Hornets return to Tampa action by burying another Minnesota team
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).
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Right-hander Zack Jackson tossed a two-hit shutout over five innings and the Bryant Hornets hammered 12 hits in a 15-0 romp over the Eastview, Minn., Lightning on Wednesday.
The game was the first of three for the Hornets on the day after two games had been rained out at the Tampa Bay Spring Training tournament on Tuesday. The team was treated to a trip to Sea World on Tuesday instead and had a chance to meet and hear from former Pine Bluff Zebras star Torii Hunter of the Detroit Tigers.
Jason Hastings went 3 for 4 with three runs batted in to lead the Hornets against Eastview. Trevor Ezell, Dalton Holt and Dylan Hurt each had two hits. Ezell drove in three.
Jackson retired the first six batters he faced before giving up a single to open the third inning. He then set down five straight. He surrendered another single with two out in the fourth and a one-out walk in the fifth. He struck out five.
Bryant scored in all but the first inning. In the second, Holt started a three-run uprising with a lined single to left. With one out, Hurt walked and Korey Thompson reached on an error to load the bases for Ezell. A run scored when he was hit by a 3-1 pitch.
With two away, Chase Tucker stroked a two-run single to left to make it 3-0.
Hastings opened the third with a triple on a drive to left. He scored on a sacrifice fly by Harrison Dale to make it 4-0.
The Hornets started the blowout with a five-run fourth, instigated by a single from Ezell and walks to Drew Tipton, Tucker and Trey Breeding. Hastings chased in two when he lined a single to left to make it 7-0.
A walk to Holt filled the sacks again and Dale delivered a run with a base hit. Thompson and Ezell collected RBI walks to cap off the inning.
A six-run top of the fifth commenced walks to Tucker and Breeding. Hastings’ third hit chased home Tucker. Though Hastings was picked off first, Holt beat out an infield hit and Dale walked to load the bases for Hurt who cracked an RBI single.
The Lightning got a force at the plate on a grounder by Thompson but Ezell singled in a run then Tipton cleared the bases with a triple.
Jackson eased through the bottom of the inning, fanning two around the one-out walk and ending it by inducing a tap to Holt at first.
