SHERWOOD — The Bryant 8-year-old All-Stars committed a couple of first-inning errors as one of the three Little Rock Junior Deputy teams put up the first run of their game at the State Tournament on Saturday.
But that was all the Junior Deputy team would get. Bryant bashed its way to a 14-1 win in four innings to advance to the winners bracket semifinals on Sunday at 2:15 p.m., against Monticello.
The Bryant 8’s, managed by Clint Hilson with assistance from Mike Meaders and Bill Drennan, include Cade Drennan, Hayden Hilson, Colton Kilgore, Rhett James, Tyler Larue, Braydan Lester, Trey McKim, Jake Meaders, Riley Morales, Josh Prather, Shane Small and Gage Stark.[more]
Bryant’s opening salvo trumped the Little Rock team’s early run with four in the bottom of the inning. Lester and Hilson opened the frame with singles. Larue got a bunt down but it resulted in a force at third.
Drennan, however, knocked in the first run with a single then James drilled a triple to make it 3-1. McKim singled in James to cap off the inning.
Bryant continued to increase the margin in the second. Small and Starks singled and, after Prather sacrificed, Morales got down a bunt to squeeze in Small.
Back at the top of the lineup, Lester chased in a run with a triple. He scored when Hilson reached on an error. Larue singled in Hilson making it 8-0.
James led off the bottom of the third with a shot that Coach Hilson declared would’ve easily cleared the fence at field 3 at Ashley Park. But it fell short of going out in Sherwood and James wound up at third with what Hilson called a “monster” triple. McKim singled him in to make it 9-0. Meaders singled then Kilgore drove in two with a double.
After a sacrifice bunt by Small, Stark reached on an error that allowed McKim to score. Prather beat out a bunt then consecutive singles by Morales, Lester and Hilson gave Bryant the limit of six runs in the inning.
