Photos courtesy of Debra Catton
HAMBURG — The Bryant 10-year-old All-Stars were locked in a tense battle with the rival Benton 10’s in the championship round of the Cal Ripken State Tournament on Tuesday night. The game went into the fifth inning tied 2-2.
But Bryant exploded for eight runs in the top of the fifth to turn the nail-biter into a blowout as they captured the State Tournament title with a 14-2 romp.
Bryant, which went unbeaten through the State tourney, advances to play in the Regionals in Pampa, Texas, starting July 14.
The Bryant 10’s, coached by Jeremy Stovall, include Garrison Blacklaw, Brady Brower, Reid Catton, Clay Crawford, Gage Horn, Grant Johnson, Gideon Motes, Justen Myles, Hank Penfield, Karter Ratliff, Caden Stovall and Cason Trickey.
Bryant had knocked Benton out of the winners bracket with a 13-1 defeat on Monday. Benton came back to get another crack at the Bryant Stars but to no avail. The two teams had played twice in the District as well with Bryant winning both meetings.
Stovall led the offense on Tuesday, going 3 for 4 and scoring three times. Bryant took advantage of seven walks and five errors.
Blacklaw pitched into the fifth inning. Horn relieved with two out in the inning and closed out the victory with a scoreless sixth. Blacklaw allowed two runs, one earned, on four hits with two walks and five strikeouts. Horn allowed a hit and a walk while striking out two.
Benton took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first then added another in the home second. But Bryant tied it in the top of the third. Ratliff started the uprising with an infield hit. After he took second on a passed ball, Stovall knocked him in with a double to center.
A sacrifice by Hank Penfield got Stovall to third then Johnson got a squeeze bunt down and the game was tied.
Neither team could get much going after that until the game-breaking outburst by Bryant in the top of the fifth.
Walks to Brower and Ratliff set the table. Stovall singled to left to load the bases. After a pitching change, Johnson was hit by a pitch with one away, forcing in the tie-breaking tally. Trickey grounded a single into center to drive in Ratliff.
With Myles in to run for Johnson, Blacklaw hit a tapper that the Benton catcher came out to get. But when he tried to flip to the pitcher covering the plate, the throw was off target and Stovall scored.
Myles stole home to make it 6-2 and, after Motes walked, Trickey stole home.
Catton knocked in a run with a bloop double to right then followed Motes across the plate on Horn’s inning-capping two-run double.
Down 10-2, Benton couldn’t muster anything in the bottom of the fifth. Horn relieved after Blacklaw retired the first two.
Bryant picked up where it left off in the sixth. Stovall led off with a double to center. Batting for Penfield, Crawford walked. On a double-steal, Stovall made it to third but Benton threw out the trail runner.
With two down, Trickey drew a free pass and stole second. Blacklaw walked and the scene was set for Motes’ two-run single. Blacklaw scored from third moments later when Catton’s grounder to short was misplayed. Motes scooted home with the final run when Horn’s bouncer to second was kicked.
Benton put a pair of batters on base in the home sixth thanks to a double and a walk but Horn induced a pop to Stovall at short then ended the game with a strikeout.
