Photos courtesy of Debra Catton
HAMBURG — The Bryant 10-year-old All-Stars will play for the Cal Ripken State Tournament championship on Tuesday after their third lopsided win in as many games at the tourney. Behind the one-hit pitching of Gideon Motes and Reid Catton and three hits by Cason Trickey, who drove in four, Bryant buried Benton, 13-1, today in the winners bracket final.
Bryant will await the survivor of the losers bracket final, which will be played at 4 p.m., on Tuesday. The championship round begins at 6. With a win, Bryant will capture the title. A loss would set up a winner-take-all final on Wednesday night at 6.
The Bryant 10’s, coached by Jeremy Stovall, include Garrison Blacklaw, Brady Brower, Reid Catton, Clay Crawford, Gage Horn, Grant Johnson, Gideon Motes, Justen Myles, Hank Penfield, Karter Ratliff, Caden Stovall and Cason Trickey.
Benton’s lone run came in the first without virtue of a hit. A hit batman, two walks and an error got the run home. Brower, the Bryant catcher, picked off the runner at third for the second out of the inning then Motes got the next batter to line out to Catton at second to end the threat.
Bryant countered with five in the bottom of the inning to take a lead it wouldn’t relinquish. Stovall walked to start the outburst. Penfield chased him home with a triple to center then scored on Trickey’s bunt single.
The inning continued with Blacklaw getting plunked by a pitch. Motes beat out a bunt hit then Catton picked up an RBI with a grounder to short. And when Horn cracked a double, two more scored to make it 5-1.
Motes and the Bryant defense set Benton down in order in the top of the second and, in the home half, a run was added to the lead. Stovall singled to center, Penfield reached on an error and Johnson was struck by a 1-0 delivery. After a pitching change, Trickey singled in the run.
Benton was unable to muster a base-runner in the top of the third and, in turn, Bryant blew the lid off with a seven-run explosion.
Motes walked but, with two down, he’d only moved up to second. A wild pitch allowed him to go to third and he scored from there on Brower’s infield hit.
A pair of passed balls got Brower to third as Ratliff walked. The duo worked a double steal and Brower came home to make it 9-1. Stovall singled in Ratliff and, after Johnson was drilled to load the bases, Stovall stole home. Trickey followed with a two-run knock to right.
Myles reached on a free pass and Crawford singled to get Trickey home, making it 13-1.
Benton managed its lone hit with one out in the top of the fourth but Catton pitched around that and an error to close out the win.
