Bryant 7’s finish fourth in 8-and-under District Tournament

HOT SPRINGS — The teams of 7-year-olds that annually play in the 8-and-under District Tournaments don’t often get very far but, in 2010, the Bryant 7’s made a strong showing by finishing fourth, the last of the teams that included 7-year-olds to be eliminated.

On Sunday, the Bryant All-Stars ran in the Hot Springs 8’s and suffered an 8-2 loss to end their tournament.

On Saturday, Bryant had survived two games with victories including a 16-7 decision over a 7- and 8-year-old team from Pine Bluff Seabrook that set up the contest with Hot Springs.

The team of 7-year-olds, managed by Matt Orender with assistance from Patrick Schroeder, includes Luke Bessire, Dakota Clay, Cooper Davis, Noah Davis, Peyton Dillon, Austin Ledbetter, Jaggar Littleton, Justin Orender, Brett Pennington, Austin Schroeder, Lawson Speer and Garrett Wilson.[more]

In the win over Pine Bluff on Saturday, the difference was bigger innings. Bryant scored the maximum of six runs in the second and third while holding the opponent to five runs over the two frames.

Both teams scored twice in the first. Pine Bluff would’ve gotten another except that the Bryant Stars executed a perfect relay from right field to nail a runner at the plate.

For Bryant, Bessire led off with a triple. He scored on an infield hit by Noah Davis who was subsequently thrown out trying to take second. Ledbetter got it going again with an infield hit. He scored on a long double to center by Dillon.

After Pine Bluff got two in the second, Bryant rolled to a six spot. Schroeder opened the home second with a single then Cooper Davis and Clay cracked doubles. With one out, Orender got a hit then Bessire and Noah Davis ripped consecutive doubles. Hits by Ledbetter and Dillon completed the scoring.

Pine Bluff managed three runs to pull within 8-7 in the top of the third but Bryant again maxed out in response. This time, Wilson started the uprising with a single to the right side. Pennington, Schroeder and Cooper Davis followed with consecutive doubles to make it 11-7. Clay singled then Littleton cleared the bases with a triple to make it 13-8. Orender’s double brought Littleton home with the sixth tally.

Bryant then held Seabrook scoreless in the top of the fourth and put the game out of reach in the home half with two more runs. Bessire singled and scored on Noah Davis’ triple to make it 15-7. Davis then scored when Ledbetter grounded out to short.

In the fifth, Pine Bluff’s second hitter stroke a double but when he tried to make it to third, he was thrown out.

In Sunday’s game, the Bryant Stars just couldn’t break through against a tough Hot Springs defense. Over the first three innings, Noah Davis, who singled in the first, was the only batter that reached.

Bryant held Hot Springs scoreless in the first, working out of a first-and-third jam with two down. In the second, however, the host team pushed three runs across the plate. Another scored in the fourth to make it 4-0.

Bryant made it a game with two runs in the top of the fourth. Bessire singled with one out and stole second. With two down, Ledbetter doubled him home. Dillon followed with a hit that got Ledbetter home before Dillon was tagged out between first and second.

Bryant only managed one other baserunner in the game. Clay singled with one out in the sixth but was retired as he was caught off first on a popout by Littleton.

Hot Springs scored twice in the fourth then twice more in the fifth to close out the win.

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