Photos courtesy of Lori Brower
The Bryant 8-year-old Cal Ripken League All-Stars swept through all six games they played to capture the championship of the Landers Invitational Tournament at Bishop Park over the weekend.
Clay Crawford
The team defeated the eight-year-old team from the Little Rock Junior Deputy program, 11-3, in the championship game in a rematch of the first pool play game which Bryant won 13-5.
In the interim, Bryant buried Pine Bluff 15-0 in a second pool play game on Saturday. On Sunday in bracket play, Pine Bluff was ousted 17-1 by Bryant, which eliminated the seven-year-old team from Junior Deputy, 13-0, and the Sylvan Hills Bears, 19-9.
The Bryant 8-year-old All-Stars, coached by Jeremy Stovall, Michael Brower and Chad Kemp, are Garrison Blacklaw, Brady Brower, Reid Catton, Clay Crawford, Gavin Hill, Gage Horn, Aiden Hughes, Grant Johnson, Carson Kemp, Gideon Motes, Hank Penfield and Caden Stovall.
The team will play in the South Arkansas State 8-and-under tournament in El Dorado July 4-9.
Bryant 11, Junior Deputy 8’s 3
Leading just 4-3 after four innings, Bryant erupted for four runs in the fifth and three in the sixth.
Both teams scored in the first. In the top of the inning, Stovall beat out a bunt single and, with two out, Kemp legged out an infield hit to set the stage for Horn to belt an RBI single.
After Junior Deputy tied it, the game remained deadlocked until the top of the fourth when Brower doubled in a run and Penfield and Hughes each singled in one to make it 4-1.
Little Rock trimmed two runs off the lead in the bottom of the inning but then couldn’t dent the plate again the rest of the game while Bryant kept adding on.
Grant Johnson
Singles by Mote and Hill set the table for Blacklaw in the fifth. He tripled both home then held as Johnson beat out an infield hit. Horn brought both of them home with a double to center, making it 8-3.
The game was out of reach when Catton beat out a bunt in the top of the sixth, Penfield tripled him home then scored when Hughes belted a home run.
Bryant 19, Sylvan Hills Bears 9
Trailing 7-5 after the Bears scored the maximum of six runs in the top of the second to overcome a 5-1 deficit, Bryant reached the max in both the home second and the third to make it a rout. Two runs in the fourth put it out of reach.
Blacklaw, Horn, Johnson and Catton each had three of the 26 hits for Bryant.
Down 1-0 after half an inning, Bryant gained the lead initially with five runs in the home first. Blacklaw doubled, stole third and scored on Johnson’s double. Kemp singled in a run then scored on Horn’s hit.
Infield hits by Brower and Catton loaded the bases. A run scored when Penfield bounced into a force at second then another came in when Horn doubled.
After the Bears answered to regain the lead, Bryant took the lead for good in the bottom of the second when Hill singled, Stovall doubled him in, and Brower laced a triple. Johnson and Kemp belted back-to-back doubles then Horn and Brower each singled. Catton doubled in the sixth run to make it 11-7.
Sylvan Hills cut it to 11-9 in the top of the third but Bryant’s onslaught reconvened with a double by Hughes in the home half. Crawford beat out a bunt hit then Mote got an RBI with a groundout. Singles by Hill, Stovall and Blacklaw followed. Johnson plated two with a double and Kemp picked up an RBI with a grounder to second. Horn’s single brought in Johnson, making it 17-9.
Reid Catton
The final two runs in the fourth were scored by Catton who beat out a one-out bunt single and Penfield, who doubled. Two-out hits by Crawford and Mote got them home.
Bryant 13, Junior Deputy 7’s 0
After a scoreless first, Bryant scored six in the second and six more in the third while holding JD to just one hit. Johnson’s three hits paced Bryant. Kemp, Penfield and Hughes each drove in two runs.
The initial outburst started with doubles by Horn and Brower. Catton beat out a bunt single and Penfield tripled home two runs. Hughes singled him in and, after base hits by Crawford and Motes, Hill doubled in two to make it 6-0.
In the third, Stovall’s double got things going. Blacklaw singled him in then scored on Johnson’s double to left. Kemp doubled, Horn tripled and Brower picked up an RBI with a groundout.
Hits by Catton, Penfield and Hughes produced the sixth run of the inning.
Kemp knocked in the final run in the fourth. Base hits were rapped by Stovall, Brower and Johnson ahead of Kemp’s knock.
Bryant 17, Pine Bluff 1
Blacklaw, Stovall and Johnson each had three hits to lead Bryant. Johnson drove in four runs and Blacklaw three.
In a six-run first, Brower doubled in a run then scored on a two-bagger by Johnson. Kemp tripled to make it 3-0. Horn doubled him in and, after Catton singled, Penfield and Hughes each belted RBI doubles.
In the second, there were two outs before singles by Hill and Stovall got things going. Blacklaw tripled in both then scored on Johnson’s single. Kemp doubled in a run then scored when Horn cracked a liner to center for a base hit, making it 11-0.
Garrison Blacklaw
Pine Bluff managed its run in the top of the third but another six-run outburst in the home third put the game to rest.
Brower, Penfield and Hughes singled to load the bases. With one out, Motes single drove in two. After Hill beat out an infield hit, Stovall singled in two. Blacklaw legged out an infield hit and Johnson’s two-run single ended it.
Bryant 15, Pine Bluff 0
A six-run first put Bryant on the road to victory in its second game on Saturday. Blacklaw had three hits while Brower, Horn and Kemp each knocked in three.
Bryant added four in the third and five in the fourth to end the game.
Horn singled in the first run then Brower chased in two with a double. Johnson doubled and so did Hughes to make it 6-0.
In the third, Kemp knocked in Blacklaw with a base hit. Horn doubled in Stovall and Kemp and when Brower’s base hit plated Horn, it was 10-0.
The fourth was set up by doubles from Crawford and Motes. Base hits from Horn, Catton and Blacklaw added to the onslaught which Kemp ended with a two-run triple.
Bryant 13, Junior Deputy 8’s 5
Bryant built a 9-0 lead before JD scored all five of its runs in the home fourth. A four-run fifth for Bryant extended the margin.
Horn, Stovall and Kemp each had three hits with Johnson and Kemp each drive in three.
Brady Brower
A four-run first started with Catton’s infield hit and an RBI double by Blacklaw. Stovall singled and went to second on the throw back to the infield, setting the table for Kemp who drove in two with a double. Johnson’s double made it 4-0.
It stayed that way until the fourth when both teams came up with five runs. Bryant went first in the top of the frame. Singles by Kemp, Horn and Brower loaded the bases for Johnson who doubled in two. Penfield tripled to make it 8-0 then scored on Hughes’ base hit.
Bryant fifth started with singles by Catton, Blacklaw and Stovall with the last of those plating a run. Kemp doubled in another but Stovall was thrown out at the plate. Horn, however, put the finishing touches on the rout with a two-run homer on a line drive to left.
Rhonda McKinney
Great team of boys! Lots of talent, they get stronger every game!