WACO, Texas — Making the most of six walks and two errors, the Bryant 12U All-Stars opened play in the 2016 Little League Southwest Regional Tournament on Thursday with a 4-2 win over Pearland East, the East Texas champion.
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.
The win propels the team into the second round of the winners bracket Saturday at 5 p.m., against McAllister Park American from the San Antonio area. McAllister advanced with a 3-0 win over South Lake Charles, La., on Thursday.
In other action, Eastdale, N.M., tripped Starkville, Miss., 3-1, and North Boulder, Colo., outslugged Tulsa National, 9-7. The tournament is double elimination. Two teams will be knocked out on Friday as two losers bracket games will be contested.
The winner of the tournament advances to the Little League World Series.
Bryant had just two hits in its win, a triple by J.T. Parker and a single by Myles. Both wound up scoring as did Burton and Paybon as the team rallied for four runs in the bottom of the fifth to overcome a 2-0 deficit.
Seelinger and Connor each tossed three innings on the mound for Bryant. Though Pearland managed eight hits, they were scattered and only produced single runs in the third and fourth. Bryant’s duo combined on seven strikeouts and just three walks while the defense played flawlessly.
Neither team made much noise early. Bryant threatened in the bottom of the second when Morrow and Seelinger worked walks but both were stranded as Pearland starter Josh Flory struck out the side.
Texas East broke through with a run in the top of the third on three singles. Drew Stanaland’s two-out hit drove in the run. Seelinger got out of the jam with a grounder to Cade Parker at third forcing Pearland to strand runners at second and third.
In the bottom of the inning, Myles drew a lead-off walk and, after a pitching change, was forced at second on a grounder by Burton. With two down, Martin was struck by a pitch but a pop to short ended the threat.
Pearland added a run in the top of the fourth as Martin took over on the mound for Bryant. It could’ve been worse. A double by Cameron Ponce and a walk to Drew Kestner started the frame. Martin fanned the next two but a passed ball allowed a run to score. A walk put runners at first and third but Martin got Jake Sock to pop to Pabon at short to keep it 2-0.
Hayden Windsor, who came on in relief of Flory in the third, ran into trouble in the bottom of the fifth as J.T. Parker drilled his triple. Myles singled him in and advanced to second on an error. A walk to Burton ended Windsor’s mound work as Josh Graf relieved but he hit Pabon then Martin’s grounder to first was misplayed as Myles and Burton hustled home to give Bryant a 3-2 lead.
A walk to Greiner loaded the bases and Pearland made another pitching change, Mark Zapata. A passed ball allowed Pabon to score and it was 4-2 with Pearland down to its final three outs.
Martin fanned the first batter of the sixth but Chris Cano singles to right. A fly to J.T. Parker in center put Bryant an out away from victory but Ethan O’Donley kept Pearland’s hopes alive with a base hit, sending a runner to third. Brayden Evans, however, lifted a fly to left that Hatman hauled down to close out the win.
2016 SOUTHWEST REGIONAL TOURNAMENT
Little League Baseball 12U
At Marvin Norcross Stadium, Waco, Texas
Thursday, Aug. 4
Game 1 — San Antonio McAllister American (Texas West champion) 3, South Lake Charles (Louisiana champion) 0
Game 2 — Bryant (Arkansas champion) 4, Pearland East (Texas East champion) 2
Game 3 — Eastdale (New Mexico champion) 3, Starkville (Mississippi champion) 1
Game 4 — North Boulder (Colorado champion) 9, Tulsa National (Oklahoma champion) 7
Friday, Aug. 5
Game 5 — South Lake Charles vs. Pearland East, 5 p.m.
Game 6 — Starkville vs. Tulsa National, 8 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 6
Game 7 — San Antonio McAllister American vs. Bryant, 5 p.m.
Game 8 — Eastdale vs. North Boulder, 8 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 7
Game 9 — Game 5 winner vs. game 7 loser, 5 p.m.
Game 10 — Game 6 winner vs. game 8 loser, 8 p.m.
Monday, Aug. 8
Game 11 — Game 9 winner vs. game 10 winner, 4 p.m.
Game 12 — Game 7 winner vs. game 8 winner, 8 p.m.
Tuesday, Aug. 9
Game 13 — Game 12 loser vs. game 11 winner, 7 p.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 10
Game 14 — Game 12 winner vs. game 13 winner, 6 p.m.
Suzanne McGuire
Way to go Bryant! Awesome game Thursday. Will be cheering you on from Texarkana for Saturday’s game.