Hornets ease past Malvern behind pitching, Collins’ blast
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MALVERN — Six pitchers combined on a three-hit shutout with 14 strikeouts and Zion Collins cracked a three-run homer as the Bryant Hornets buried the Malvern Leopards, 11-0, in a pre-season benefit game on Tuesday.
The Hornets host Hot Springs Lakeside to officially open the 2020 season on Monday, March 2.
“The pitching was good,” acknowledged Hornets head coach Travis Queck. “Offensively, we had six hits. I wish we would have done a better job, but we did take what they gave us, and we have to do that sometimes.”
Malvern pitchers hit four batters and walked one while the Leopards committed three errors.
With the strikeouts, Queck said, “Our defense didn’t really have many opportunities. The Hornets had a dropped pop up but turned it into an inning-ending doubleplay in the bottom of the first.
Austin Ledbetter pitched that opening inning, working around a lead-off single and fanning one. Will Hathcote pitched the second and third, gave up a couple of singles and a hit batsman while striking out four. Braden Knight struck out the side in the fourth then Collins fanned one around a hit and a walk in the fifth. Tyler Bates set the Leopards down in order in the sixth with two K’s, and Slade Renfrow struck out the side in the seventh.
The Hornets scored seven runs on two hits in the first inning. Ledbetter walked and Noah Davis was hit by a pitch. Cade Drennan singled in a run then a wild pitch allowed the second to score before Jackson Parker was plunked. Turner Seelinger was struck by a delivery then Ryan Riggs’ fly to right was misplayed as two runs scored to make it 4-0.
That brought up Collins who cleared the left-field fence for his three-run shot.
In the fourth, Lawson Speer singled, stole second, took third on a tap out by Ledbetter and scored on Davis’ sacrifice.
With two out in the fifth, Riggs doubled to right. He scored on a single to left by Collins, who took second on the late throw to the plate. He scored when Blaine Sears’ grounder to third was misplayed. The 11thrun came when an errant pickoff throw by the Malvern catcher was wild.
