By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
WYNNE -- Forrest City Coach Amber Main implored her Lady Mustang players to swing the bat Monday against Wynne.
The ones who did, hit the ball.
But the Lady Yellowjackets made a point of being in the right place at the right time and made the plays -- robbing Forrest City several times of what looked to be certain base hits.
That defense, combined with the pitching from starter Jessica Stepp and left-handed reliever Crystal Lemier, gave the Lady 'Jackets a 6-2 victory over the Lady Mustangs in fast-pitch softball action at Wynne.
Stepp and Lemier, a senior transfer, combined to hold Forrest City to the two runs on no hits while striking out seven and issuing six walks.
Stepp worked the first five innings while Lemier finished by working the final two innings.
Meanwhile, Forrest City freshman starter, Stacey Gracey went the distance for the Lady Mustangs, giving up the six runs -- three earned -- on seven hits and three walks while striking out four.
Forrest City slips to 2-6 overall while Wynne improves to 6-1 overall for the year.
Wynne's Quinita Harris did the most damage, driving in three runs on two hits, an RBI double in the third and a two RBI single in the fifth.
The Lady Mustangs broke on top 1-0 in the top of the first when Alicia Kennedy drew a one-out walk, stole second and third base and scored on an overthrow, on a routine ground ball by Kimberly Hoots.
That lead held until the bottom of the third when Wynne scored twice to lead 2-1, using Harris' double along with two walks.
Alli Imboden and Candice Verhoeven crossed the plate for Wynne for a 4-1 advantage.
Wynne made it 5-1 in the bottom of the fifth when Lemier reached base on a Forrrest City error and stole second. Another Forrest City error put Verhoeven on base for the second time in the game. Both runners scored on Harris' two-run single to right field. Harris scored on a sacrifice fly to center field by DeAnn Turner.
The Lady Yellowjackets added their final run in the bottom of the sixth inning when Marla Mays singled and scored on a sacrifice groundout by Imboden.
Forrest City added their second run in the top of the seventh when Tyeshia McDaniel walked, stole second and scored on a sacrifice groundout by Gracey.
The Lady Mustangs put nine runners on base during the game, stranding six of those and having one forced out at second base.
The Lady Mustangs will jump back into AAAAA-East Conference play today when they make the trip to West Memphis for a 4 p.m. start.
The Lady Mustangs are 0-5 in the conference.
The girls will play at LR Mills on Thursday, April 4.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
MARION -- The Forrest City senior high Mustangs ran at less than half strength Monday at Marion, while the Blue and White Junior Mustangs were just happy to finally be at a track meet.
It was the first meet of the season for the two junior high boys' teams after losing their first two scheduled meets to rain last month.
"Anything we did at Marion was a positive," said Blue Mustang Coach Rich Trail. "A lot of the kids had never been on a real track before let alone at a real track meet. It was a learning experience for most of them. They had a lot of questions and we spent a lot of time directing them and telling them where they should be and when."
The Blue Mustangs even enjoyed some success bringing home several ribbons.
The two-mile relay team (Michael Alston, Marcus Cole, Patrick Daniel and Charles Freeman) ran fifth at the meet while the 800-meter relay team (Cory Embry, Angelo Banks, LaCody Braddock and Johnathan Thomas) ran to a fifth place finish.
Chris Barrett ran second in the 400-meter dash while teammate Tracy Bean ran third. Embry was fifth in the 100-meter run while Josh Freeman was sixth in the mile run.
Richard Flenory finished sixth in the discus.
The White Mustangs got a sixth place finish in the 200-meter run from Cedric Johnson and picked up a fifth place finish in the 400-meter run from Derrick Humphrey.
Both the junior high boys' teams will compete today at the West Memphis meet along with the Blue and White junior girls' teams.
In the senior boys' side of the meet, Mustang Coach Jeff Hudson took only a handful of his team to the meet.
"We had some who weren't at school today and some others who just weren't there," Hudson said. "I'm a little disappointed. We had to patch-work our way through the relay races, which is our strong point when we have everyone with us."
The Mustangs will return to the track on Thursday, when they compete at the Cougar Relays in West Helena.
"After Thursday, we just have one more season meet," Hudson said. "Then it's on to conference."
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
On Monday, the Forrest City Mustang golf team picked up a win in a trimatch played at Crowley's Ridge Country Club at Wynne against Wynne and Marion.
The Mustangs finished with a combined 173 score, six strokes ahead of Wynne and eight strokes ahead of Marion.
Josh Coleman and Sawyer Ramsey were the co-medalists for the match along with Wynne's Tripp Clark and Jeremy Grant. Each of the four golfers finished with a round of 42.
Brian Hacker shot a 44 and Jake Wade fired a 45.
Matt Brown finished with a 44 for Wynne. Matt Casidy led Marion with a 44.
In girls' play, the Lady Mustangs and Wynne battled to a tie, each team finishing with a round of 113.
Wynne's Courtney Ramsay took medalist honors with a 48 while Sarah Eldridge shot a 50 for the Lady Mustangs. Hannah Cohn shot a 63.
Brittany Augenbaugh led Marion with a round of 61.
Meanwhile things are beginning to return to normal for prep sports in the area.
Today, the Forrest City Mustang baseball team will travel to Blytheville today for a AAAAA-East Conference varsity-junior varsity doubleheader beginning at 4 p.m.
The Lady Mustang softball team travels to West Memphis today to take on the Lady Blue Devils and the Forrest City Junior High track teams go to West Memphis as well to compete.
Over at Palestine-Wheatley, the Lady Patriots will take on Woodlawn in conference action beginning at 4 p.m., at Woodlawn.
* PREP SPORTS
HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL
Tuesday, April 2
Forrest City at Blytheville, 4 p.m.
Wednesday, April 3
Clarendon at Palestine-Wheatley, 4 p.m.
FAST PITCH SOFTBALL
Monday's Score
Wynne 6, Forrest City 2
Tuesday, April 2
Forrest City at West Memphis, 4 p.m.
Palestine-Wheatley at Woodlawn, 4 p.m.
Thursday, April 4
Forrest City at LR Mills, 4 p.m.
SLOW PITCH SOFTBALL
Wednesday, April 3
Clarendon at Hughes, 4 p.m.
HIGH SCHOOL GOLF
Monday's Score
Forrest City Mustangs defeated Wynne and Marion
Lady Mustangs tied Wynne
JUNIOR HIGH TRACK
Tuesday, April 2
Forrest City at West Memphis
(Junior boys, Junior girls)