Twice, the Bryant 12-and-under All-Stars rallied but twice they fell short as the White Hall All-Stars survived the elimination game, 9-7, and went on to win the 2016 District Tournament at Bishop Park on Saturday.
White Hall advanced to play in the District title game. Bryant will play next at the 2016 Little League State Tournament, which commences at Bishop on Friday, July 15. Bryant opens play at 8 p.m., against Bismarck. White Hall takes on Malvern at 6.
The Bryant team, coached by Jason Greiner, includes Braedon Boyce, Gage Buford, Gavin Burton, Caleb Greiner, Drew Hatman, Connor Martin, Colby Morrow, Calvin Myles, Kyler Pabon, J.T, Parker, Cade Parker, Turner Seelinger and Hayden Thompson.
Initially, White Hall grabbed the lead scoring five times in the bottom of the first inning. Bryant rallied to within 5-4 going into the bottom of the third only to have White Hall post a four-run third. It stayed 9-4 until the final inning when Bryant made a valiant comeback only to fall a couple of runs short.
The game ended with White Hall throwing out a runner at third.
Burton had three hits to lead Bryant’s Stars. Hatman added two with a pair of runs batted in. Pabon also had two RBIs. Bryant out-hit White Hall 10-6.
After falling behind in the first, Bryant started whittling on the lead with a run in the top of the second. Morrow and Cade Parker drew walks. With one out, a wild pitch moved Thompson, who was running for Morrow, and Parker to second and third. Thompson scored on a passed ball to make it 5-1.
Pabon, on in relief of Seelinger, pitched a 1-2-3 bottom of the second and Bryant resumed the rally in the top of the third with Burton cracking a single to left. He took second on a passed ball then scored when Pabon drilled a double. He advanced to third on a late throw to the plate.
Martin was plunked with a pitch and Hatman singled in Pabon. Morrow cracked a single to right to get Martin in to make it 5-4.
Bryant tried to steal a run when Morrow swiped second but Hatman was thrown out at the plate. With two down, J.T. Parker singled up the middle. A throw to the plate forced Morrow to stop at third but Parker sprinted into second safely. Both, however, were stranded as White Hall got the final out of the inning.
The top of the third extended the White Hall lead to 9-4. Bryant threatened in the fourth when Burton singled with one out and, with two away, Martin was hit a 1-0 pitch. But a strikeout foiled the uprising.
In the fifth, Morrow led off with a walk but White Hall turned a doubleplay.
Bryant’s sixth began with a one-out error in which Myles reached base. Burton singled to center and Myles stole third. Pabon delivered a run with a sacrifice fly to right.
Martin and Hatman each lined singles up the middle, bringing Burton around and, when a throw got away during the relay, Martin crossed the plate to make it 9-7.
