By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
CLARENDON -- Michael Holland cleared the outfield fence twice Thursday night and the Forrest City 12-year-old All-Stars turned back Pine Bluff Seabrook 7-6 in a first round District 7 Tournament game played at Clarendon.
Forrest City advances to play Wynne Saturday at 9 a.m. Pine Bluff drops into the loser's bracket and will face West Memphis tonight at 6 p.m.
Taylor Clark went the distance for Forrest City giving up the six Pine Bluff runs on 11 hits.
Clark settled in after giving up four runs in the first inning and two in the second to shut down Pine Bluff over the final four innings.
Clark also banged out a triple while Kellon Bowman connected for a ground-rule double.
Pine Bluff scored four runs in the top of the first inning, on four singles and one home run.
Forrest City added three runs in the bottom of the inning when Rylan Nimocks and Kentrell Buchanan got aboard and Holland hit the first of his two home runs to cut Pine Bluff's lead to 4-3.
Pine Bluff added two more runs in the top of the second to push their lead to 6-3 and then held Forrest City scoreless in the bottom of the second.
Forrest City plated four runs in the bottom of the third inning -- including Holland's second over-the-fence blast -- to post the come-from-behind win.
Nimocks, Holland, Buchanan and Bowman each scored in the inning.
"We played well," said head coach Jeff Turner. "The kids went out and did what we asked them to do and we got the win. It was a tough game and we will have to be at our best Saturday against Wynne."
Wynne defeated West Memphis to advance to Saturday's second round game.
In Thursday's late game, Marion defeated Clarendon and will play the winner of today's Pine Bluff International-West Helena game on Saturday.
Bowman will get the start Saturday against Wynne.
The Forrest City 11-year-old All-Stars took it on the chin Thursday at the Jonesboro All-Star Jamboree Tournament, losing to Paragould 11-2.
The tournament is being played at Deral Burrow Park.
Forrest City will play in the consolation game Saturday at 10 a.m.
Justin Cochran and James Green scored single runs for Forrest City.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
Terry Laws summed it all up very quickly Thursday night just minutes after Forrest City 10-year-old All-Stars had lost to Pine Bluff Seabrook 5-1 in the first round of the District 7 Tournament being played at Forrest City.
"We faced a very good pitcher tonight," Laws, the All-Star head coach said. "We didn't get to him for any hits."
Indeed!
Pine Bluff's Ethan Harris gave up the one run (unearned) and held Forrest City to just three hits in the win. Harris walked one and struck out nine. He went to a full count on just three Forrest City hitters.
During one stretch, Harris retired 15 straight Forrest City batters -- seven of those being strike outs. In the bottom of the fifth inning, Harris struck out the side.
Forrest City will face either Pine Bluff International or Marion in a loser's bracket contest Saturday at 12 noon.
Pine Bluff took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first but Forrest City tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the inning when Seth Smith scored from third base of a passed ball with Raymond Patillo at the plate.
Patillo doubled and Forrest City did not have another base runner until the bottom of the sixth when Smith and Chance Pearson both singled with two outs.
Raymond Patillo went the distance for Forrest City giving up the five runs on 10 hits and two walks.
Pine Bluff scored twice in the third and twice in the sixth.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
Miller Insurance helped out Poison Thursday night while Poison was helping themselves.
Miller upset Elite Security 8-7 in adult men's softball Thursday. It was Elite's first loss of the season.
Meanwhile, Poison was taking a 12-1 run-rule victory over Food Giant.
Poison's win, coupled with Elite's loss, leaves Poisonall alone in first place in the league standings at 8-0.
Elite, formerly Mohr Sports, slips into second place at 7-1 while Sanyo is holding down third at 5-2.
The two teams were tied at 6-6 before Elite scored a single run in the top of the sixth to lead 7-6.
Miller plated two runs in the bottom of the sixth and then held Elite scoreless in top of the seventh to get the win.
Poison scored four runs in the fifth inning against Food Giant (2-5) to end the game under the mercy rule.
In other action Thursday night, Boar's Head won for the first time this season, getting past Kerby's 19-16.
S.S.A. improved to 5-3 for the year with a 33-12 win over Forrest City Young Guns and Patton & Taylor rolled over Sanyo 16-10.
In the adult women's league, Chism and the Odd Sox remained locked in a tie for first place in the league standings.
Chism was awarded a forfeit win over Clark Appraisals while the Odd Sox put away Purple Haze14-5.
Both teams are 7-1 for the year.
Despite the loss to the Odd Sox, Purple Haze remains in second place in the league at 5-3.
Whatever, formerly the First National Bank team, improved to 2-6 for the year by defeating Super Center 27-3.
The adult women have two regular season playing dates remaining.
The league will wrap up play on Thursday, July 5 before opening
district tournament action.
For the second straight year, Cameron King and Rashad Williams, both of Forrest City and Brandon Boyd, of Marion, formerly of Forrest City, are headed to the World Series.
A year ago, the trio earned a trip to the 13-year-old World series. Now, they are headed to the 14-year-old World Series in St. Louis, Mo.
The World Series will be held July 14-20.
All three are members of the Pendleton Panthers baseball team based in Memphis.
The Panthers play as part of the Pendleton League of Memphis.
The team is comprised of players from Arkansas and Tennessee and is coached by Tom Stephenson of Memphis, Jim Welch of West Memphis, Bobby Dye of Memphis and Brian Mabry of Cordova.