By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
The Forrest City Mustangs scored 12 runs in the bottom of the first inning Wednesday against Osceola and rode the offensive outburst to an 18-3 four-inning victory at the Sports Complex.
The victory avenged an earlier 10-8 loss to the Seminoles. Forrest City improves to 3-5 for the year while Osceola slips to 5-6.
Playing in cold and damp conditions, the Mustangs' sent 17 batters to the plate in the inning to score the 12 runs on 10 hits.
Will Harris, Dustin Gore and Drew Vaccaro each collected two hits each during the inning and combined to drive in seven of the 12 runs.
Wednesday's 18 run-game was only the third one in the past four seasons for the Mustangs.
Both previous times had come against North Pulasi -- a 20-8 win over the Falcons in April, 1998 and an 18-0 win in May, 1997.
The run total was also only the fourth time a Mustang team had scored 15 runs or more in the past four seasons and just the 12th time a Mustang team has scored 10 or more runs since the 1997 season.
Marcus Hancock went the distance for the Mustangs allowing the three Osceola runs on just three hits and one walk. Hancock struck out seven Seminole hitters along the way.
Osceola took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Chris Griffen walked and scored from first base on a perfectly executed hit-and-run play on a hit that split the Mustang defenders in center field.
Forrest City answered quickly.
Mark Lewis singled to lead off the Mustang first and stole second and third. Brandon Cochran walked and stole second. Harris followed with a two-RBI single through the middle to bring home Lewis and Cochran for a 2-1 Forrest City lead.
With two outs, Gore's RBI single scored Harris from third. Vaccaro followed with a bloop single that fell into shallow right field, sending Gore to third. Gore scored when Hancock's grounder was misplayed. With Milton Joyner at the plate, Vaccaro scored on pickoff throw to second to put the Mustangs up 5-1.
Hancock crossed the plate on Joyner's RBI double before Lewis walked. Joyner scored when Osceola committed a throwing error as Lewis stole second and Cochran's RBI single brought home Lewis. Harris' RBI single to left scored Cochran as Forrest City pushed their lead to 9-1.
Danny Flowers sent a double to the left field gap bringing Harris to third and Daffy Norment walked to load the bases for Gore, who picked up RBIs two and three with a single past third.
Vaccaro's RBI single to center scored Norment before Hancock ended the inning by flying out to center field.
Osceola picked up a couple of runs in the top of the second when Justin Weathers and Shelton Whitfield got aboard and scored to cut Forrest City's lead to 12-3.
The Mustangs got back both runs in the bottom of the second when Lewis scored on a wild pitch after connecting for a one-out standup triple. Cochran followed with a single and scored on an Osceola throwing error.
Hancock set down the Osceola side in order in the top of the third which gave the Mustangs a chance to add to their lead in the home half of the inning.
Norment singled to lead off the inning and two outs later, Hancock's single moved Norment to third. An error on Joyner's grounder brought in Norment as Forrest City led 15-3.
Hancock and Joyner scored on Lewis' RBI double to make it 17-3.
Adam Roberts ended the game in the bottom of the fourth when his RBI single scored Flowers to end the game under the 15-run rule after three innings.
Lewis and Cochran led the Mustangs by scoring three times each while Harris, Flowers, Norment, Hancock and Joyner scored twice. Gore and Vaccaro scored one run each.
Lewis, Harris and Hancock collected three hits each while Cochran, Flowers, Gore and Vaccaro came through with two hits apiece.
The Mustangs finished with 20 hits for the game.
Weather permitting, the Mustangs will travel to Brinkley today and will go to Searcy Friday.
The Mustangs have already equalled last year's win total when the team finished 3-17-1.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
Weather permitting, the Forrest City Lady Mustangs will host Bay in girls' softball at the Sports Complex.
The varsity game is set for a 5 p.m. start time. A JV game will follow.
As of press time, the game was still scheduled to be played.
The Lady Mustangs will host the first Lady Mustang Invitational Slow-pitch Tournament on Saturday.
The double-elimination style tournament will be played on two fields beginning at 9 a.m.
The championship game is scheduled for 9 p.m., Saturday night.