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Sports | Published on Thursday July 26, 2007
ABBEVILLE, La. — Batesville’s 8-year-old All-Stars completed their unbeaten run through the Cal Ripken Southwest Region Tournament here Wednesday night with a victory over Arkansas’ other state champion.
The local 8-year-old All-Star team, also known as the Scrappers, run-ruled the Bryant All-Stars, 10-3 in the championship game. The Scrappers won the North Arkansas State Touranemnt title. Bryant won the south title.
The Scrappers are 22-0 overall. They won seven games in the region tournament.
They came from behind twice while winning the region title. Batesville broke through for a 2-1 lead in the top of the fourth when Austin Reaves doubled and Matthew McSpadden tripled.
Bryant struck right back for a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the frame.
The Scrappers took the lead for good in the fifth when Colby McDoniel, Zach Fredericks, Trent Swaim, Blaine Bacon and Kyler Epperson hit consecutive singles, Keagan Harrison and Reaves followed with doubles, and Zach Langston capped the 6-run splurge with a triple.
Taylor Ford also drove in a run with a sacrifice fly.
The Scrappers enforced the run rule in the sixth when McSpadden reached with a bunt single, Zach Griffin hit an RBI triple, and McDonial delievered an RBI single.
McDoniel added another double, and Tanner Vinson chipped in a single for Batesville.
Reaves, who played shortstop, won the tournament’s Most Valuable Player Award.
Region tournaments finish post-season tourament play in Cal Ripken baseball, but the Scrappers are scheduled to play in the Fireball Invitational, a local tournament played at Fitzhugh Park, this weekend.
hop...@cox.net
Tuesday, 24 July 2007
The Bryant 8-year-old Cal Ripken All-Stars are going for a sweep in the Southwest Regional tournament in Abbeville, La.
So far Bryant has beaten Long Beach, Miss. (7-0), Westside, La. (18-1), Kentwood, La. (13-1), St. Charles, La. (7-2) and Hot Springs (11-1) to advance in the tournament brackets.
Bryant played Amite, La., and Zachary, La., today.
“This is a talented group of kids,” said Bryant head coach Jerry East. “We’ve been playing up to our potential so far in the tournament. These kids are giving 110 percent on every play and that makes them easy to coach. They are all athletes.”
Winning the regional tournament will be as far as the Bryant All-Stars will be able to go. In Cal Ripken baseball, the World Series play begins at the older ages.
“This is the future of Bryant baseball,” East said. “It makes you feel young to realize they are only eight-years-old. All of them have a bright future on the field and in the classroom. Most of them are honor roll students.”
Bryant is one of six Arkansas teams still in the tournament. The others are Batesville, Jonesboro, Lonoke, Sylvan Hills and Hot Springs.
The games are being played at AA Conaux Park in Abbeville.
Bryant defeated Cabot for the 8-year-old Cal Ripken Arkansas state crown.
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