CABOT — With the Cal Ripken 6-and-under T-ball State championship already in hand, the Bryant Athletic Association All-Stars opened play in the ASE USSSA State Tournament today, winning both of its pool play games to advance to the championship bracket on Sunday.
Players for Bryant’s 6’s include Cooper Andrews, Trey Atkins, Witt Brothers, Tanner Hogland, Cade Jackson, Griffin Lloyd, Cameron Martin, Cash McCrary, Hunter Robertson, Barrett Sory, Judah Summers and Landen Verdell. The team is coaches by Bill Lloyd with assistance from Jason Hogland, Jordan Verdell and Eric Andrews.
The team whipped the Maumelle Stars 17-2 and the Walnut Ridge Bombers 19-4 today. They’ll open bracket play with a rematch against Walnut Ridge at 10 a.m., while Maumelle takes on the Blytheville Chaos at 11:30. The winners of each game will play for the championship at 1 p.m.
Bryant 19, Walnut Ridge 4
Walnut Ridge scored three runs in the top of the first to take an early lead but Bryant doubled that with the maximum limit of seven in the bottom of the inning. Verdell, Robertson, Martin, Brothers, Andrews, Lloyd and Jackson scored as no Bryant hitter was retired.
Walnut Ridge managed its fourth run in the top of the second but, again, Bryant responded with seven as Hogland, McCrary, Atkins, Verdell, Robertson, Martin and Brothers scored. Walnut Ridge was able to retire one Bryant batter.
A five-run third capped off the win. When Walnut Ridge was unable to score in the top of the fourth, the game concluded.
Jackson, Summers, Hogland, Sory and McCrary scored in the bottom of the third.
Bryant 17, Maumelle 2
Maumelle was unable to score until the third. By then, Bryant had amassed a 14-0 lead.
In the first, Verdell, Robertson, Martin, Brothers, Andrews, Lloyd and Jackson scored. In the second, Sory, McCrary, Verdell, Robertson, Martin, Brothers and Andrews scored.
Maumelle scored twice in the third but Bryant put the game out of reach in the bottom of the inning when Summers, Hogland and Sory scored.
