SHERWOOD — The 8-year-old All-Star team of the Bryant Athletic Association opened the 2017 Cal Ripken State Tournament for their age group with a pair of lopsided wins. On Friday morning, they whipped the Magnolia All-Stars, 13-4. Later in the day, they left the Pine Bluff All-Stars in their wake, 17-1.
Bryant advances to play the Sylvan Hills All-Stars on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
The team, coached by Greg Riggs, includes Cannon Chalmers, Carson Dozier, Gunner Frazier, Lynden Johnson, Asher King, Colten Lucas, Hunter Markham, Paxton Pringle, Max Rauth, Jaxon Riggs, Drew Tate-Lee and Jackson Trusty.
Bryant 13, Magnolia 4
Tate-Lee had three hits and Chalmers drove in four in the win over Magnolia in five innings.
Magnolia actually took a 2-0 lead in the second inning. Bryant got on the board in the top of the third when Rauth and King singled to put runners at first and third. The duo worked a double steal to get the run in.
Bryant denied Magnolia in the bottom of the third then took the lead for good in the top of the fourth. Tate-Lee singled with one out and Gunner Frazier beat out an infield hit that was followed by an errant throw. With runners at second and third, Chalmers drove in both with a base hit.
Lucas legged out an infield hit then Pringle drove home two with a double to center. Rauth’s double sent Pringle to third as he held up in case the ball was caught. But both scrambled home when King’s bunt went for a hit and Magnolia threw the ball away.
Down 7-2, Magnolia gamely pushed a pair of runs across the plate in the bottom of the fourth only to have Bryant come up with another inning with the maximum limit of six runs in the top of the fifth.
Riggs started the inning with a bunt hit. He stole second and scored on Markham’s double. Trusty traded places with Markham slugging a double to center to make it 9-4.
Singles by Dozier and Tate-Lee brought Trusty around to score and Johnson knocked in Dozer with a single up the middle. With runners at first and second, they pulled off a double steal before holding at second and third as Frazier reached on a dropped pop on the infield.
That brought up Chalmers who plated two with a drive to center, making it 13-4.
Bryant 17, Pine Bluff 1
With maximum innings in the first and second, Bryant steamrolled past Pine Bluff in short order. Riggs, Markham, Trusty, Dozier and Tate-Lee each had three hits. Markham drove in four.
The opening salvo started with consecutive singles by Riggs, Markham, Trusty and Dozier. Tate-Lee rapped a double and it was 3-0. Johnson, Frazier and Chalmers each delivered RBI singles to make it 6-0.
After a three-up, three-down home first, Bryant went back to work at the plate in the top of the second. Lucas instigated the outburst with a triple to left. Pringle singled him in. A base hit by Rauth set the table for Riggs’ RBI double and a two-run two-bagger from Markham.
Trusty singled to make it 11-0. A double by Dozier and a single by Tate-Lee completed the attack.
A single and a steal from Frazier in the third set up an RBI double for Lucas, making it 13-0 going into the bottom of the third when Pine Bluff managed its run on a double and an error.
Bryant capped off the win with three in the top of the fourth, putting it out of reach of Pine Bluff with the six-run limit. Rauth and King singled. Riggs reached on a fielder’s choice as Rauth was forced at third. But Markham doubled in two more, Trusty singled him in then knocks by Dozier and Tate-Lee made it 17-1.
