JONESBORO — The Bryant All-Stars scored 11 times in the bottom of the third to snap a 3-3 tie on the way to a 15-5 win over Osceola at the Southwest Regional Tournament for 9-year-olds on Friday.
Bryant was set to continue pool play on Saturday against Jonesboro Red at 1 p.m., then finish up against Biloxi, Miss., at 5 p.m. Bracket play begins on Monday.
The team, managed by Joey Small with assistance from Michael Stroud and Danny Dunn, includes Luke Bickerstaff, Dawson Brown, Drake Brown, Tucker Dunn, Braxton Fischer, Jordan Knox, Andrew Morse, Tanner Newell, Alexander Skelley, Chase Small, Dylan Stroud and Daniel Taylor.
Bryant only had four hits but Stroud and Bickerstaff each drove in three runs. Taylor and Dunn had two RBIs each.
It was a seesaw batter early. In the first, Osceola took a 1-0 lead then Bryant scored twice. Bickerstaff was hit by a pitch and stole second. Taylor reached as Osceola chose to hold Bickerstaff at second instead of making a play on Taylor at first after he grounded to short. But then Newell came through with an RBI double and Taylor scored on Dunn’s bouncer to first.
A two-run second for Osceola produced a 3-2 edge before Bryant tied it in the bottom of the inning. Skelley walked with one down, took second on a wild pitch and stole third. He scored on a wild pitch as Knox drew a walk.
The big fourth-inning uprising began with a walk to Taylor. On Newell’s grounder to second, Osceola tried to get a force but Taylor beat the throw. Both moved up on a wild pitch then Dunn singled to center to drive in a run.
A wild pitch allowed Newell to score while Dunn hustled all the way to third. Dawson Brown walked and stole second, drawing a throw that allowed Dunn to score. Drake Brown drew a free pass then Stroud chased home two with a double.
Walks to Skelley and Knox loaded the bases for Bickerstaff, who singled to right. All three runners scored to make it 11-3. Bickerstaff would score on a groundout by Small.
Things got revved up again when Newell and Dunn drew walks. Dawson Brown was plunked by a pitch to load the bases and a wild pitch allowed Newell to score as Drake Brown walked again. With the sacks jammed, Stroud drew an RBI walk to cap the scoring.
Osceola cut it to 14-5 in the top of the fourth but Bryant made it a run-rule victory in the home half. Walks to Knox and Bickerstaff were followed by Small getting hit by a pitch to load the bases for Taylor who walked on four pitches to force in the run.
