File photo by Kevin Nagle
WACO, Texas — Bryant lefty Beaux Bonvillain allowed just two hits but both of them were doubles in the bottom of the fifth inning and produced the only run of the game as the Midway Panthers of Waco edged the Hornets 1-0 Thursday night in the 2017 Bush’s Chicken Spring Classic.
The game capped off a rugged day for the Hornets who dropped an 11-1 decision to the Midlothian Panthers late Thursday afternoon.
Bryant will try to bounce back today when they take on Stony Point at 11:30 a.m. then finish up against Bryan, Texas at 2 p.m.
Bonvillain had a no-hitter going into the fifth inning. The only baserunner he allowed up to then was a batter that he hit with a pitch in the third. The only baserunner he allowed after the fifth came on another hit batsman and he was thrown out trying to steal by catcher Jake Wright.
Bonvillain walked no one and struck out seven.
But Midway’s Billy Dickey struck out 10 and shut out the Hornets on three hits with two walks and a hit batter.
The Hornets threatened in the first inning when, with two down, Cameron Coleman and Wright cracked singles but both were stranded. Grayson Prince was hit by a pitch with two down in the second and, in the third, Seth Tucker and Scott Schmidt each walked. Tucker stole second then both moved up on a wild pitch but Dawson retired the next two to escape.
Those outs started a string in which the Midway hurler retired 11 in a row before Coby Greiner singled with two down in the top of the seventh. But Dawson’s eighth strikeout ended the game.
“It was a very clean game defensively led by Beaux,” said Hornets coach Travis Queck. “Im’ disappointed in the fact we struck out looking eight times.”
Against Midlothian, 6-foot-9 southpaw Russell Smith shackled the Hornets on just two hits with 11 strikeouts and three walks.
“He just over-matched us,” Queck said. “The guys competed in the first inning and got him to throw a lot of pitches and we scratched a run across. But then we misplayed a ball in left that led to three runs and they kept tacking on.”
In Bryant’s first, Schmidt drew a one-out walk then so did Coleman. Wright singled to load the bases then Schmidt scored on Logan Chambers’ groundout.
Smith then struck out seven of the next eight batters.
With one out in the fourth, Chambers beat out an infield hit and Greiner drew a walk only to have Smith fan the next two.
Midlothian took the 3-1 lead in the second then scored four times in the third, twice in the fourth and two more in the fifth to end it.
