COLUMBUS, Texas — After going unbeaten through District and State championship runs and their first game at the Cal Ripken Baseball 10-and-under Southwest Regional Tournament, the Bryant 9-year-old All-Stars absorbed their first loss of the post-season, 9-1, to the host Tri-County, Texas All-Stars on Sunday.
Bryant will play next in the double elimination tourney on Monday afternoon at 1 p.m., against an opponent that was to be determined Sunday night. With a win at 1, Bryant would advance to another elimination game at 8:30 Monday night. A win in that game would move them to the losers’ bracket final, with a chance to reach the championship round.
Bryant, managed by Jeremy Stovall with assistance from Michael Brower and R.C. Penfield, includes Garrison Blacklaw, Brady Brower, Reid Catton, Clay Crawford, Gage Horn, Grant Johnson, Carson Kemp, Justen Myles, Gideon Motes, Hank Penfield, Caden Stovall and Cason Trickey.
Against Tri-County, Bryant fell behind 4-0 in the first two innings then scored in the bottom of the third.
Johnson reached on an error to start the inning. Motes sacrificed Johnson to second with another error allowing him to make it to first. Catton bounced into a force at second and, after he stole a base, Penfield lined a single to center to drive in Johnson. Catton tried to score as well but Tri-County worked a solid relay to get the out at the plate, ending the uprising.
It stayed 4-1 until Tri-County scored four more in the top of the fifth.In the home half, Johnson walked and Motes beat out a bunt single. But a pickoff play took some of the starch out of the inning and, despite a walk to Catton, Tri-County escaped any damage.
Another run in the top of the sixth set the final score. Bryant’s Stars were retired in succession in the bottom of the sixth.
