By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
PALESTINE--It took the Palestine-Wheatley Lady Patriots five innings to catch fire Monday against Hazen.
When they did, it turned into a long afternoon for the visiting Lady Hornets.
The Lady Patriots scored 11 runs on nine hits in the bottom of the sixth inning to put away Hazen 14-8 to remain undefeated for the season.
Ashley McGraw led the offensive charge for P-W, scoring twice on three hits -- one single and two triples. McGraw drove in six of the 14 Palestine-Wheatley runs.
Palestine-Wheatley moves to 7-0 on the strength of their second victory of the season over the Lady Hornets. Two weeks ago, the Lady Patriots edged Hazen 6-5 at Hazen.
Monday, the Lady Hornets (3-3) scored four runs in the top of the first inning on four hits and one walk to lead 4-0.
Hazen pitcher Brandi Cook held the Lady Patriots to just three hits over the first three innings. P-W broke through with three runs in the bottom of the fourth when Nikki Bass used a Hazen error to get on base and went all the way to third on Libby Martin's single. Bass plated P-W's first run when Ashley McGraw sent an RBI single to center field. Martin scored when Leslie Hoots reached base on another hazen error and McGraw scored on a sacrifice fly by Jenny Loewer to cut Hazen's lead to 4-3.
Hazen picked up a run in the fifth to lead 5-3 when Joanna Foot singled and scored.
It stayed that way until the bottom of the sixth.
Bass doubled to start the inning and Martin used a fielder's choice to get on. McGraw followed with an RBI triple to right center field scoring Martin to tie the game at 5-5 and Hoots lofted an RBI sacrifice fly to right for the first out, scoring McGraw for the Lady Patriots' first lead at 6-5.
Loewer singled and scored on Andrea Cooper's RBI triple. Beth Varvil was safe at first on another Hazen error, which scored Cooper. With two outs, Marla Gardner singled and Amanda Roberts brought in Varvil with an RBI single for a 9-5 lead.
Amanda Riffle's RBI single sent Gardner home and Bass' RBI single scored Roberts. The third Hazen error in the inning left Martin safe at first and the bases loaded for McGraw, who cleared the bases with her second triple of the inning, scoring Amanda Saffold, pinch-running for Riffle, Bass and Martin to push the lead to 14-5.
Hazen picked up three runs in the top of the seventh to set the final.
Bass and Martin scored three runs each. P-W banged out 15 hits while Hazen finished with 13. Each team made five errors.
The Lady Patriots will travel to Barton today to play the Lady Bears.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
SYLVAN HILLS--The Sylvan Hills Lady Bears held Forrest City to just two hits and no runs over the final four innings Monday in girls' slow-pitch softball at Sylvan Hills.
The result led to a 10-4 victory for the Lady Bears.
Forrest City scored three runs in the top of the first inning for an early lead when Abby Townsend, Tyeshia McDaniel and Kimberly Hoots each collected base hits and scored.
The Lady Bears tied the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the inning and then took a 5-3 lead in the bottom of the second with two runs.
The Lady Mustangs pushed one more run across the plate in the top of the third when Jessica Lewis walked and scored.
Sylvan Hills added three runs in the bottom of the fourth and plated two more in the fifth to produce the final.
Forrest City slips to 4-5 overall for the year. The team will host Osceola today at the Sports Complex in a conference matchup.
The Lady Mustangs are 3-1 in the conference, with one regular conference game left to be played Thursday against West Helena.
Sylvan Hills also won the junior varsity game, 11-2.
McDaniel and Rachel Sims each scored single runs for the Lady Mustangs in the first inning.
MARION--The Forrest City Lady Mustangs track team ran third Monday at the Marion Patriot Relays.
West Memphis won the meet while West Helena finished second.
The Lady Mustangs scored 74 points for the third place finish, using three first-place finishes.
Verika Robinson finished first in the 800-meter, the 1,600-meter and the 3,200-meter.
Chasna House was fourth in the 200-meter run while Nynechia Fleming ran third in the 400-meter.
In the relays, Forrest City ran third in the 400 and 800-meter relays, fourth in the 1,600-meter and second in the 3,200-meter event.
"I was very pleased with the overall effort of the girls," said Lady Mustang Coach Lewis Etheridge.
The Lady Mustangs will run at Jonesboro on April 17.
The Forrest City Mustang track team will compete today at the Cabot Panther Relays at Panther Stadium in Cabot.
The meet is set to begin at 3:30 p.m.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
The Forrest City Mustang golf team snapped West Memphis' undefeated run Monday with a one-stroke win in conference play at Forrest City Country Club.
Using an 18-hole format, the Mustangs made it two straight victories with a 347 to 348 win. Forrest City defeated Wynne last Thursday.
The Mustangs got the win but West Memphis' Jake Pava picked up medalist honors, finishing with a round of 81.
Brian Hacker led the Mustangs with an 84 while Chad Halbert finished with an 85 and Jake Wade and Luke DeBuhr both shot an 89.
In junior varsity play, Matt Turner fired an 89 and Kellon Carroll finished with a 99.
In girls' play Monday, Forrest City's Sarah Eldridge earned medalist honors with a round of 87 as the Lady Mustangs stayed undefeated for the year.
Krista Coleman finished with a 98 while Hannah Cohn had a 119.
Forrest City will play at West Memphis on Wednesday.