COLUMBUS, Texas — The Bryant 9-year-old All-Stars went all the way to Columbus, Texas, a community west of Houston, to play the All-Stars from Blytheville. It was worth the trip if for no other reason than they Bryant 9’s were playing in the 2015 Cal Ripken Baseball 10-and-under Southwest Regional Tournament.
But also, as it turned out, the Bryant All-Stars captured a 12-5 victory to advance in the winners’ bracket. They are set to play against on Sunday, July 19, at 3:30 p.m., against a team to be determined.
The tournament also includes teams from Plainview, Texas; Kentwood, La.; Andrews, Texas; Biloxi, Miss.; Southeastern Oklahoma; Childersburg, Ala.; Clark County, Ark.; and the host Tri-County, Texas All-Stars.
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.
Blytheville staked out a 1-0 lead in the top of the first but Bryant erupted for six runs in the home half and never trailed. Blytheville cut the lead to 6-4 in the top of the third but Bryant answered with two in the bottom of the inning then four more in the fourth to break the game open.
Blytheville rallied in the top of the sixth but could only muster one run before Bryant closed out the victory.
Horn led the 10-hit attack for Bryant, going 3 for 3 with two runs scored and two knocked in. Motes had two hits and Blacklaw and Brower each knocked in a pair.
Trickey pitched the first four innings then Motes worked the last two in relief. Though Trickey allowed four runs, only two were earned. Blytheville managed four hits against him but struck out eight times.
Motes allowed one unearned run on three hits with a strikeout.
Blytheville’s first-inning run was a result of a double, an error and a sacrifice fly. In the bottom of the inning, Catton beat out a bunt then sprinted all the way to third on an errant throw. Brower got a squeeze bunt down to get him home with the tying run and, when the ball was misplayed, he reached first.
A passed ball allowed Brower to reach second as Penfield drew a walk. Kemp singled to load the bases then Horn’s base hit to center drove in two runs. A walk to Johnson loaded the bases and Blacklaw picked up an RBI with a sacrifice fly that made it 4-1.
Crawford reached on an error as Horn scored then Trickey knocked in Johnson with a groundout to short.
Blytheville’s three-run third closed the gap but Bryant answered right back. With one out, Horn singled, stole second and scored on Johnson’s single to left. Johnson advanced to third on a late throw to the plate and scored on Blacklaw’s squeeze bunt to make it 8-4.
Trickey fanned two during a 1-2-3 top of the fourth and the Bryant bats went to work again in the home half. Motes singled with one out, Catton got a sacrifice bunt down and when it was misplayed, Bryant had runners at second and third. Brower’s single to left got Motes home then Penfield drilled one to left for a two-run triple to make it 11-4. Horn doubled him home and it was an eight-run lead.
Blytheville took advantage of an error with a two-out double to plate a final run in the top of the sixth. A single put runners at the corners before Motes got the final out on a fly to Horn in left.
