Bryant edges Illinois team in Tampa
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TAMPA, Fla. — Alex Shurtleff allowed just one unearned run on one hit, three walks and four strikeouts over six innings and Harrison Dale finished up for a save as the Bryant Hornets improved to 6-0 at the Tampa Bay Spring Training event on Thursday morning.
The Hornets’ pitchers continued to shine at the weeklong tourney and, this time, Bryant needed every pitch as they forged a 3-1 win over the Rockford, Ill., Christian Royal Lions in the first of four games on the day.
Trever Ezell and Brandan Warner each cracked two hits for Bryant. Korey Thompson had the only other safety.
Shurtleff made a two-run first hold up for the victory. Surrendering the lone Rockford run in the second. It stayed 2-1 until the Hornets added an insurance run in the top of the seventh before Dale relieved in the home half and made quick work of the Royal Lions to close it out.
The win was the fifth in as many games so far on the Hornets’ trip with four games remaining on the schedule, weather permitting.
Bryant’s two-run first began with a walk to Ezell. He took second on a passed ball and third on Drew Tipton’s bounce out to first. Chase Tucker walked and swiped second then followed Ezell home when Trey Breeding’s fly to center was misplayed.
Rockford’s run in the second came on a pair of walks around a couple of strikeouts. A double steal then a balk allowed the run to score before Shurtleff commenced to end the inning with another punch-out.
The right-hander retired the next seven batters before getting into a bit of a jam in the bottom of the fifth with a walk and the lone Royal Lions’ hit, a single to left.
A bunt was fielded by Warner at third for a force then, after the runner that moved up to second on that play, took third on a passed ball, Ezell fielded a grounder at short, fired home to choke off the tying run. And when the batter tried to take second, the relay there by catcher C.J. Phillips was in time for the third out.
Both teams went down in order in the sixth with Shurtleff just needed seven pitches.
In the top of the seventh, Phillips walked and stole second. Warner singled him to third then Thompson got a squeeze bunt down to get courtesy runner Connor Tatum across the plate with the insurance tally.
Dale used just 11 pitches to set the Royal Lions down in the bottom of the seventh, four of those on a strikeout.
