Hornet comeback burns Benton, 11-9
EDITOR’S NOTE: In this time of COVID-19, with no sports action, BryantDaily.com will be 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 — A game that really didn’t figure to mean much may turn out to be one of the most significant of the season for the Bryant Hornets.
Other than the usual bragging rights, the contest between the Hornets and the Benton Panthers on Tuesday, April 6, figured to be a chance to get some pitchers some innings and the hitters a few more hacks at live pitching. Both teams are embroiled in heated conference races, Bryant in the AAAAA-Central and Benton in the AAAAA-South.
Of course, the fact that the Hornets had, just two days before, been dubbed the No. 1 team in the state by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and the No. 22 team in the nation by Baseball America, had its effect on the emotions of the Panthers. And the Hornets, no doubt, were affected by all of that plus the fact that, the night before, league rival North Little Rock had pinned the first loss of the season on them.
So, when Benton built a 9-3 lead through five innings, more than a few people left Panthers Field — Benton fans satisfied that the home crew had cut the high flying Hornets down a notch; Bryant fans looking forward to the rematch with North Little Rock on April 15.
None of them should’ve left.
Instead of despondently playing out the string and absorbing their second consecutive defeat, the Hornets fired up the offense in the sixth inning and scored eight times on the way to an exhilarating 11-9 win, their first significant come-from-behind victory of the season.
It was their 21st win in 22 games.
During the eighth-inning rally, ace left-hander Travis Wood begged to be put into the game if his team gained the lead and, even though he didn’t have time to warm up after playing first base up to that point, Wood strode to the mound in the bottom of the sixth and struck out the first two batters he faced. Though he allowed a walk and a checked-swing single in the sixth plus a walk and a hit batsman in the seventh, Wood closed out the victory for his first save.
Todd Bryan, who relieved starter Daniel Price in the fifth, earned the victory as well as something of a save of his own as he speared a line drive off Austin Samples bat at third to end the game with the potential tying runs on base.
The tell-tale eighth began with a one-out single by Andrew Moseley off Benton starter Kyle Webb. Ironically, Moseley was hitting for Korey Hunter who had doubled twice, scored one of Bryant’s three runs and driven in the other two.
But Moseley and Hunter have been splitting playing time all season and Moseley was taking his turn and he kept up the offense from the second base position with the catalytic single.
To follow, Dustin Easterly’s hard grounder to third was kicked. Bryan followed with an RBI double then Dustin Tinkler chased Webb off the hill with a two-run double that made it 9-6.
Freshman Andy Ferguson relieved and promptly issued walks to Justin Wells and Zack Young to load the bases for Richie Wood, the Hornets’ top hitter who came into the game hitting .400. Wood took a couple of balls then teed off on a fastball for a two-run double down the left-field line, cutting the lead to one.
A walk to Bryan Griffith loaded the bags again for Travis Wood. With a 1-2 count, Travis Wood drilled a single to center that plated two. Center fielder Josh Hendricks bobbled the ball then threw home as Griffith tried to take advantage to score from first. The ball was cut off, however, and the relay was off the mark. With a headlong dive, Griffith slid a hand across the plate as his teammates erupted out of the dugout and Travis Wood celebrated at second.
Benton coach Mark Balisterri, a Bryant alum, argued at length that the Hornets’ celebration interfered with the play but to no avail. The 11-9 score stood.
Price, taking the mound for the Hornets for the first time since beating Sheridan March 25, struggled with his control as might be expected. He walked six and hit two batters in four-innings (plus a batter in the fifth). He was charged with all nine of Benton’s runs but only four of them were earned as the Hornets committed three errors and three passed balls.
The Panthers scored twice in the first. Heath Roseberry singled in a run then scored later on Jim Sudderth’s fly to center, just getting across the plate in time as the Hornets’ relay nailed Ross Rankin trying to get back to second on a disputed play.
In the second, Benton had runners at first and second with two out when an error extended the inning, allowing a run to score. A hit batsman loaded the bases and, after a passed ball brought home a run, Roseberry blooped a double to left to drive in two more, making it 6-0.
The Hornets got on the board in the top of the third when Hunter doubled off the fence in left for the team’s first hit. Easterly singled him to third and a passed ball allowed him to score.
After Price worked around a walk in the third, fanning two, Bryant got two more when, with two down, Griffith beat out an infield hit, Travis Wood walked and Hunter chased both home with his second two-bagger.
Price and the Hornets were an out away from getting through the fourth with a runner at first when Rankin beat out an infield hit and Sudderth hit a long double to left-center to plate two runs and make it 8-3.
A walk to Josh Curtis to start the fifth ended Price’s work on the mound. Bryan relieved and, after Ferguson sacrificed and Colt Huskey walked, Matt Little singled to make it 9-3. A walk loaded the bases but Bryan struck out Rankin and got Sudderth to bounce back to the mound to get out of the inning.
