Hamlet advances in conference tournament
Staff report
HAMLET — Dawson “The Hammer” Bryant laced a two-out, game-winning double to left-center field in the bottom of the eighth inning Monday afternoon to lift Hamlet past Sycamore Lane 3-2 in a first-round matchup in the Southeastern Middle School Conference tournament.
With the game tied 2-2 in the bottom of the eighth, Dallas Cowick led off with a single to left. Two outs and two intentional walks later, Bryant finished off the rally. The third-seeded Red Rams improved to 9-2 with the win.
Dawson Bryant
The No. 6 Bucks muffed Jahan Jones’ sacrifice bunt attempt in the second inning. The error allowed Jones to reach base safely and teammate Luke Preslar advanced to third. Cowick squeezed in the first run for Hamlet to tie the game 1-1. Tripp Stewart followed with another squeeze play to take a 2-1 lead.
The Bucks tied it up 2-2 in their half of the third inning.
Alex Anderson scattered three hits over seven innings. He didn’t allow an earned run. Preslar picked up the win in relief and struck out the side in the top of the eighth inning.
“It was a great game,” Red Rams coach Ralph Butler told The Pee Dee Post. “It always is with Sycamore Lane.”
Butler said it’s the third consecutive game and fourth time in five years the two teams’ contests have been decided by a single run.
Alex Anderson
“The kids battled, were focused and made sure we ere on the winning side of that one-run contest,” Butler said. “This was probably the most focused I’v seen them all year.”
Butler said he told his athletes to “enjoy it tonight” but come tomorrow, “I don’t want to hear about Sycamore Lane anymore.”
Butler said the focus is forward, with a road game Wednesday against No. 2 Anson. The Bearcats beat the Red Rams 3-1 in Wadesboro about a month ago. Butler said his team’s ready for the challenge.
“If we play like we did today, it’ll be a good game,” Butler said.
