Opportunistic Hornets whip Lake Hamilton
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).
By ROB PATRICK
BRYANT TIMES
BENTON — The Bryant Hornets took advantage of five Lake Hamilton errors, six walks and four hit batsman with seven hits that all contributed to run-scoring innings as they opened play in the Benton Invitational Tournament Tuesday with a 13-4 win in six innings.
After a rough start, junior left-hander Anthony Rose went the distance, allowing just three hits to pick up the victory on the mound for Bryant. He struck out four and only allowed three baserunners after the second inning. All four of the Lake Hamilton runs were unearned.
Michael McClellan went 2-for-4 for the Hornets, driving in two runs. Kris Kuykendall and Matt Brown also drove in two each.
The win improved the Hornets to 8-5 going into Tuesday’s late game against the rival Benton Panthers (see related story).
Lake Hamilton broke on top in the opening inning. Mike Montgomery walked and Josh Sanders doubled. The Wolves tried to squeeze Montgomery home, but the Hornets foiled the attempt and catcher J.J. Yant tagged him out.
Brandon Rowland subsequently walked, however. Mike Miller was hit by a pitch to load the bases then Jared Green popped up behind short. The infield fly rule was called but Bryant’s shortstop Tad Beene misplayed the ball. It dropped and Sanders scored.
The Hornets tied it in the bottom of the inning. Beene was hit by a pitch to lead things off then took second on an errant pickoff throw. Billy Landers grounded out to the right side allowing Beene to take third and, from there, he scored on a wild pitch from Lake Hamilton starter Kevin Abernathy.
In the second, Rose walked Brent Russell to lead off the inning. An out later, an error allowed Andy Hammerlink to reach base. With two down, Sanders and Rose battled to a 3-2 count before the Lake Hamilton batter belted a three-run homer to make it 4-1.
But Rose didn’t allow another hit after that until the sixth inning, giving his teammates a chance to rally. And rally they did.
The Hornets got two back in the bottom of the second, taking advantage of three Lake Hamilton errors. Kris Kuykendall reached on the first miscue to start the frame, Rose sacrificed him to second then a chopped by Allen Young was booted. Pinch-runner Chris Sory swiped second then Matt Brown’s grounder to short was kicked, allowing Kuykendall to score. Sory made it 4-3 by scoring on a passed ball.
After Rose worked around a walk in the top of the third, the Hornets took the lead with a six-run uprising that started with Landers and Yant getting hit by pitches. A passed ball moved them up a base. After McClellan’s shot to first was speared by Rowland, Kuykendall came through in the clutch with a two-run single to left on a 3-2 delivery, giving the Hornets a 5-4 lead.
The inning continued with a walk to Rose. An out later, Brown smacked a single to right to plate a run. A balk brought home another. Brandon Fitts then singled to chase Brown home to make it 8-4.
Fitts moved up on a wild pitch then Beene beat out an infield single. That duo then worked the double steal to bring home the Hornets’ ninth run.
Rose issued a one-out walk in the top of the fourth but he then got Montgomery to ground to second baseman Dustin Morris who stepped on second and fired to first for an inning-ending doubleplay.
In turn, the Hornets added a run. McClellan singled, took second on a wild pitch, third on a balk and scored on a grounder to second by Kuykendall.
Bryant put the finishing touches on the win in the bottom of the fifth. Beene was hit by a pitch and stole second. Landers looped a single to right then Yant walked to load the bases. McClellan smacked a two-run single to left. Brandon Nichols, the courtesy runner for Yant, took third when Kuykendall’s infield fly was dropped. A moment later, he made it 13-4, scoring on a wild pitch.
Rose surrendered a lead-off single to Jeff Johnson to lead off the top of the sixth but then retired the side in order, finishing with a flourish. He struck out the last two.
