It’ll come down to a winner-take-all final in the Little League 12-and-under District 3 Tournament at Bishop Park after the White Hall All-Stars came from behind to hand the Bryant Athletic Association All-Stars their first loss of the tournament Monday night.
Bryant held a 4-3 lead after three innings and that held until the bottom of the sixth when White Hall scored a run to tie it and force extra innings. Bryant was unable to take advantage of a one-out double by Daniel Taylor in the top of the seventh.
In the bottom of the inning, White Hall used a double and a groundout to get a runner to third. He then stole home for the winning run.
The two teams will play again with the championship on the line Tuesday.
Bryant’s team, coached by Danny Dunn, includes Jorge Acosta, Garrison Blacklaw, Mason Butler, Reid Catton, Clay Crawford, Tucker Dunn, Gavin Hill, Hunter Holt, Mason Lucas, Justin Myles, Reese Rowland, Taylor and Lakin Woods.
It was a back-and-forth game early. Bryant took a 1-0 lead in the opening inning. Blacklaw walked, took second on a wild pitch and scored on Dunn’s double. On the late throw home, Dunn wound up at third. Holt walked and Taylor hit a flyball to center. Dunn tagged up and headed home but was thrown out at the plate. Holt sprinted all the way to third on the play but he was stranded.
White Hall, in the bottom of the inning, loaded the bases with a pair of walks and a hit batsman. A one-out double drove in two runs as White Hall took the lead.
Bryant regained the upper hand in the top of the second. With one down, Myles walked. With two away, Lucas drew a free pass. Blacklaw singled in the tying run then Dunn singled in the go-ahead tally.
Despite a walk and a pair of singles, White Hall was unable to score in the bottom of the second.
In the third, Taylor doubled and Rowland singled, taking second when a throw home held Taylor at third. Pinch-hitter Gavin Hill picked up an RBI with a groundout and Bryant led 4-2.
A triple and a passed ball produced a run for White Hall cut the lead to one run in the home third.
Bryant threatened in the fifth when Taylor singled, Rowland reached on an error and Acosta was hit by a pitch with one out. But they were stranded as well.
A walk and a triple produced the tying run in the bottom of the sixth. A pair of walks gave White Hall a chance to take the lead but the Bryant defense stepped up. Holt caught a pop up at third then Myles caught a fly to center.
