ARKADELPHIA — Before the Bryant All-Stars could manage a base-runner, the Sylvan Hills All-Stars piled up eight runs in their Cal Ripken 9-and-under State Tournament showdown on Sunday. Though Bryant rallied, Sylvan Hills held on for a 9-3 win, the first for Bryant in the tourney.
The Bryant 9’s, managed by Brad Chism, include John Thomas Allen, Brayden Beenken, Gavyn Benson, Eli Berry, Carter Brown, Cooper Chism, Avery Heidelberg, Preston Howlett, Landon Jackson, E J Keith, Braxton Speer, Aiden Stout and Hudson Thomason.
Bryant moves into the losers bracket where they’ll play a survival game on Monday at 2 p.m. If they survive, they’ll play again at 6 p.m., for a chance to advance to the losers bracket finals on Tuesday at 3 p.m.
Sylvan Hills grabbed a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first, taking advantage of four walks and an error. Five more scored in the second aided by a hit batsman, two walks and an error. A bases-loaded triple was the big blow of the inning.
Bryant’s first base-runner was Jackson, who reached on a Sylvan Hills error to start the top of the third. Allen singled. Jackson was forced at third on Brown’s grounder to the pitcher. Beenken walked to load the bases but a pop to short and a comebacker to the mound followed as Bryant was denied.
A pair of lead-off walks, a force out at second and an error allowed the ninth run for Sylvan Hills in the bottom of the third.
Bryant dented the plate in the top of the fourth. With two down, Stout lined a double to center and scored on a two-bagger by Keith. A passed ball allowed Keith to reach third as Jackson drew a walk. An errant pickoff throw allowed a run. Jackson advanced to second then reached third on a wild pitch and scored on a passed ball before Allen beat out an infield hit. But a strikeout ended the threat.
