Jenkins, defense make early scoring hold up for 5-1 win over Lake Hamilton
EDITOR’S NOTE: Because the look back at each day in Bryant athletic history has been so favorably received during the time when there was no sports during the COVID-19 shutdown, BryantDaily.com will continue posting past stories of Bryant athletics either posted on BryantDaily.com (from 2009 to the present) or published in the Bryant Times (from 1998 to 2008).
Photos by Rick Nation
Jenna Bruick had two hits to ignite a pair of[more] run-scoring innings while pitcher Peyton Jenkins shackled the Lake Hamilton Lady Wolves on four hits as the Bryant Lady Hornets secured their second win in as many games this season with a 5-1 final in their home debut on Thursday.
Jenkins walked just one and struck out four. The lone Lake Hamilton run was unearned. All four of the Lady Wolves’ hit were singles. Two of those came with one out in the first but a grounder to Katy Stillman at third resulted in a force out then catcher Jessie Taylor hauled in a foul pop to retire the side.
In the bottom of the inning, Bruick ripped one that ricocheted off Lake Hamilton pitcher Maddie Blancaflor into left field for a base hit. Cassidy Wilson sacrificed her to second then she scored on a bloop single over the shortstop’s head by Taylor.
After Jenkins walked, Stephanie Cyz came on as a courtesy runner for Taylor at second and Breanna Sanders did the same for Jenkins. Kayla Sory came up and hit a grounder on the infield. Lake Hamilton attempted to get a force at second on Sanders but was unsuccessful. A quick throw to third to try to nab Cyz was not only unsuccessful but wild, allowing her to score.
Blancaflor got out of the inning at that point but the Lady Hornets had a 2-0 lead.
Jenkins worked a 1-2-3 top of the second and Bryant added to its lead in the home half. With two down, Bruick lashed a triple to the gap in left-center. Wilson drove her home when she cued a shot to right for a double.
Lake Hamilton managed its run in the top of the third when, with one out, Kayla Bullard drew the lone walk that Jenkins issued. She was sacrificed to second then scored on an error to make it 3-1.
After that, the Lady Wolves never got anyone past first. They managed a single in the fifth and another in the sixth but stranded both.
In the meantime, the Lady Hornets got the run back and another to boot in the bottom of the third. Again, it was a two-out uprising. Brooke Howell cracked a single to left-center then Ashley Chaloner pulled a double down the left-field line. Carly Yazza’s single to left made it 4-1. Chaloner took third on the play. Moments later, Yazza stole second. On a three-ball pitch, Hannah Rice drew a walk as Blancaflor delivered an illegal pitch and that allowed Chaloner to come home. Yazza advanced to third on the play. Rice subsequently stole second but she and Yazza were stranded when reliever Marleigh Norris came in to get the final out of the inning.
And she and Jenkins dueled the rest of the way. Jenkins wound up throwing 89 pitching, 60 for strikes.
Bryant wound up with seven hits in the game.
The Lady Hornets return to action on Thursday, March 10, at Vilonia.
