LAKE VILLAGE — In a nail-biting winner-take-all final, the Bryant All-Stars battled back to within two outs of capturing the 6-and-under State Tournament championship on Monday, June 27. But the Hamburg All-Stars rallied to extract a 17-16 victory and the State title.
So, Bryant finishes as the State runner-up and will compete in 6-and-under Regional Tournament in Arkadelphia starting July 6.
The Bryant All-Stars, coached by Rick Brown with assistance from Mike Abrahamson, Seth Hyder, Jacob Hunter and Shawn Hill, include Mason Abrahamson, Brady Brown, Deacon Cicero, Lex Cicero, Tagan Dunn, Evan Hill, Garrett Hill, Wyatt Hunter, Keller Hyder, Ethan Kelley, Austin Markham and Crews Thomason.
The team came into the tournament on June 24 with an unbeaten record and four tournament championships. And they began State by continuing that roll with three lopsided victories to reach the winners bracket final. The outslugged Fordyce, 17-5, whipped Cabot (McGraw), 17-4 then buried Lonoke, 17-2.
Their first loss came to Hamburg, 18-9. In the losers bracket final, however, they ousted Benton, 9-2, to set up the rematch with Hamburg. Needing two wins for the title, Bryant forced the winner-take-all final with a 15-11 victory.
Hamburg 17, Bryant 16
Hamburg grabbed a 3-0 lead in the first inning. Bryant answered with a run in the top of the second when Dunn reached on an error, Brown singled and, after Dunn went to third on a force at second on a grounder by Lex Cicero, Markham singled in the run.
Hamburg got that run back in the home second to make it 4-1. Bryant’s third began with a one-out single by Hyder. Kelley grounded into a force but he scored when Abrahamson’s grounder to third was misplayed.
Hamburg kept the pressure on by scored two more runs in the bottom of the third to make it 6-2 but Bryant broke loose in the fourth. Thomason reached on an error and Dunn singled. Both moved up on a grounder by Brown. Lex Cicero singled and advanced on an error as a run score. Base hits by Markham and Deacon Cicero kept the scoring going. Hill reached on an error and, with two down, Kelley delivered a double to max out the inning with six runs as Bryant overtook Hamburg with an 8-6 lead.
And the seesaw battle commenced. Three runs for Hamburg produced a 9-8 lead. In the fifth, Bryant scored five times to regain upper hand. Abrahamson singled to start the uprising. Hunter doubled then Thomason’s grounder to third was booted. Dunn singled and advanced on an error then Brown’s grounder to first was misplayed. Markham reached on an error and Deacon Cicero singled to cap off the scoring.
In Hamburg’s half of the fifth, Bryant’s 13-9 lead turned into a 13-13 tie. In the top of the sixth, Hyder’s grounder to short was botched. Kelley singled and both moved up a base on Abrahamson’s grounder to first. Hunter singled in a run then a second one scored when Thomason bounced into a force at second. Dunn knocked Thomason in and Bryant led 16-13.
But Hamburg won it with four in the bottom of the inning.
Bryant 15, Hamburg 11
Hamburg took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first and added three in the top of the second before Bryant got going.
A five-run home second put Bryant ahead. Thomason and Dunn each singled and moved up on a groundout by Brown. Lex Cicero followed with a base hit to get a run home then Markham doubled. Deacon Cicero picked up an RBI with a grounder to third then Evan Hill singled and Garrett Hill got on via an error. Hyder’s base hit to center drove in Evan Hill but Garrett Hill was thrown out trying to reach third on the play, ending the inning.
Bryant held Hamburg in the top of the third then surged into the lead in the home half. An error on the shortstop allowed Kelley to reach base then Abrahamson’s single to center was misplayed allowing Kelley to score. Hunter doubled in a run and, with one out, Dunn, Brown and Lex Cicero cracked consecutive knocks as the lead ballooned to 9-4.
Hamburg broke loose for a maximum inning of six runs in the top of the fourth, establishing a 10-9 lead only to have Bryant match that in the bottom of the inning. Deacon Cicero ignited Bryant’s uprising with a single. Evan Hill singled then Garrett Hill’s grounder to first was kicked. Hyder added a base hit and Kelley reached on a miscue at short. Hunter beat out an infield hit that included an errant throw. With two down, Dunn singled in the sixth run, making it 15-10.
Hamburg tried to rally in the top of the fifth but could only muster one run.
Bryant 9, Benton 2
All Benton could manage was a run in the first and another in the third.
Bryant took a 2-0 lead in the opening frame on hits by Hyder, Kelley, Thomason and Dunn.
After Benton scored its first run, Bryant added two more in the second. Brown reached on an error then Lex Cicero and Markham lashed singles. Deacon Cicero grounded into a force out but he picked up an RBI.
It was 4-2 when Bryant came to bat in the top of the third and promptly doubled its total. Abrahamson singled and Hunter doubled. Thomason’s grounder to short was misplayed then Dunn belted a double. Brown’s single made it 8-2.
And when Bryant added a run in the top of the fifth, the margin was too great for Benton to overcome with a six-run inning so the game was over.
The final run was scored by Garrett Hill, whose bouncer to third was kicked ahead of one-out singles by Kelley and Abrahamson, which brought him around.
Hamburg 18, Bryant 9
The first time the two teams met, Hamburg jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the top of the first. Bryant answered with three in the bottom of the inning. Hyder singled and Kelley grounded into a force at second. Abrahamson singled then Hunter’s hit was misplayed in the outfield allowing two to score. He came home on a second error on the play.
Hamburg tacked on a run in t he second and held Bryant. In the third, six runs scored as Hamburg took control, 12-3. Bryant stayed alive with its own max inning of six runs in the home third.
Deacon Cicero reached on an error and, with one out, Garrett Hill did as well. Hyder and Kelley broke it open with back-to-back doubles. Abrahamson singled then so did Hunter and Thomason. Errors allowed Hunter to come around with the sixth run, cutting the deficit to 12-9.
But Hamburg scored another six in the top of the fourth and when Bryant couldn’t muster anything in the bottom of the inning to stay within range, the game was over.
Bryant 17, Lonoke 2
By the time Lonoke mustered its two runs in the bottom of the second, Bryant had built an 11-0 lead with five in the first and six in the top of the second. When Bryant scored six more in the top of the third and Lonoke came up empty, the game was called.
In the first, Bryant took advantage of three errors with singles by Hunter and Brown and a double from Dunn. In the second, another error allowed Garrett Hill to reach base. Hyder and Kelley ripped hits then Abrahamson’s knock was misplayed in right. Hunter, Thomason and Dunn followed with base hits to max out the inning.
Lex Cicero singled with one out in the third. Markham’s hit to right was misplayed and Deacon Cicero added a hit. A run scored when Evan Hill grounded into a force then Garrett Hill delivered an RBI double. Again Hyder and Kelley cracked base hits and when Abrahamson’s grounder to second was booted, it was 17-2.
Bryant 17, Cabot (McGraw) 4
It only took three innings in the win over Cabot as well. Bryant surged to a 6-0 lead in the top of the first. Hyder singled and Kelley grounded into a force at second. Abrahamson kept things going with a single then Hunter’s hit was misplayed in right. Thomason followed with a hit then Dunn, Brown and Lex Cicero each got aboard via miscues as the runs piled up.
Gamely, Cabot put up four runs in the bottom of the inning only to have Bryant added five in the top of the second. Deacon Cicero’s one-out single got the inning revved up. Evan Hill had a hit but was forced on a grounder to second off Garrett Hill’s bat. But a relay to first was wild and Deacon Cicero scored.
Hyder singled and Kelley reached on an error. Hits by Abrahamson, Hunter and Thomason made it 11-4.
And when Cabot was held scoreless in the bottom of the second, Bryant put the game out of reach with six more in the top of the third. Brown, Deacon Cicero and Evan Hill had base hits to take advantage of three errors. Kelley put the finishing touches on the rout with a double.
Bryant retired Cabot in the bottom of the inning to clinch the win.
Bryant 17, Fordyce 6
Bryant started the tournament with a five-run outburst, initiated by Hyder’s double. Kelley and Abrahamson followed with singles and, with one out, Thomason’s tap to the pitcher was misplayed. Dunn and Lex Cicero added knocks.
Fordyce got on the board in the bottom of the inning but just once so when Bryant maxed out in the second, it was 11-1. Deacon Cicero and Evan Hill each had hits to set the table for Garrett Hill’s two-run triple in the second. Hyder’s base hit to left was misplayed then Kelley smacked a triple and scored when it was mishandled in left. Abrahamson capped things off with a home run.
Fordyce failed to score in the bottom of the second and, in the third, Bryant’s onslaught resumed with a double by Hunter. Thomason singled and Dunn cracked a two-bagger. A base hit by Brown was followed by consecutive doubles from Lex Cicero, Markham and Deacon Cicero to make it 17-1.
Needing a six-run inning to keep their hopes alive, Cabot managed four but no more and the game was over.
