Landon Pickett’s two-out RBI single scored Jimi Easterling from second with the game-winning run in the bottom of the fifth as the Bryant Hornets junior varsity claimed a 4-3 win over the White Hall JV at Bryant High School Field Friday night.
It was Pickett’s second RBI hit in the game and it made him the winning pitcher. Hayden Daniel also had two hits for the Hornets who improved to 9-2-1 on the season.[more]
Pickett shut White Hall out over the first three innings working around a one-out double in the second and a two-out two-bagger in the third. Along the way, he struck out eight.
The Hornets took a lead in the second when Tyler Nelson stroked a single to left and advanced to second when the ball was misplayed by the left-fielder. With two down, Lucas Castleberry reached on an error by the shortstop. The grounder ricocheted to the second baseman who was caught unaware as Nelson rounded third and scored.
In the bottom of the third, Evan Jobe was hit by a pitch and stole second. With two down, Tyler Brown laced a single to right to bring him home, making it 2-0.
Pickett followed with a shot to the fence in left-center that enabled Brown to score all the way from first.
White Hall broke through with two runs on four singles in the top of the fourth. The Bulldogs had runners at first and third when Pickett ended the inning with his ninth strikeout.
After the Hornets were retired in order in the bottom of the inning, White Hall used an error and a double to tie it. With the go-ahead run at third after a wild pitch and nobody out, Pickett ended with with a strikeout, a grounder to short with the infield in then a tap back to the mound for the third out.
Dylan Pritchett got the winning rally going with a one-out shot to left-center for a single. Easterling came on to run for him and stole second. He stayed there as Daniel beat out a slow roller to third for a hit. Brown followed with a liner to center that held up for the catch, bringing up Pickett who worked the count to 3-1 before pounding a drive to the gap in left-center to win it.
