LITTLE ROCK — The Bryant 9-year-old All-Stars completed pool play at the Southwest Regional[more] Tournament at Junior Deputy Park with a 2-3 record. They were set to open bracket play on Sunday.
The Bryant wins were 10-0 over Andrews, Texas and 13-11 over Tri-County, Ark.
The Bryant 9-year-old all-stars, with Jeremy Morrow as manager, includes Evan Barrett, Carson Burnett, Gavin Burton, Luke Dreher, Caleb Greiner, Drew Hatman, Connor Martin, Colby Morrow, Cade Parker, J.T. Parker, Tuner Seelinger, Hayden Thompson and Logan White.
In their win over Andrews, Texas, the Bryant Stars scored in each of the first three innings. Though Andrews had base-runners in each inning, Bryant prevented a run with solid defense and pitching.
Bryant took a 2-0 lead in the first when Martin doubled to deep left and, an out later, Burton was hit by a pitch, Thompson and Morrow walked and Dreher delivered a sacrifice fly.
In the four-run second, Cade Parker walked and J.T. Parker was hit by a pitch. Greiner beat out a bunt single to load the bases and, with one out, White drove in a run with a groundout. Burton slapped a single to right and Thompson doubled to make it 6-0.
The third inning began with Dreher stinging a single to right. Turner doubled and, with one out, J.T. Parker beat out an infield hit as Dreher scored. Greiner’s bunt single got a run in then Martin walked. White’s grounder to second resulted in a force at the plate to retire Greiner but Burton slugged a hit to left-center that was misplayed by the centerfielder allowing the last two runs to score.
Against Tri-County, Bryant held a 13-8 lead after five innings. Tri-County rallied for three runs in the top of the sixth and, with a man at third and the potentially tying run at the plate, Bryant got the final out to excape with the win.
Bryant grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first when Martin walked, Burton walked and Thompson came through with a sacrifice fly to right. Thompson later scored as well.
Tri-County started the seesaw with a three-run third to gain a lead but Bryant trumped that in the bottom of the inning, scoring four times to make it 6-3. Greiner’s one-out bunt single instigated the Bryant outburst. He scored when Martin drilled a double to deep left-center. With two down, Burton walked and Thompson singled to left for an RBI. Walks to Morrow and Dreher forced in runs before Tri-County could retire the side.
And it was Tri-County’s turn in the top of the fourth. A five-run blitz overcame the deficit.
Down 8-6, Bryant erupted again in the bottom of the fourth. Greiner legged out an infield hit, Martin walked and White was hit by a pitch to set the table for Burton’s bases-clearing double.
In the top of the fifth, Bryant held Tri-County scoreless so the four-run home fifth proved to be just enough for the victory though they still had to sweat it out in the top of the sixth.
Bryant’s fifth began with a Morrow double. Dreher walked, Cade Parker was plunked with a pitch and, with two down, Greiner walked to force in a run. Martin supplied the big blow, a clutch three-run double to make it 13-8.
