Rash of doubles lifts Hornets to run-rule win over Z’s
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Photos courtesy of Samantha Breeding
Trevor Ezell (12) throws to first as Korey Thompson backs up the play. (Photo courtesy of Samantha Breeding)
PINE BLUFF — Based on recent results, it looked like the Bryant Hornets would be facing a much tougher Pine Bluff Zebras team on Saturday than the one they ripped 11-1 back on March 21. After all, the Z’s were coming off an 8-0 win over South Conference rival Lake Hamilton and had been edged 2-1 by Texarkana, 5-4 by Benton, 6-4 by Sheridan and 4-2 at El Dorado in games prior to that.
As it turned out, however, it was the same story, second verse as Zack Jackson fired a three-hit shutout and the Hornets used 10 hits to take advantage of eight walks, a hit batsman and two errors to post a 12-0 win in five innings at venerable Taylor Field.
Six of Bryant’s hits were doubles including two by Jason Hastings who supplied the first big hit of the game, an RBI double in the opening inning.
Jason Hastings had two doubles in the win over Pine Bluff. (Photo courtesy of Samantha Breeding)
Jackson struck out seven without a walk and wound up facing one over the minimum. He gave up a lead-off double to Jaylon Deshazier in the second. He advanced to third on a groundout but was the lone Zebra base-runner stranded.
The right-hander then retired seven in row before Kacy Higgins doubled with one out in the fourth. Higgins was thrown out trying to steal third, however, by Bryant catcher Trey Breeding. In the fifth, J’Marlos Johnson led off with a single but Jackson picked him off first then set down the next two to end the game.
Pine Bluff lefty Ti’Montai Bolden issued one-out walks to Drew Tipton and Chase Tucker in the top of the first. After a wild pitch moved them to second and third, Trey Breeding got down a bunt on the safety squeeze and Tipton scored.
With two down, the Zebras had an eye on getting out of the inning with no further damage but Hastings spoiled that by banging a double off the base of the wall in left-center. Tucker scored to make it 2-0 and, on a pair of wild pitches, Hastings came on around with Evan Lee at the plate.
Lee kept the inning going with a shot to gap in left center for another double. Brandan Warner followed with a surprise, two-out bunt. Pine Bluff catcher Gealander Harris jumped out to field the ball but had so far to go to get there that Warner appeared to have a hit. But Harris made a throw and it was wild. Lee scored and Warner wound up at second as the lead ballooned to 4-0.
In the second, the Z’s turned to big Jordan O’Guinn on the mound but he too struggled with this control at first, walking Korey Thompson and Trevor Ezell. A passed ball put runners at second and third for Tipton, who delivered a sacrifice fly. And, with two down, Tucker came through with an RBI single to left to make it 6-0.
Brandan Warner slides into third base. (Photo courtesy of Samantha Breeding)
Warner opened the third with a roller that hugged the first-base line. Johnson, the first baseman, appeared to have it lined up only to have it bounce off the bag and first and Warner had an infield hit. He scored on Blake Patterson’s long double to left-center and it was 7-0.
The Hornets made it a run-rule lead with a five-run fourth, sparked by Tucker’s double down the left-field line. He advanced to third on one wild pitch and scored on another as Breeding drew a walk. Courtesy runner Connor Tatum swiped second then raced home on Hastings’ second RBI double.
Connor Tatum crosses first base as the throw arrives. (Photo courtesy of Samantha Breeding)
A wild pitch and a passed ball allowed Hastings to come around to score as Lee was working a walk.
That brought another pitching change. Right-hander Michael Roberts got Warner to ground to short but the ball was booted. Lee, who had swiped second, had to stay there but Patterson picked up his second hit on a fly to left that was lost in the sun and the bags were loaded. Lee scored when Tatum bounced into a doubleplay. Ezell then capped things off with an RBI double to right that brought Warner across the plate.
Tucker, Hastings, Warner and Patterson each had two hits in the game for Bryant.
The game, which was originally scheduled for Thursday, was moved to Saturday morning due to rain. The Hornets’ regularly-scheduled game against Maumelle was pushed back to 2 p.m., on Saturday.
The win improved Bryant to 19-2 overall and 8-1 in the South Conference.
Trey Breeding goes low to get a squeeze bunt down. (Photo courtesy of Samantha Breeding)
