LONOKE — With an all-too-familiar flair for the dramatic, the Bryant 15-year-old All-Stars struck for four runs in the bottom of the sixth to turn a 1-0 deficit into a 4-1 win over El Dorado in the first round of the Babe Ruth State Tournament on Saturday.
Zach Cambron came through with a shot to left with the bases loaded that drove in two runs. And when the ball was misplayed in the outfield, a third run came in. Cambron, who wound up at third on the play, would score moments later to wrap up the rally.
Tyler Nelson, who allowed just one run on three hits over six innings picked up the victory with Hayden Daniel getting the save with a scoreless inning of relief.
Bryant advances to play Little Rock Junior Deputy on Sunday.
The Bryant 15’s include Zach Cambron, Evan Castleberry, Hayden Daniel, Josh Davis, Evan Ethridge, Cody Gogus, Tyler Green, Riley Hall, Blain Jackson, Tyler Nelson, Cameron Price, Daniel Richards, Tryce Schalchlin, Devon Sears and Marcus Wilson. The team is managed by Jimmy Parker with assistance from Tony Ethridge.[more]
Trailing 1-0 going into the bottom of the sixth, Bryant’s rally began with a lined double by Wilson to left-center. Green sacrificed him to third then walks were issued to Schalchlin and Gogus to set the stage for Cambron’s game-turning hit on a 2-1 pitch.
Castleberry walked then Jackson picked up an RBI with a grounder to third.
Daniel retired the first batter he faced in the top of the seventh, then issued a walk to Austin Dumas. A balk allowed the runner to take second but the Bryant right-hander struck out the next two to finish it with a flurry.
Before that, the only run had scored in the fourth when El Dorado managed two of its three hits in the game, back-to-back doubles by Jeremy Paul and Zane Wilson. Eli Lester bounced to short to get Wilson to third but Nelson struck out Dumas to end the inning.
Nelson had retired the first four he faced in the game. Paul singled and, with two down, Lester walked in the second inning before Nelson again escaped with a strikeout.
He has seven strikeouts in his six innings on the mound.
Nelson worked a 1-2-3 fifth. In the sixth, Jamie Nesbitt reached on a one-out error, stole second and took third on a passed ball. But he would get no further as Paul flew out to center and Wilson bounced to short.
Meanwhile, El Dorado’s Blake Clayton was shutting out the Bryant Stars. He overcame a two-out single by Marcus Wilson in the bottom of the first, then a one-out error in the second that allowed Gogus to reach.
Bryant threatened in the third. With one out, Daniel doubled and stole third. But he had to stay on Nelson’s fly to left. Wilson drew a walk then Green bounced into a force to close out the inning.
He retired the side in the fourth and, in the fifth, all Bryant could muster was a two-out walk to Daniel.
