ARKADELPHIA — The State champion Bryant Athletic Association 6-year-old All-Stars opened pool play in the Cal Ripken 6-and-under Southwest Regional T-Ball Tournament by out-lasting Regional host Clark County, 22-15, on Thursday.
Bryant, leading 20-15 going into the fifth inning, put the game out of reach (with a six-run maximum limit per inning) with two in the top of the fifth for the victory as they remained unbeaten this summer.
Bryant was scheduled to play again Thursday afternoon against Westside. Pool play was to continue on Friday with a game against Dumas.
Players for Bryant’s 6’s include Cooper Andrews, Trey Atkins, Witt Brothers, Tanner Hogland, Cade Jackson, Griffin Lloyd, Cameron Martin, Cash McCrary, Hunter Robertson, Barrett Sory, Judah Summers and Landen Verdell. The team is coaches by Bill Lloyd with assistance from Jason Hogland, Jordan Verdell and Eric Andrews.
As usual, Bryant got off to a strong start, scoring six runs in the top of the first. Verdell, Robertson, Brothers, Andrews, Jackson and Sory each scored with Hogland and Summers finishing off the uprising with hits.
Bryant then held Clark County to just two runs in the bottom of the inning so, when the second inning resulted in six more runs for Bryant, it was 12-2. McCrary, Atkins, Verdell, Robertson, Martin and Brothers scored in the inning with Andrews and Lloyd providing RBI hits to complete the inning.
Clark County stayed in the game by putting together a max inning in the bottom of the second to cut the margin to 12-8. And when Bryant was held to two in the third with Hogland and Summers scoring, it gave Clark County some hope of catching up.
But Bryant held their hosts to two in the bottom of the third and it was 14-10 going into the fourth. Atkins, Verdell, Robertson, Martin, Brothers and Andrews each scored to bump the lead to 20-10. Hits by Lloyd and Jackson finished off the outburst.
Needing to counter with another max inning, Clark County managed five in the bottom of the fourth so Bryant only needed the two in the top of the fifth to put it out of reach. Sory and Hogland provided those two runs with Summers getting the final hit.
