KENNER, La. — In a defensive battle, the Bryant All-Stars scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth to overcome a 1-0 deficit and defeat the Madisonville, La., Iron Pigs for the third time at the Southwest Regional Tournament on Monday.
Bryant had defeated Madisonville twice in pool play and, going 3-1 in their pool, the Stars advanced to the single-elimination tournament with a first-round bye. Madisonville beat Westside of Baton Rouge, La., on Sunday to get another shot at Bryant only to lose again, 4-1.
Bryant is set to play again on Tuesday against the survivor of a group that includes Zachary, La., Bay St. Louis, Miss., and Benton, Ark.
The team of 7-year-olds, managed by Matt Orender with assistance from Patrick Schroeder, includes Luke Bessire, Dakota Clay, Cooper Davis, Noah Davis, Peyton Dillon, Austin Ledbetter, Jaggar Littleton, Justin Orender, Brett Pennington, Austin Schroeder, Lawson Speer and Garrett Wilson.[more]
Monday’s game was scoreless through the first two innings. In the bottom of the third, Madisonville combined a double and a single — the team’s first two hits — to produce a run.
Wilson opened the bottom of the third with a single but, after Pennington sacrificed him to second, he got no further.
Madisonville was retired 1-2-3 in the fourth, as it had been in the first two innings. That set up Bryant’s three-run uprising. Schroeder’s single started the comeback. Noah Davis got a bunt down for a hit then Ledbetter singled. Dillon belted a double but was out trying to go to third on a grounder by Bessire.
The Iron Pigs put together a couple of singles in the top of the fifth but had a runner forced at third then a groundout ended the threat.
Bryant added an insurance run in the home fifth when Wilson and Pennington each singled and stole second and third. Clay’s sacrifice fly made it 4-1.
The Stars retired Madisonville in order in the top of the sixth to end it.
