Wells, Bryan still Hurricane bats
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).
JONESBORO — Opportunistic offense and a stingy pitching staff continued to be a winning formula for the Bryant Hornets as they opened the Xtra Innings Classic with a 6-2 win over the host Jonesboro Hurricane on Thursday, Mar. 18.
Justin Wells and Todd Bryan combined to limit Jonesboro to four hits. Both Jonesboro runs were unearned as the Hornets improved to 10-0 on the season and Wells to 3-0.
Bryan Griffith had two of Bryant’s six hits including a two-out RBI double in the first inning. Bryan, who had been hit by a pitch and had stolen second, scored on the play.
Wells, who struck out 12 in his six innings, shut out the Hurricane on two hits over the first four innings.
His teammates improved his position with a three-run fourth that began with a walk to Griffith. A balk allowed him to take second and a wild pitch brought him to third. With one out, Dustin Tinkler singled up the middle to drive him home. As Travis Wood and Andrew Moseley drew walks, a pair of wild pitches and a passed ball allowed Tinkler to come around to score, making it 3-0. Wood then scored on a squeeze bunt by Dustin Easterly to cap the inning.
In the top of the fifth, Wells helped himself with a lead-off double. Richie Wood singled him home to make it 5-0.
Jonesboro broke up the shutout in the bottom of the inning. With two out, Wells issued his first two walks of the game, an error loaded the bases and a passed ball brought the run home. A third-strike wild pitch loaded the bases again but Wells got Michael Johnson to bounce into a force at second to end the threat.
The Hornets got that run back in the top of the sixth. Travis Wood singled to right, swiped second, took third on an errant pickoff throw then scored on a wild pitch.
Wells worked a 1-2-3 sixth then gave way to Bryan. An error, a wild pitch and a single allowed Jonesboro to tack on a run but Bryan struck out the side after that around another error, stranding runners at the corners.
