By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
Jared Parker pitched five complete innings Thursday and the Palestine-Wheatley Patriots made a five-run first inning stand up as they edged East Poinsett County 7-6 in high school baseball action at Palestine.
Parker allowed the six EPC runs on eight hits while walking two and striking out four.
It was the first win of the season for the Patriots, 1-4.
Palestine-Wheatley got five runs in the bottom of the first inning when Clyde Kennedy, Parker, Derrick Franklin, Joey Parker and Jon Busby all reached base and came around to score.
EPC picked up a run in the top of the second to trail 5-1.
Kennedy, who was 3-for-3 at the plate, singled down the third base line to start the bottom of the second as the Patriots looked to increase their lead.
With Jared Parker at the plate, Kennedy was out at second on a straight steal. Parker and Franklin were both retire don fly balls to end the inning.
EPC cut into the lead once again in the top of the third when Ernie Hill used an error to get on base and Brandon Fortenberry reached first on a fielder's choice play that left both runners safe. Casey Harris was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
After Steven Woodall struck out, Hill and Fortenberry both scored on Matt Franks' two-RBI single to slice P-W's lead to 5-3.
The Patriots answered in the bottom of the third with two runs.
Joey Parker singled to shallow center field with one out and Busby walked. After Josh Flowers went down on strikes for the second out.
Sean Northcutt brought in both Parker and Busby with a two-RBI double that banged off the center field fence that left the Patriots in front 7-3.
EPC pushed another run home in the fourth when Jared White doubled to left field to start the inning and Cody Hutchinson used an error to get on base that scored White. Thomas Palmer singled to center and Fortenberry moved the runners around with a bunt single that left the bases loaded.
EPC wasted the opportunity when Harris and Woodard went down in ordre to end the inning.
The Patriots failed to score in the bottom of the fourth after Kennedy singled to lead off.
Jared Parker, Franklin and Daniel Getchell went down in order stranding Kennedy at second.
EPC rallied for two more runs in the top of the fifth when Franks walked and scored on Billy McDaniel's RBI single to cut P-W's lead to 7-5.
White singled and McDaniel scored to make it 7-6. White, who moved to third with two out to become the tying run, was tagged out between third and home on a base running mistake to end the game.
P-W travels to Barton today.
The Forrest City Mustangs jump back into AAAAA-East Conference play today at Jacksonville.
The Mustangs and Red Devils will begin a varsity doubleheader at 4 p.m., at Dupree Park.
Both teams are 1-2 in the league, headed into today's game and both are coming off conference losses.
Forrest City lost to West Memphis 2-1 Tuesday while Jacksonville lost to Cabot 11-5.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
DEVALLS BLUFF--The Palestine-Wheatley Lady Patriots had only six hits Thursday against DeValls Bluff in girls slow-pitch softball, but it was enough for a 6-4 win.
Thursday's win, coupled with Tuesday's win over Clarendon, left the Lady Patriots at 5-0 overall for the year.
"We just base hit them and played some good defense to get the win," said Lady Patriots Coach Beverly Bass.
Nikki Bass and Libby Martin scored two runs each while Beth Varvil and Amanda Roberts scored one time each to account for the six P-W runs.
DeValls Bluff got two runs in the fourth inning and two runs in the fifth.
Tuesday, at Clarendon, the Lady Patriots got four runs from Bass, three runs from Martin and Jenny Loewer and two runs from Roberts and Marla Gardner in an 18-1 win over the Lady Lions.
Ashley McGraw belted a three-run homer over the center field fence in the game.
The Lady Patriots will host Elaine today at Palestine at 4 p.m.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
The Forrest City Mustangs picked up their second win of the year Thursday by defeating the Wynne Yellowjackets by six strokes -- 351 to 357.
In golf matches played at Forrest City Country Club, both teams played 18 holes for the first time this season instead of the normal nine-hole format used in most high school matches.
It was also the first win over the Yellowjackets in quite some time.
"It was the first time for most of the players, on both teams, to play 18 holes," said Forrest City Coach Tommy Wheetley. "We walked through 18 in practice Wednesday, but you could see the toll it took on the players as they finished up Thursday. And It's been a long time since we've beaten Wynne in golf."
The Lady Mustangs improved to 8-0 for the year with a victory over Wynne as well.
The Mustangs prevailed over the Yellowjackets, despite medalist honors going to Tripp Clark, who fired an 85.
Chad Halbert and Brian Hacker both shot 87s to lead Forrest City while Jake Wade finished with an 88 and Josh Coleman was one back at 89.
Sarah Eldridge took medalist honors for the girls with a round of 89. Krista Coleman finished at 94.
Matt Turner shot a 99 in junior varsity play. Wynne won the JV match 183 to 214.
On Tuesday, the EPC boys team defeated the Mustangs 128 to 137 at Forrest City.
Chris Fortenberry took medalist honors with a 39 through nine holes.
Jake Wade led Forrest City with a 44 while Brian Hacker shot a 45.
The Lady Mustangs picked up an easy win since EPC did not field a girls' team.
Eldridge shot a 43 while Sarah Alderson finished with 45 and Krista Coleman had a 47.
In junior varsity play Matt Turner shot a 43 whiloe Kellen Carroll had a 44 and Luke DeBuhr finished with a 48.
STUTTGART -- The Forrest City Lady Mustangs improved to 4-4 for the year and 3-1 in the conference Thursday with a 13-10 victory over Stuttgart in girls' slow-pitch softball at Stuttgart.
The Lady Mustangs used a five-run, third inning to forge a 6-0 lead before Stuttgart scored four in the bottom of the third to trail 6-4. A single Stuttgart run in the fourth cut Forrest City's lead to 6-5 before the Lady Mustangs pushed two runs across in the top of the fifth to lead 8-5.
Stuttgart chipped away again with a run in the bottom of the fifth to close the gap to 8-6 and Forrest City answered with a three-run sixth to lead 11-6.
The Lady Ricebirds got four in the sixth, cutting Forrest City's cushion to 11-10. The Lady Mustangs added two insurance runs in the seventh and then used three putouts by Leslie Jayroe in the bottom of the seventh to secure the win.
Jayroe caught two pop flies, turning the second into a double play to end the game.
Kimberly Hoots and Katie Murry scored three runs each for the Lady Mustangs while Krystal Weaver and Tyeshia McDaniel scored twice.
Jennifer Ballard, in the varsity game as a courtesy runner, was injured during the game as were Kennisha Aldridge and Katrina Wynne.
The junior varsity game was cut short due to the injuries.
The Lady Mustangs will return to play on Monday, when they travel to Sylvan Hills.