With Conway’s 5-2 win over Russellville and Van Buren’s 6-4 win in extra innings over Cabot, the Bryant Hornets have grabbed the top seed from the 7A-Central Conference to the Class 7A State Tournament.
Bryant was in last place in the league three weeks ago but have put together a six-game winning streak to nab a share of the league championship.
The league actually wound up in a five-way tie for first place with the Hornets, Conway, Van Buren, North Little Rock and Little Rock Catholic all finishing with 8-6 marks. Little Rock Central, by virtue of the losses by Russellville and Cabot, will be the sixth seed.[more]
The State tournament begins on Friday at Burns Park in North Little Rock. Bryant and Conway will have the league’s first-round byes.
Bryant’s 8-2 win over North Little Rock on Monday proved to be a costly loss for the Charging Wildcats who went from having sole possession of first place to being, unofficially, the league’s No. 5 seed. But they could get another shot at the Hornets if they can defeat Rogers, the No. 4 seed from the 7A-West, in an opening-round game on Friday.
Bryant will get the winner at noon on Saturday.
It's the second year in a row the Hornets have nabbed the top seed from the conference. Last year, after their first-round bye, they were upset by Cabot. Once again, Bryant will go in two wins away from playing in the State championship game at the University of Arkansas' Baum Stadium in Fayetteville.
Because of the convoluted nature of the ties, the third, fourth and fifth seeds may require a rules interpretation on Wednesday.
It is believed that Catholic will be the No. 3 seed with Van Buren fourth and North Little Rock fifth.
If so, the tournament brackets would look like this:
CLASS 7A STATE TOURNAMENT
At Burns Park, North Little Rock
Friday, May 14
Game 1 — Van Buren (16-11) (Central 4) vs. Bentonville (16-13) (West 5), 12 p.m. (Field 1)
Game 2 — Rogers (18-10) (West 4) vs. North Little Rock (19-12) (Central 5), 12 p.m. (Field 2)
Game 3 — Fayetteville (18-9) (West 3) vs. Little Rock Central (13-14) (Central 6), 2:30 p.m. (Field 1)
Game 4 — Little Rock Catholic (16-9) (Central 3) vs. Fort Smith Northside (12-16) (West 6), 2:30 p.m. (Field 2)
Saturday, May 15
Game 5 — Springdale Har-Ber (18-11) (West 1) vs. game 1 winner, 12 p.m. (Field 2)
Game 6 — Bryant (22-8) (Central 1) vs. game 2 winner, 12 p.m. (Field 1)
Game 7 — Conway (20-8) (Central 2) vs. game 3 winner, 2:30 p.m. (Field 2)
Game 8 — Rogers Heritage (23-7) (West 2) vs. game 4 winner, 2:30 p.m. (Field 1)
Monday, May 17
Game 9 — Game 5 winner vs. game 7 winner, 4 p.m. (Field 1)
Game 10 — Game 6 winner vs. game 8 winner, 6:30 p.m. (Field 1)
Championship game
Friday, May 21
At Baum Stadium, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Game 11 — Game 9 winner vs. game 10 winner, 7 p.m.
Ronnie Mayall
Congratulations Hornets! Great job coaches and players. Way to come together as a team and finish strong.It is not over yet, three more wins. Keep up the intensity and do those little things that win games. Whatever it takes!
allen garrett
Great job Hornets, way to keep playing hard and not giving up when things weren’t going your way.
3 more to go!! BELIEVE!!
steve glenn
Congratulations on a great comeback. Great job by the coaching staff to get the team refocused and for the players commitment to hard work which has prepared them to win our first high school baseball state championship.