HUGO, Okla. — Brandon Thomisee and Dakota Clay combined on a five-hit shutout with the help of two momentum dousing pickoffs, two foiled stolen-base attempts and a doubleplay as the Bryant All-Stars advanced to the winners’ bracket finals at the 2016 Babe Ruth 13U Southwest Regional Tournament on Saturday with a 3-0 win over Levelland, Texas.
Bryant will battle Meridian, Miss., today at 5 p.m., with the winner advancing to the championship round as the only remaining unbeaten team at the tourney. The loser will play on Monday at 6 p.m., for a shot at reaching the title round.
Bryant’s team, coached by Greg Riggs with assistance from Matt Orender and Scott Allison, includes Kannon Allison, Clay, Joey Jilek, Cooper Kinzler, Cameron McDonald, Dayton Medlock, Justin Orender, Alec Purdom, Ryan Riggs, Blaine Sears, Thomisee and Joshua Turner.
A run in the third inning broke up a scoreless deadlock. With one out, Sears walked. Riggs followed with a grounder to third but when a throw to second for a force sailed into the outfield, Sears motored to third. The duo pulled off a double steal to get the run in.
Meanwhile, Thomisee had worked around a pair of two-out singles in the first. He surrendered another base hit in the second but came through it unscathed, finishing the inning with a strikeout.
Levelland went three-up, three-down in the third. In the fourth, Turner led off with a single but the Texas team turned a doubleplay to keep it 1-0.
In the bottom of the inning, a walk and a sacrifice bunt had a Levelland runner at second. A walk followed and Thomisee gave way to Clay. He promptly picked off the runner at second and, after a steal of second, the final out of the inning followed with a pop to Purdom in right.
Bryant was retired in order in the fifth but, again, Levelland threatened in the bottom of the inning. A one-out walk was followed by a grounder to short that resulted in a force at second. A stolen base enabled the runner to get into scoring position but, again, Clay whirled and picked the runner off second to end the inning with Bryant still clinging to a 1-0 lead.
Walks to Riggs and Clay started the sixth for Bryant. A double steal put both in scoring position for Jilek who drilled an RBI single to center to make it 2-0. Clay tried to steal third but was thrown out but, with two down, McDonald drilled a single to center, sending Jilek to third. With Medlock in the game to run for McDonald, he stole second, drawing a throw that allowed Jilek to sprint home with the third run.
Levelland’s sixth began with a hit batsman. An error had runners at first and second but Bryant turned a doubleplay to deflate the Texans. With a runner at third, Clay induced a pop to Sears at second to send it to the seventh.
Bryant threatened to add on. Thomisee singled with one out and Sears drew a walk. Riggs bunted and beat it out for a single to load the bases. Clay’s grounder to short, however, resulted in a force at the plate. A pop to second sent it to the bottom of the frame.
Levelland made a bid at a comeback but, an inning-opening single was wiped out as Turner caught him stealing. Another hit followed but Clay induced a comebacker that resulted in a force at second.
A walk on a 3-2 pitch prolonged the inning and brought the potential tying run to the plate. But Levelland’s lead-off hitter popped out to Clay to end the game.
