SHERWOOD — The Bryant 7-year-old All-Stars were off to a strong start in Firecracker holiday Tournament play at[more] Sylvan Hills on Saturday. They opened with a 16-1 romp over Lakewood’s 7’s then out-slugged the Sylan Hills 7’s 11-8.
The Bryant 7’s are Logan Owen, Logan Hope, Daniel Taylor, Alex Skelley, Reece Rowland, Mason Lucas, Braxton Fischer, Dylan Stroud, Tucker Dunn, Drake Brown, Matthew Griffe, Chase Small. Joey Small manages the team with assistance from Jonathan Hope and Michael Stroud.
Bryant 16, Lakewood 1
Bryant built a 3-0 lead through three innings but then scored the maximum of six in the fourth and fifth to blow the game open.
They got a run in the first when Chase Small singled, stole second and third then scored on a base hit by Stroud.
In the second, Dunn beat out a bunt single and scored on a double by Brown. With two down, Lucas cracked a base hit to make it 3-0.
The first big inning in the fourth began with a single by Stroud and a double to right by Taylor. With one down, Brown laced a single past second to drive them both home.
A double by Skelley and a triple by Owen made it 7-0. Lucas belted a two-bagger and scored on a single by Rowland to cap off the uprising.
The Bryant defense continued to keep Lakewood off the board in the bottom of the inning. Bryant’s fifth began with another single by Small. Hope drilled a double to center to drive him home then scored on a double off the bat of Griffe.
With two away, Dunn beat out a bunt that got Griffe home. Singles by Brown, Skelley and Owen made it 13-1. Lucas then provided the crowning blow with shot down the right-field line for a triple.
Lakewood managed its lone run in the bottom of the fifth.
Bryant 11, Sylvan Hills 8
In a seesaw battle, Bryant put together a four-run home fourth to overcome an 8-7 deficit then held Sylvan Hills scoreless in the fifth for the victory.
Bryant fired the first salvo in the bottom of the first, scoring three times. Small singled and Hope doubled to instigate the outburst. Doubles by Stroud and Brown drove in the runs.
Sylvan Hills grabbed the lead in the top of the second, scoring four times. And Bryant countered with two in the bottom half when Dunn and Skelley singled ahead of a two-out double by Rowland, producing a 5-4 lead.
Sylvan Hills took its turn and reclaimed the edge, 7-5. Bryant responded by tying the game with two in the home third. One-out singles by Small and Hope set the stage for Griffie’s RBI double and a run-scoring single from Stroud.
Sylvan Hills snapped the deadlock in the top of the fourth only to have Bryant erupt for its four in the bottom of the inning. Singles by Skelley, Lucas and Owen produced the first run. With one out, Fischer doubled to put Bryant on top 9-8.
After an RBI single from Small, Hope cracked a single to fill the bags for Griffe who knocked in two with a liner past third.
In the top of the fifth, Bryant turned a doubleplay to help preserve the win.
