LONOKE — There they were again.
The Bryant All-Stars and the White Hall All-Stars were playing each other at the end of a tournament, something that’s happened time and time again in recent years including games along the way during this Bryant group’s run to a World Series championship in 2008.
The two groups, currently playing as 15-year-olds, were tangling this time in the championship round of the Babe Ruth State Tournament. Because Bryant had beaten White Hall in the winners bracket final earlier in the week, White Hall needed to win twice on Wednesday night to capture the championship.
And it appeared that the so-called “if” game was in the offing. Breaks and disputed calls didn’t seem to be going the Bryant Stars’ way. Despite a five-run first, they trailed 10-7 with six outs to go.
But Bryant rallied for four runs in the sixth and six more in the seventh while Hayden Daniel, on in relief of Nelson and aided by improved defensive effort, put the quietus on the White Hall bats.
Bryant thus captured the championship with a wild 17-10 victory.[more]
The Bryant 15’s include Zach Cambron, Evan Castleberry, Hayden Daniel, Josh Davis, Evan Ethridge, Cody Gogus, Tyler Green, Riley Hall, Blain Jackson, Tyler Nelson, Cameron Price, Daniel Richards, Tryce Schalchlin, Devon Sears and Marcus Wilson. The team is managed by Jimmy Parker with assistance from Tony Ethridge.
As it turns out, the stakes for Wednesday’s game were a little higher than usual in a State final. Because Monticello is hosting the 15-year-old Babe Ruth World Series, the host State gets a few automatic bids — a couple for host teams like Monticello, Hamburg and Pine Bluff Seabrook.
Another was set aside for the champion of the Southern Arkansas State Tournament. So, Bryant earned that berth with Wednesday’s victory. White Hall can still get there too but now, as the State runner-up, must battle through the Southwest Regional Tournament at Madisonville, La., to qualify.
Bryant will open World Series pool play on Friday, Aug. 20, at 5:30 p.m., against Pine Bluff Seabrook. Pool play will continue through Tuesday, Aug. 24 with the top three teams in each of the two six-team pools advancing to a single-elimination championship tournament scheduled to conclude on Friday, Aug. 27.
Bryant’s comeback on Wednesday began after Daniel got out of a first-and-third, one-out jam in the bottom of the fifth. White Hall had taken advantage of two of Bryant’s seven errors in the inning to snap the 7-7 tie and forge the 10-7 advantage.
From that point forward, there were no more Bryant miscues in the field.
In the top of the sixth, a one-out double by Nelson provided the initial spark. But he was still at second with one out when Gogus pulled a shot into the left-field corner for an RBI double. Green then burned the centerfielder for another run-scoring double to make it 10-9. Schalchlin followed with a drive down the right-field line that went for another two-bagger, tying the game. And when the ball was misplayed by the right-fielder, Schalchlin took third. He scored the go-ahead run on the next pitch which Jackson drilled to left for a single.
The Sox might’ve added another run on a shot by Sears but it bounced over the fence and Jackson had to hold up at third.
Still, it was Bryant’s fifth double of the inning.
Daniel issued a lead-off walk to Tyler Carr in the bottom of the inning but got Chris Smith to ground to third and Chris Bryan to fly to left for the first two outs. Landon Reed Singled to left to get Carr to third but Daniel struck out Hunter Hale to end the threat and preserve the 11-10 lead.
Bryant then blew the game up in the top of the seventh. Daniel got it started again by reaching on an error and stealing second. Nelson did likewise to put runners at second and third for Wilson who blasted yet another double to deep center, driving both home.
Hall singled and Green walked to load the bases for Schalchlin who, again, came through with a double, this time to left-center, plating two runs. Davis singled in Green then Price drove in Schalchlin with a base hit to right to complete the onslaught.
Clay Cannon walked to open the bottom of the inning but Daniel struck out the side after that to close out the victory.
Bryant’s fast start began with — what else? — a double by Daniel. Nelson singled him in. Wilson followed with a bunt that he beat out for a hit. Gogus followed with another sacrifice attempt that was booted allowing him to reach to load the bases. And when Green’s grounder to third was misplayed then Cambron singled, two runs scored. An out later, Green came home with the fifth run on a groundout by Price.
White Hall answered with three in the bottom of the inning. Reed and Cannon singled then Percy Arnold’s grounder to the right side was misplayed. With two down, another error made it 5-3.
Bryant got two of those back in the top of the second. Daniel instigated the uprising again with a single and a steal. Nelson walked then Wilson got a sacrifice bunt down to get them to second and third. After Gogus walked to load the baes, Daniel scored on a passed ball and Green singled in Nelson to make it 7-3.
Green worked around a walk and a single in the bottom of the inning but White Hall’s Carr, on in relief of Reed, pitched around a two-out single by Daniel in the top of the third.
White Hall struck for three in the home half. Arnold singled and stole second and, with one out, Jeremy Sprinkle walked and Carr reached on an error to load the bases. A passed ball allowed Arnold to score and, with two out, Josh Baldwin walked, Reed reached on an error, Hale singled and Cannon reached on a boot. But when Reed tried to score on the play, he was thrown out on the play and the game remained tied at 7.
Wilson singled to start the top of the fourth but was thrown out trying to steal and Carr eased through the rest of the inning. Nelson pitched around a two-out hit batsman in the bottom of the inning then the Bryant Stars were unable to take advantage of a lead-off walk to Cambron and a sacrifice bunt by Jackson in the top of the fifth.
White Hall’s go-ahead surge in the bottom of the fifth opened with an error allowing Smith to reach. Baldwin walked then Reed reached on an error as a run scored. With one out, a walk loaded the bases again and Daniel came on to relieve. He was greeted by Arnold’s two-run single but, with Cannon at third and Arnold at first. Daniel struck out Justin McCarty then got Sprinkle to ground out to short.
Tom and Kathy
Congratulations Bryant 15’s on an amazing State tournament. You can not be beaten when you guys work as a team, as shown in this tournament. You have won State 5 years in a row and appeared in a World Series 3 of the last 4 years. That in itself, is an awesome achievement. Now go and make history by winning your 2nd World Series title. Best of Luck to each of you!!