his shortstop position and snared the ball with his bare hand and threw the runner out by a step at first to end the inning.
Bariola started the bottom of the fourth by slapping the first pitch to center for a single. King hit for Catton and dropped single into left. McEntire batted for Holt and grounded a full-count pitch to second to force King at second. Chaffin, hitting for Lessenberry, walked to load the bases. With Coppock at the plate, a wild pitch scored Bariola before Coppock walked to reload the bases. Chambers also walked to plate McEntire for Bryant’s sixth run and then Grant grounded a single into left to bring home Chaffin with final run before time ran out with Dupree at the plate.
Larry
Don’t glorify the win too much, it was against Benton 13 year old allstars, the same team that’s undefeated for the past 4 years against Bryants team that’s in the same age group.. and look at the scores benton 13 years Olds are the only team to score against the bryant 14 year olds.. I guess we will see how good Bryants 13 year olds are this weekend.. I say the Benton 13 year olds undefeated streak will continue against the bryant 13 year olds..