The Bryant 7-year-old All-Stars outscored their first four opponents 59-9 on the way to the finals of the South Arkansas Cal Ripken State Tournament pitching machine finals at Bishop Park but ran into a rival Benton team that outlasted them 11-8 for the championship on Sunday.
Bryant opened the tournament with a 17-1 win over Lakewood and a 14-0 romp over Union County in pool play on Friday. Saturday, they began bracket play with a 15-2 blowout over Crossett. Sunday, they ousted Stuttgart, 13-6, to advance to the title game against Benton.
The team, managed by Bill Lloyd, includes Cooper Andrews, Trey Atkins, Witt Brothers, Beckman Doggett, Tanner Hogland, Cade Jackson, Gabriel Jordan, Griffin Lloyd, Cameron Martin, Cash McCrary, Hunter Robertson, Judah Summersand Landen Verdell.
The Bryant team will advance to play in the Regional tournament in Spanish Fort, Ala., starting July 11.
Benton 11, Bryant 8
In a game that went extra innings, Benton scored three times in the top of the ninth then held Bryant in the bottom of the inning to earn the title.
Benton had built a 6-1 lead before Bryant rallied with five in the home fourth to tie the game. By adding a run in the bottom of the fifth, Bryant took a lead briefly. But Benton regained the upper hand with two in the top of the sixth only to have Bryant tie it in the bottom of the inning.
Neither team scored in the seventh or eighth innings.
Roberts led Bryant with three hits. Summers, Andrews, Brothers, Verdell and Atkins had two each.
Benton used four hits and a groundout to score the game-winning runs in the top of the ninth. Bryant was then retired in order in the bottom of the inning.
The first inning run for the Bryant Stars was a result of Summers’ single, which was misplayed allowing him to circle the bases. With two down, Robertson drilled a triple, but he was stranded.
Benton got that run back in the top of the second and added another run in the third and another in the fourth before Bryant could scratch again. Singles by Jordan and Summers had runners at the corners. Summers stole second as Jordan stole home. Summers stole third and scored on a groundout by Lloyd to make it 6-3.
Martin’s base hit to center, an infield hit by Robertson and a bunt single by Andrews loaded the bases. With two down, Brothers lined a single to center to make it 6-5. McCrary’s grounder to short got the tying run home.
After holding Benton in the top of the fifth, a one-out single by Verdell and a bloop hit by Atkins put runners at the corners. Atkins stole second but only Verdell could score as Hogland grounded out to first.
Benton used three singles and a one-out error to grab back the advantage in the top of the sixth.
Down to their last three outs, Bryant tied it. Lloyd’s one-out single gave them a chance but he remained at first with two away. Roberts shot a single to the outfield and Lloyd raced home.
Despite a hit by Andrews, they couldn’t get any more.
A single by Brothers to lead off the seventh went by the wayside. Bryant was retired in order in the eighth.
Bryant 13, Stuttgart 8
A five-run first put Bryant on the road to victory in the semifinals on Sunday. Stuttgart rallied to within 8-6 going into the home fourth but Bryant scored a run in the home fourth then four times in the fifth to put the game out of reach.
Lloyd had three hits and three RBIs while Martin, Robertson, McCrary and Verdell added two hits each.
A single and a one-out double had Stuttgart ahead in the top of the first. Bryant countered with five in the home half, an uprising that was ignited by Lloyd’s triple. Martin’s bunt single got him home and tied the game.
Martin took second then stole third before scoring on a single by Robertson. Andrews bunted for a hit and, after a double steal, Jackson beat out an infield knock to make it 3-1.
Though Jackson was thrown out trying to steal third, Andrews stole home before Brothers cracked a single to center. McCrary ripped an RBI triple to make it 5-1.
Bryant increased the lead in the second. Verdell and Atkins then a double steal allowed Verdell to score. Jordan’s single made it 7-1 and, with two down, Lloyd lined an RBI single to center.
Stuttgart trimmed a pair of runs off the margin in the top of the third then retired Bryant in order in the bottom of the inning. A three-run fourth had the lead down to 8-6.
In the home fourth, Brothers and McCrary each cracked a single. Brothers stole third and, with two down, scored on a double steal before Verdell singled.
Stuttgart could muster nothing in the top of the fifth and Bryant put the game out of reach.
Hogland singled and took second on a sacrifice by Jordan. Hogland held as Summers blooped a single to left-center but both scored on Lloyd’s second triple of the ballgame. Martin tripled to make it 12-6 then Robertson capped off the rout with an RBI single.
Bryant 15, Crossett 2
On Saturday, Bryant amassed a 14-0 lead before Crossett could get on the board with two runs in the top of the fourth. Bryant added a run in the bottom of the inning to clinch the victory.
The win was capped off by an inside the park homer by Summeres in the bottom of the fourth.
A five-run first put Bryant on the road to victory. Lloyd’s infield hit with one out included an errant throw to first that allowed him to take second. Martin lined a single to right to drive in the first run and took second on the late throw to the plate.
Robertson singled in the second run and, after Andrews beat out a bunt single, an errant throw allowed Robertson to score. Andrews wound up at third. He scored on a two-out double by Brothers to make it 4-0. McCrary’s line-drive single to right chased Brothers home.
Bryant scored the maximum of six runs in the bottom of the second. Singles by Verdell, Atkins and Hogland plated the first run. Jordan’s base hit made it 7-0.
Summers kept the onslaught going with an RBI single. Lloyd’s knock got a run home then so did Martin’s as the lead ballooned to 10-0. Robertson cracked a double to right to drive in Lloyd.
Andrews led off the bottom of the third with a single to right. Base hits followed from Jackson and Brothers, loading the bases. McCrary picked up an RBI with a groundout to short and, with two away, singles by Verdell and Atkins increased the margin to 14-0.
Bryant 14, Union County 0
Hogland and Summers each had inside-the-park home runs in Friday’s nightcap. Doggett, Lloyd and Summers each cracked triples, while Brothers, Lloyd, Martin and Robertson each doubled.
Summers started the scoring with his inside-the-park homer to lead-off the bottom of the first. Lloyd doubled then Martin, Robertson and Andrews each singled as the lead grew to 4-0.
Brothers doubled in a run then McCrary singled him in to complete the maximum inning.
Doggett tripled and, with two out, Hogland belted his homer to make it 8-0.
The third started with Summers and Lloyd cranking triples. Martin’s single made it 10-0.
Martin got to third as Robertson blooped a double to center. Andrews singled in a run then Jackson blooped a single behind the third baseman to load the bases for Brothers, who doubled to make it 13-0.
McCrary singled to load the bases for Doggett, who delivered a run with a sacrifice fly that completed the six-run outburst.
Union County managed a trio of two-out singles in the top of the fourth but left the bases stranded.
Bryant 17, Lakewood 1
Homers by Lloyd, Martin and Robertson, all inside-the-park, highlighted Bryant’s opening romp.
Bryant scored five in the first then maxed out in the third and fourth to finish off the victory in four innings.
In the first, singles by Summers and Lloyd set the table for Martin’s round-tripper. Robertson’s homer followed to make it 4-0.
With one out, Jackson doubled. He would score the fifth run.
Bryant was retired 1-2-3 in the second then Lakewood scored on a single, a stolen base and a groundout.
In the third, there were two out when Lloyd circled the bases on his shot to left. A bunt single by Martin continued the inning. Robertson doubled then Andrews beat out a bunt single to make it 7-1.
Jackson’s single drove home a pair before he raced home on Brothers double. McCrary’s single made it 11-1.
Singles by Doggett and Verdell opened the Bryant fourth. Both scored when
Atkins doubled. A two-bagger by Hogland increased the lead to 14-1. Base hits from Jordan, Summers, Lloyd and Martin pushed the lead to 17-1.
