WAXAHACHIE, Texas — Bouncing back from a 15-0 debacle at home against Hot Springs Lakeside, the Bryant Hornets opened play in the Waxahachie Classic on Thursday with a satisfying 13-1 romp over the Birdville Hawks of Richardson, Texas.
But they came back down to earth with a thud in their second game, absorbing a 10-0 loss to the host team.
The annual trip to Texas for the Bryant baseball team has often proved to be an important moment in a season with a concentrated dose of competition.
The Hornets were set to play twice on Friday then on Saturday too before returning home. They play at White Hall on Friday, March 13, before hosting Benton for the annual Big Red Series on Saturday.
Bryant 13, Birdville 1
The Hornets hammered out 13 hits including two each by Noah Davis, Turner Seelinger, Zion Collins and Ryan Riggs.
Meanwhile, right-hander Braden Knight shackled the Hawks on three hits over five innings, walking two and fanning three.
The game was a scoreless duel until the bottom of the third when, with one out, Birdville’s Eric Ragsdell and Logan Lacey belted back-to-back triples. But Knight kept it at that by getting Jarrett Shannon to fly to Riggs in right and Will Bush to bounced out to Davis at second.
In the top of the fourth, the Hornets erupted with eight runs. Peyton Dillon started the rally with a single to left. He scored on Jackson Parker’s triple. Seelinger put the Hornets on top with a sacrifice fly.
The inning continued with Gavin Burton’s single to right. With two down, Riggs lined a single to center and Lawson Speer drove in a run with a knock up the middle.
Cade Drennan doubled in a pair and Davis singled in two. Walks to Dillon and Parker loaded the bases for Seelinger who singled in Davis and Dillon, making it 8-1.
Knight pitched around a one-out single in the bottom of the fourth and the Hornets resumed the onslaught in the top of the fifth.
Riggs singled and stole second, Drennan drew a one-out walk and Davis doubled Riggs home. Dillon walked to fill the sacks and Parker worked a free pass for an RBI. Burton was plunked by a pitch to force in a run then Collins cracked a two-run single to left to complete the barrage.
The Hawks could only manage a one-out error and a two-out walk in the bottom of the fifth.
Waxahachie 10, Bryant 0
The Hornets were limited to three hits and fell victim to a seven-run fourth by the Indians.
Davis and Seelinger had singles and Riggs belted a triple but the Hornets were unable to scratch. A pair of Waxahachie pitchers fanned eight and walked just one in the five-inning contest.
