Hornets blank New York team to finish trip 6-0
EDITOR’S NOTE: Because the look back at each day in Bryant athletic history has been so favorably received during the time when there was no sports during the COVID-19 shutdown, BryantDaily.com will continue posting past stories of Bryant athletics either posted on BryantDaily.com (from 2009 to the present) or published in the Bryant Times (from 1998 to 2008).
Photos courtesy of Crissy McEntire
TAMPA, Fla. — Zion Collins, Slade Renfrow and Coby Greiner combined on a four-hit shutout and Logan Chambers had two more hits as the Bryant Hornets closed out their trip to Florida on Thursday with a 4-0 win over the John F. Kennedy Catholic Gaels of Somers, N.Y.
Bryant finishes with a 6-0 record. They bring home a 14-2 overall mark going into a return to 6A-Central Conference play at home against Little Rock Central on Tuesday, March 26.
Collins walked a Seth Surrett and Zach Selinger in the first inning, but catcher Cade Drennan threw Surrett out trying to steal second.
In the bottom of the inning, Gaels starter Marc DiNunzio issued two-out walks to Austin Ledbetter and Jake Wright on either side of Drennan getting hit by a pitch. But a strikeout ended the threat and kept the game scoreless.
Eric Volpi singled to lead off the second, but Collins retired the next three and forced the Gaels to strand Volpi at second.
DiNunzio pitched around a two-out walk to Greiner in the bottom of the second.
Collins set down the New Yorkers in order in the top of the third and, in the home half, the Hornets broke the stalemate.
Noah Davis was plunked by DiNunzio’s second pitch of the inning. An errant pickoff-throw allowed Davis to take second before Austin Ledbetter drew a walk. Drennan doubled in Davis then Ledbetter tagged and scored on a pop to shallow left by Jake Wright that Selinger at shortstop roamed out to catch.
Logan Grant made it 3-0 with his shot to left was misplayed.
Renfrow took the mound to start the fourth and pitched around a one-out single by Jamie Silverberg, ending the inning with a strikeout.
In the home fourth, Chambers singled to center, stole second, reached third on Davis’ knock and scored on a wild pitch.
Renfrow issued a one-out walk to Lukas Naley in the top of the fifth but, after he struck out Adam Andreani, courtesy-runner Clayton Proctor was thrown out stealing by Drennan to end the inning.
Wright led off the bottom of the fifth with a single but was stranded as Karl Birkenstock fanned two to keep it 4-0.
Greiner came to the mound to start the sixth and was greeted by a single to lefty from Surrett. He fanned the next two then Silverberg beat out an infield hit. Surrett tried to sneak into third on the play but was thrown out with Drennan hustling to third to cover the bag and take the relay from Davis.
Greiner fanned two in the top of the seventh and the game ended on Michael McKearney lined out to Logan Grant in right to end the game.
