KENNER, La. — The Bryant 7-year-old All-Stars went 3-1 in an unusual pool play set up at the Southwest Regional Tournament over the weekend. In a three-team pool, Bryant played both teams twice.
On Friday, Bryant opened with a 6-5 loss to Little Rock Junior Deputy. Saturday, Bryant thumped Madisonville, La., 11-1, then on their second shot at Junior Deputy, the Stars prevailed 11-6. Sunday, they whipped Madisonville again, 13-3.
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]
Bryant 11, Little Rock Junior Deputy 6
Avenging their tourney opening loss to the Little Rock team, Bryant’s Stars overcame a 3-2 deficit through three innings with a maximum six runs in the top of the fourth.
Little Rock cut the margin to 8-6 but Bryant added insurance runs in the top of the sixth to put it out of reach.
Bryant snapped a scoreless tie with two runs in the top of the third. Dillon doubled and, after Pennington grounded out, Wilson and Clay belted two-base hits to make it 2-0.
Little Rock countered with a three-run outburst in the bottom of the inning to set up Bryant’s max-inning. Cooper Davis singled with one out but was forced at second on a grounder to the right side by Bessire. That’s when the hit parade began. Littleton singled then Orender mashed a an RBI double.
Base hits by Dillon and Pennington were trumped by another double, this time by Wilson. He would score the sixth tally on a single by Clay.
Bryant’s sixth began with singles by Ledbetter and Cooper Davis, setting the table for Bessire, who doubled. An out later, Orender singled to set the final score.
Bryant 11, Madisonville, La. 1
The Bryant Stars scored the maximum of six runs in the first inning and never looked back, adding runs in the second, third and fourth to complete the run-rule win. Madisonville’s lone run came in the top of the fourth.
The opening blitz started with hits by Schroeder and Noah Davis. Ledbetter advanced them with a sacrifice bunt then Cooper Davis and Bessire each singled ahead of Clay bases-clearing shot for a triple. Orender doubled to make it 5-0 then scored when Dillon blasted a triple.
In the second, Wilson and Littleton singled. With two out, Schroeder drove them home with a base hit.
Ledbetter singled to start the third. He eventually scored as Cooper Davis and Bessire grounded out.
After Madisonville got on the board to make it 9-1 in the top of the fourth, Bryant ended it in the bottom of the inning. Dillon singled with one out but was forced at second on Wilson’s grounder to short. Littleton lashed an RBI triple then scored on a hit by Pennington.
Little Rock Junior Deputy 6, Bryant 5
Bryant tied the game in the top of the sixth but Junior Deputy won it with three straight hits in the bottom of the inning.
Junior Deputy took a 1-0 lead in the second inning but Bryant tied it in the top of the third. Wilson led off the inning with a single and Littleton got a sacrifice bunt down to move him to second. With two out, Bessire belted a double to chase Wilson home.
A three-run bottom of the third put Junior Deputy back on top but Bryant kept battling back. In the fourth, Ledbetter reached to start things then Dillon cracked a double. With two down, singles by Schroeder and Cooper Davis brought runs in to make it 4-3.
Little Rock added a run in the bottom of the inning but had another pair of runners retired on the bases including one at the plate.
After Speer and Bessire singled in the fifth to no avail, Bryant pushed in the tying runs in the top of the sixth. Ledbetter singled and Dillon doubled. After Orender bounced to short, Pennington and Schroeder belted RBI singles. With the potential lead run at second, a pair of force outs ended the inning, setting the stage for Junior Deputy’s winning uprising in the bottom of the frame.
