By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
WYNNE -- The frustration factor continues to mount for Forrest City Coach Wayman Cochran and his 11-year-old Traveling All-Stars.
His All-Stars fell to Marked Tree 5-2 Tuesday in the opening game of the WynneBall 12-Under Tournament at the Wynne Sports Complex.
It is the third loss in the last four games for the Traveling All-Stars.
"Our bats have been okay, but we are hurting ourselves in the field," Cochran said. "We're making errors and not playing very smart baseball."
Last Saturday, the team lost to Cabot 12-10 in the first game of the Arkansas South Cal Ripkin 11-Year-Old State Tournament held at Jacksonville.
They redeemed themselves on Sunday by turning back Monticello 7-1 but fell from the tournament bracket on Monday, losing to Crossett 14-11 after building a 9-2 lead through the first four innings.
Tuesday against Marked Tree, Forrest City manufactured a run in the top of the first inning, using a pair of bunts, when Tyrice Bradley scored to take a 1-0 lead.
Marked Tree tied the game at 1-1.
The Traveling All-Stars regained a 2-1 lead in the top of the fourth when James Green scored from third when Dale Boyd stole second for a 2-1 lead.
Marked Tree tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the inning and then held Forrest City scoreless in the top of the fifth and sixth innings while scoring three times in the bottom of the fifth to take the win.
Marked Tree used a lead off single in the fifth to start the rally and then loaded the bases on a second base hit and an error.
Boyd went the distance for Forrest City and was tagged with the loss.
Forrest City managed just four hits during the game.
The Traveling All-Stars return to action Thursday when they play Wynne at 5:30 p.m., on Field 2. They will take on Marion, Saturday at 10:30 a.m.
The 12-under tournament is using the Olympic-style pool play system which has Forrest City, Marked Tree, Wynne and Marion in one pool and Sylvan Hills, Marmaduke, Little Rock Junior Deputy and Sherwood in the other pool.
The Forrest City 12-year-old All-Stars finished second last weekend at the Newport Invitational.
Forrest City lost to Batesville in the championship game.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
WYNNE -- The Forrest City Fireballs needed only four innings to put away Marked Tree Tuesday in the opening game of the WynneBall 10-Under Tournament Tuesday at the Sports Complex.
The Fireballs got two runs each from Mark Machen, Seth Smith and Chance Pearson to set the stage for a 12-0 win.
Evan Daugherty, Justin Cook, Barrett Beshears, Findley Scott Laws, Quintarius Powell and Jared Northcutt all scored single runs.
Smith and Machen worked two innings each from the mound. Both pitchers had three strikeouts and each gave up just one hit.
The Fireballs return to action Saturday when they will play Marion at 10:30 a.m., in the Olympic-style pool play tournament.
In the other 10-under game played Tuesday, Wynne defeated West Helena Twin City 13-3.
Wynne used two runs each from Tyler Moore, Brice Gardner, Billy Adams and Daniel Hollowell to get the win.
West Helena led 2-0 before Wynne scored four runs in the second and then erupted for nine runs in the fifth, sending 13 hitters to the plate.
Wynne plays Brinkley Saturday at 10:30 a.m.
The Wynne Yellowjackets are scheduled to return to play today at the USSSA 10-year-old AAA World Series, being played at Southaven, Miss.
Rains cancelled Tuesday's schedule.
The Yellowjackets, which have six Forrest City players on their roster, are 2-0 in pool play after defeating Independence, Mo. and Plano, Texas Monday. The Yellowjackets were scheduled to face the Hilliard Sooners today from Oklahoma City. A win puts Wynne into the championship round.
The Forrest City "Six" are Brent Devazier, Baker Aldridge, Barrett Astin, Joey Bonds, Turner Norsworthy and Raymond Patillo.
Final preparations for the running of the 18th annual Mightymite Triathlon are under way this week.
The race is set for Saturday, July 21 and the course will be the same as it has been in past years.
Promptly at 8 a.m., the participants will enter the waters of Lake Dunn at Village Creek State Park for the opening leg of the triathlon -- an 0.4 swim.
As swimmers exit the lake, they will begin a 13-mile bicycle ride along Crowley's Ridge Road ending at East Arkansas Community College.
From there, the Mightymite participants will run the final three miles to the finish line, which is once again located inside Sam Smith football stadium.
Racers can pick up their packets Friday, from 5:30 until 8:30 p.m., at the Forrest City Civic Center.
For more information or to enter, call (870) 633-1651.