Photos courtesy of Mackenzie McEntire and Diane Dupree
By Madison McEntire
Coby Greiner, left, and Logan Grant, right, catch an Atlantic Shore, N.J., runner in a pickle. (Photo courtesy of Diane Dupree)
PINE BLUFF — The Bryant 14-year-old All-Stars committed seven errors and allowed 11 singles as they dropped an 11-3 decision to the hard-hitting team from Atlantic Shore, N.J., in their third pool game in the 2015 Babe Ruth World Series. Next up is a pool play game against New England champion Portland, Maine, on Tuesday at 2:30 p.m.
The team members are Jacob Coppock, Logan Grant, Logan Chambers, Cade Dupree, Coby Greiner, Ryan Taylor, Brock Bariola, Logan Catton, Will McEntire, Sawyer Holt, Ryan Lessenberry, Cameron Tipton, Elijah King and Clift Chaffin. They are managed by Michael Catton with help from assistant coaches Phillip Dupree and Madison McEntire.
Logan Catton worked in relief in Monday’s contest. (Photo courtesy of Mackenzie McEntire)
The Atlantic Shore pitcher needed just four pitches in the top of the first to retire Coppock on a fly to center, Chambers on fly to left and Grant on a grounder to third.
McEntire was Bryant’s starting pitcher and retired the leadoff batter on a ground ball to Holt at third. The following two batters reached on a hard liner to right and a hard grounder into left. The Atlantic Shore cleanup hitter then popped a ball into short right field but Bariola fired to Grant at second to force the runner from first who had been forced to hold to see if the ball would be caught.
With runners on the corners, Grant fielded a grounder to his right but his throw was off the mark and got by Dupree at first allowing two runs to score. A liner to Grant ended the inning with Bryant trailing 2-0.
Bryant went down quickly again in the top of the second, this time on just five pitches. Dupree was out on a high chopper to second, Taylor grounded out to the shortstop and Greiner was out on a nice play when his hard smash went off the third baseman’s glove to the shortstop who fired to first for the out.
Atlantic Shore’s first batter of the second was safe at first when Greiner’s throw was wide of first and the ball came out of Dupree’s glove as he swiped the runner coming down the line. After McEntire recorded a swinging strikeout, he picked the runner off second and he was tagged out by Greiner for the second out. A groundout to second sent the game to the third with the score still 2-0.
In the top of the third, Bryant went 1-2-3 again as Catton grounded to second, Bariola was out on good play by the second baseman up the middle and McEntire struck out swinging.
Atlantic Shore broke the game open with four runs in the home half. After the leadoff hitter bounced out to Grant at short, an error by Greiner at third put a runner on. Following a stolen base, a hard single to left field put runners at the corners. The trail runner stole second but McEntire froze the Atlantic Shore cleanup batter for a called strikeout.
With two outs, Holt dove for a hard shot to left field but the ball went off his glove and two runs scored while the batter took second on the throw to the plate. A sharp single past Dupree at first scored another run. Grant could not come up with ball to his right to put two runners on.
Cade Dupree sets to make a catch of a throw to first. (Photo courtesy of Diane Dupree)
A sharp drive to center moved the runners up and when the ball got by Taylor, each runner advanced an extra base which scored the lead runner.
Dupree came in to pitch, with Catton moving to first, Greiner to second, Bariola to left and Chaffin entered in right in McEntire’s spot in the lineup. Dupree’s first pitch was popped to Catton at first to end the inning with Atlantic Shore up 6-0.
Holt led off the fourth and was hit for a pitch for Bryant’s first baserunner of the game. After Coppock flied to center, Chambers ripped a single to left to put two on. Grant hooked a ball into left to bring in Holt with Bryant’s first run.
Dupree flied deep to right for the second out with Chamber tagging and moving to third on the play. Taylor lined what appeared to be a single to right but the right fielder snagged it on one hop and fired to first to beat Taylor by a step and deny Bryant a second run.
Dupree got a swinging strikeout to begin the bottom of the fourth but the ball had bounced in front of the plate and off Coppock and the runner reached first safely. Greiner ran down a pop in short right field and bobbled the ball after colliding with Chaffin but held on for the first out.
After a stolen base, a line drive single to right put runners at the corners. After another stolen base, a fielding error by Grant allowed the lead runner to score as the trail runner held at second and the batter reached first. On a double steal attempt, Coppock threw out the runner at third for the second out but Dupree then hit the batter to put two on again.
Dupree’s pickoff attempt to second went off Grant’s glove which allowed the runner to move to third. After a walk loaded the bases, Dupree got a liner right to Bariola for the third out. Atlantic Shore’s lead was 7-1 heading to the fifth.
Bryant cut into the lead. Greiner doubled deep over the leftfielder’s head. Catton singled on a soft fly to right but Greiner was forced to remain at second on the play. Bariola slapped a single into left to fill the bases.
Chaffin stuck out swinging for the first out of the inning. Tipton batted for Holt and walked on a 3-2 pitch to bring home Greiner. On an 0-2 pitch, Coppock flipped a soft pop over the head of the third baseman for a single to score Catton.
With the score 7-3, Bryant looked to cut further into the lead but Chambers’ sharp grounder back up the middle was snagged by the pitcher who started a 1-2-3 doubleplay to end the inning.
Dupree allowed three consecutive singles to start the bottom of the fifth and was relieved by Catton with the score 8-3 and runners on first and third. After the trail runner swiped second, a sac fly to left brought in a run. Another steal followed by a single to left made the score 10-3.
Yet another steal and a wild pitch followed by another sac fly to center scored Atlantic Shore’s final run. Catton retired the next batter on a fly to center to end the inning.
Atlantic Shore’s defense made another sparkling play in the top of the sixth. After Grant led off with a single to center, Lessenberry hit for Dupree and grounded sharply in the hole. The shortstop made a diving stop and fired to second to start a 6-4-3 doubleplay.
King hit for Taylor and struck out to end the inning.
Catton retired the side in order in the bottom of the sixth on a pop to second, a three-pitch strikeout and a fly to left.
In Bryant’s final at-bat, Greiner flied deep to left, Catton went down swinging and Bariola grounded out to second to end the game.
Sawyer Holt (27) takes a throw to third on a stolen base attempt. (Photo courtesy of Diane Dupree)
