MAUMELLE — The 13-year-old Bryant Athletic Association Blue team captured the championship of[more] a tournament in Maumelle after rallying back from a 3-0 loss to the Mighty Bluebirds in the second round.
Bryant opened with a 10-0 win over the Maumelle Bulldogs and, after the loss to the Bluebirds, ousted Maumelle 10-2. In a rematch with the Bluebirds, Bryant forged a 14-2 victory to advance to the championship game. Against the Bluebirds’ 12-year-old team, they won 9-2 to take the title.
The Bryant team includes Logan Allen, Beaux Bonvillain, Drew Brown, Cameron Coleman, Jake East, Jeffery Hastings, Dylan Hurt, Austin Kelly, Hayden Knowles, Garrett Misenheimer, Jared Morales, Aaron Orender, Jake Roedel, and Alex Shurtleff.
Bryant 9, Bluebirds 12’s 2
Shurtleff shut out the Bluebirds over the first three innings as Bryant built an 8-0 lead in the title game.
A two-run first got Bryant off to a good start. Hurt was hit by a pitch and courtesy runner Morales stole second and third. A two-out single by Misenheimer plated the run then Kelly ripped a triple to right to make it 2-0.
A four-run third was the big inning of the game and it too started with Hurt. This time, he tripled and Coleman came on as a courtesy runner, scoring on Misenheimer’s one-out single. He stole second and scored on a double by Kelly. After Kelly stole third, he scored. Hastings, Orender and Allen each walked with Hastings coming around to score the fourth run.
East singled to open the fourth. He stole his way to third and, after Shurtleff and Misenheimer each walked with Shurtleff scoring behind East.
The Bluebirds scored twice in the bottom of the inning but Bryant put the game away by adding a run in the seventh on a double by East, a stolen base and a sacrifice fly by Shurtleff.
Bryant 14, Bluebirds 13’s 2
A six-run first put the Bryant team on the way to victory. East singled to start the game and stole second. Hurt walked and Morales, in to run as a courtesy runner for the catcher, worked a double steal with East. Shurtleff singled, Kelly walked and Knowles doubled. A double by Allen made it 6-0.
The Bluebirds trimmed two runs off the lead in the bottom of the inning. East, the Bryant starter on the mound, held them scoreless the rest of the way.
A four-run second made it 10-2 for Bryant. Hurt walked and Morales stole second. Shurtleff singled and, with one out, Kelly cracked a base hit. Knowles walked and hits by Hastings and Orender finished off the inning.
In the fourth, Misenheimer singled and Kelly and Knowles each doubled to make it 12-2. Singles by Morales and Coleman set the final score.
Bryant 10, Maumelle 2
Hurt started on the mound and surrendered a two-run homer in the top of the first then shackled the Bulldogs on four hits the rest of the game.
Bryant answered in the bottom of the first with five runs. Hurt walked then, with two down, so did Misenheimer. Knowles singled then Kelly smacked a double. A walk to Hastings set the table for Orender, who cleared the bases with a triple.
Misenheimer was hit by a pitch to start a two-run third. He stole second and third. Knowles walked and a single by Kelly drove in a run. Hastings’ double made it 7-2.
In the fourth, East was hit by a pitch with one out and Hurt singled in front of Misenheimer’s triple, upping the margin to 9-2.
A final run came in the home fifth to end the game. Kelly walked and after Hastinges and Orender singled, Coleman was hit by a pitch to force in the final run.
Bluebirds 13’s 3, Bryant 0
A single, a triple, a walk, a double steal and an RBI groundout gave the Bluebirds the lead in the first inning. Hurt, the Bryant starter, shut them down in the second as did Shurtleff and Misenheimer in two innings of relief apiece.
But Bryant couldn’t dent the plate. A two-out triple by Kelly in the second went for naught. In the third, Orender walked, stole second and took third on a sacrifice by Allen. But he too was stranded. And Bryant was unable to capitalize on walks to East and Hurt with one out in the fourth. Knowles walked to lead off the fifth but was forced out on a grounder to short by Kelly who was stranded after reaching second.
Bryant 10, Maumelle 0
East, Orender and Kelly combined on a two-hit shutout to open the tournament. Maumelle’s lone hits were a two-out single in the third and a two-out single in the fourth. The trio of hurlers combined to strike out 10 with just one walk and a hit batsman.
A six-run first had Bryant on its way to victory. East was hit by a pitch, Hurt walked and Shurtleff singled. After Shurtleff stole second, he scored on Misenheimer’s double. Singles by Knowles and Kelly followed and, with two down, Hastings had a hit and stole his way around the bags to score the sixth run.
Walks to Allen and Brown started the second. After steals, they were at second and third when East singled. He stole second and scored on a two-out hit by Shurtleff to make it 9-0.
Allen scored the 10th run in the fourth inning. Brown and Coleman contributed hits.
