Solid Lee has 3-hitter, blanks Har-Ber

Evan Lee got stronger as the game got longer, both on the mound and at the plate.

Lee, a 6-2 senior left-hander for Bryant, struck out five of the final six batters he faced and blasted a two-run triple in the fourth inning as the Hornets routed Springdale Har-Ber 10-0 in Saturday's semifinals of the Class 7A state tournament at DeJanis Memorial Field in North Little Rock.

Bryant advances to Friday's 5:30 p.m. championship game at Baum Stadium in Fayetteville. Conference rival Conway will be the opponent. The two teams split their two 7A-Central games this season.

Lee gave up singles in each of the first three innings of Saturday's contest, but proved to be unhittable to the Wildcats' final eight batters.

"I was gaining more and more confidence with every pitch," Lee said. "I had all three of my pitches working today. When we got the first run, I decided I was going to let my defense work."

"He gets stronger as the game goes," Bryant Coach Kirk Bock said. "That's been his M.O. all year. If you're going to get him, you've got to get to him early. As he gets going, he just gets stronger and stronger."

As did the Bryant bats.

Held to two singles and a run through the first three innings, the Hornets (30-2) pelted Har-Ber starter Michael King for a combined five hits in the fourth and fifth innings. Bryant scored five runs in the fourth and four more in the fifth to put the game to an early end.

Lee finished with a three-hitter. He struck out eight and walked none. Only two Har-Ber base runners managed to reach third base.

Bryant finished with nine hits, including two each from junior Garrett Misenheimer and senior Aaron Orender.

Lee managed his second two-run triple in as many days, but when he attempted to score on an errant throw, he was cut down at the plate.

"I saw the ball hit wall and get away from the outfielder a little bit," Lee said. "Then I saw the ball skip away from the catcher and I didn't think they would have anybody backing him up. I got a little greedy."

Misenhemer drove in the game's first run with a single in the first, but the Hornets left the bases loaded when King got Jake East to fly out to shallow left field and Orender on a grounder back to the mound.

Bryant placed only one runner on base during the second and third innings, but broke loose in the fourth. With one out, the Hornets used a single, a walk and a hit batter to load the bases. Senior Logan Allen was hit by a pitch for the second time, giving Bryant a 2-0 lead.

Dylan Hurt followed with a two-run double and Lee connected with his triple.

In the fifth inning, Bryant picked up RBI from East, Orender and Misenhemer.

"For the most part, our guys just relaxed," Bock said. "It was big game for them. Getting that first run was huge."

Har-Ber picked up singles from Patrick Brady, Blake Adams and Tyler Blackston.

Sports on 05/15/2016

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