Hornets baseball remains perfect
ROGERS – The Bryant Hornets baseball team had a successful jaunt to northwest Arkansas this past Friday, starting with an 18-3 rout over Rogers Heritage before downing Springdale 7-1 in Rogers. The wins was Bryant’s fourth in a row to start the season as they also defeated Little Rock Christian 7-2 on Wednesday after opening the season with a 4-3 win over Greenbrier in Little Rock.
The Hornets need just five hits in Friday’s walloping over the War Eagles as Heritage issued 17 walks. Bryant did the most of the damage in the second inning, putting up 14 runs before adding one in the third and three in the fourth as the game was over after five innings due to the sportsmanship rule.
Bryant senior Will Hathcote started on the mound giving up two runs on three hits and three walks, striking out five in four innings pitched. Drew Hatman gave up a run on two hits in an inning of relief.
At the plate, junior Turner Seelinger went 2 for 4 with an RBI, with senior Jackson Parker 1 for 2 with three runs, three RBIS and three walks, adding a triple. Senior Ryan Riggs went 1 for 2 with three RBIS, with Colby Morrow adding a hit in the win.
It was a close game throughout against Springdale in the nightcap as the Hornets didn’t break a 1-1 tie until the final inning when they scored six runs.
Bryant would get on the board in the top of the first when senior Noah Davis reached on an infield single before scoring on senior Austin Ledbetter’s single to left field for the 1-0 game.
It remained a 1-run game until the bottom of the third when a one-out walk by Bryant starter Tyler Bates would eventually score on a two-out single for the 1-all game after three.
It stayed that way until the top of the seventh. Davis led the inning off with a triple and Ledbetter walked before Davis was thrown out at home on Seelinger’s attempted squeeze bunt. Junior Connor Martin loaded the bases with an infield single before freshman Gideon Motes was hit by a pitch to force in a run for the 2-1 lead. After a strikeout for the second out, an error by the Springdale catcher allowed three runs to cross before a walk and Riggs’ 2-run single capped the scoring.
Not only did Motes earn the game-winning RBI, he also got the win on the mound in relief, retiring all nine men he faced. His perfect outing included four strikeouts in three innings.
Bates took the no-decision giving up just one run on two hits and three walks, striking seven in 3.2 innings of work.
Davis led the way at the plate with a 3-for-5 day including a triple and a run, with Martin going 2 for 3 with a double and a run. Senior Blaine Sears was 2 for 4 with a run, Riggs had a hit and two RBIS, with Ledbetter adding a 1-for-3 outing with a run and RBI. Seelinger added a knock in the win.
The Hornets play next Tuesday at White Hall.