By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
Sylvan Hills advanced out of pool play last weekend in the Sheridan Wooden Bat Classic, but couldn’t get a win in bracket play. The AAA Bruins followed their opening round shutout of Little Rock Blue with a 4-3 victory over Conway to assure themselves of a spot in Sunday’s bracket play. With a tournament seed locked up, the Bruins lost badly to Benton in the final game of pool play, then fell 3-1 to North Little Rock in the first round on Sunday.
“We just didn’t swing the bats,” Sylvan Hills coach Mike Bromley said of the loss to North Little Rock. “They didn’t throw a dominant guy, we just weren’t smart up at the plate. We swung at balls out of the strike zone all game long. I can guarantee you if you don’t make ‘em throw you something to hit, you’re not going to get anything to hit.”
The Colts got three runs in the first inning for all the runs they would need for the victory. Starting pitcher Tony Pavan gave up a two-out walk followed by three singles that gave NLR a 3-0 lead.
“He pitched just fine the rest of the way, he just hit a spot in that first inning where he couldn’t get the ball down,” Bromley said.
Earlier in the weekend, Sylvan Hills got its second outstanding pitching effort in as many games in Sheridan. Shane Graham followed Pavan’s four-hit shutout against Blue with a three hitter against Conway’s potent offense.
“Shane threw a great game,” Bromley said. “He really only gave ‘em about three pitches to hit and they hit ‘em.” Bromley said.
The weekend’s results leaves the AAA Bruins with an overall record of 10-13.
The Bruins’ scheduled Monday night game at Russellville was postponed by the Cogswell Motors team. They played Vilonia last night after Leader deadlines and will face Benton at 5:30 p.m. Friday in the opening round of the Jacksonville Fourth of July Classic at Dupree Park.
