By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
WEST MEMPHIS -- Dr. St. John finished second at the 16-Under District Fast-Pitch Softball Tournament, played Friday and Saturday at West Memphis.
The second-place finish qualifies the team for the upcoming Class C State Tournament, July 12-14 at Sherwood.
It's the second straight year for St. John to qualify for the fast-pitch tournament. A year ago, St. John finished 2-2 at the state tournament.
St. John opened district play Saturday morning with a win over the Lady Clovers but fell into the loser's bracket with a loss to Senter Farms, the eventual champion.
A win over the Bank of Brinkley Saturday night in the loser's semifinal game put St. John into the finals against Senter Farms.
Senter won the game to finish first in the tournament, leaving St. John second and Bank of Brinkley third.
Bonanza, the Forrest City 16-under league champion, lost to Senter Farms in Friday's first game and were eliminated Saturday by the Bank of Brinkley.
Wynne Servco held off the Marion Shockers 13-7 Saturday to win the 10-Under slow-pitch district title at West Memphis.
The Shockers finished second while Hamlin Tractor finished third and Delk & Associates finished fourth.
All four teams advance to the Class C state tournament, July 12-14 at Jonesboro.
Forrest City's Food Giant defeated Marion's Dixie Chicks 13-5 in their opener before losing to Servco 13-6 and being eliminated from the bracket by Wynne Spencer Motors 11-9.
Craven's Clark is headed to the Class C state tournament as a No. 1 seed after defeating Wynne's Ross Ford Saturday in the finals of the 12-under slow-pitch district tournament.
Ross is the No. 2 seeded team while the West Memphis' Lady Braves finished third and Wynne Statons finished fourth.
All four qualify for the state tournament, July 12-14.
Giffin's Grins, of Forrest City, lost to Statons 8-7 in the opener and were ousted from the tournament by Wynne Kiwanis 13-8.
Giffin's played fast-pitch in the Forrest City 12-under league this season and went undefeated at 10-0.
Finally, Dr. Lance held off Flowers Construction in the "if" championship game Saturday to win the 16-under slow-pitch softball tournament.
Mohr Sports of Wynne finished third and the Color Blasters finished fourth.
All four qualify for the upcoming state tournament.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
PINE BLUFF -- Forrest City plated six runs in the top of the third inning and went on to rout Pine Bluff Seabrook 11-4 Sunday afternoon in the 10-year old Cal Ripken District 7 tournament being played at Townsend Park in Pine Bluff.
The win over Seabrook avenged a loss to the Bluff team on Friday, which dropped Forrest City into the loser's bracket.
The win also puts Forrest City into tonight's district championship game against Pine Bluff International. Forrest City will have to defeat International twice to win the district title.
The game begins at 6 p.m.
In other district tournament action, the Forrest City 12-year-old All Stars were eliminated from the district tournament at West Memphis Sunday by the host team, West Memphis, in a game that was decided by a forfeit.
After opening Thursday with a 6-2 win over Marion, Forrest City fell to Seabrook on Friday but returned Saturday to defeat West Helena Twin City.
That set up Sunday's first game, a rematch against Marion, which Forrest City won 11-2.
Forrest City then eliminated Seabrook.
Forrest City rode big innings to the Sunday victories over Marion and Seabrook.
Against Marion, Forrest City scored six times in the fifth and against Seabrook, the 10s scored six runs in the third to break open the game.
With one out, Jim Bailey doubled to left-center field. Derek Buchanan followed with a walk. Bailey and Buchanan then went to second and third on an over throw by Seabrook's second baseman in a run-down. Josh Davis then reached on another walk to load the bases.
Henry Henderson reached on a fielder's choice that allowed Bailey to score. Josh Taylor walked with the bases loaded to force in Buchanan.
Louis Driver's bases-clearing double to left-center plated Davis, Henderson and Taylor. Driver scored the final run of the inning on a single up the middle by Daries Banks.
Seabrook tried to come back in the bottom half of the third with three runs on two hits.
Forrest City added two insurance runs in the top half of the sixth on a pair of hits.
John Jones led off with a single to center and took second on a wild pitch. Bruce Heard then doubled to left to score Jones. Heard later crossed the plate on a delayed steal.
Banks picked up the victory on the mound for Forrest City striking out six. Davis led Forrest City at the plate with a pair of hits.
Leading 3-2 going into the top of the sixth inning, Forrest City was forced to forfeit Sunday's loser's semifinal game to West Memphis after starting pitcher Chad Doyle took the mound and threw one pitch.
Doyle was declared illegal after a protest by the West Memphis coaches. Records showed Doyle was eligible for just five innings on Sunday.
The district pitching rules allow pitchers six innings over two days.
Doyle threw six innings Friday in a win over West Memphis and threw one inning Saturday in a loss to Pine Bluff International.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
It was a long day's night for Long Real Estate Friday.
Long played and won three games Friday night to win the 2002 T-Ball League Tournament at the Sports Complex.
Playing from the loser's bracket, Long downed Dr. Cartillar 22-4 in the semifinals to reach the championship game against defending champion, Giffin's Grins, who had rolled undefeated through the winner's bracket.
Long won the first championship game 23-7 to force the "if" game and then took home the tournament tile by defeated Giffin's 17-10.
It is the second straight year the tournament winner has come from the loser's bracket.
Giffin's won the title a year ago, playing seven straight games on the final Saturday to win the title.
Long's jouney began with an opening-round win over Hunton but hit a bump when they lost to National Carpet One last Monday.
Long then reeled off seven consecutive victories over the next four days to win the tournament by defeating edwin houston, First National Bank, Perkins, Gadberry's, Cartillar and Giffin's twice.
Giffin's finished second while Cartillar was given the third-place trophy.
Long Real Estate team members are Sarajane Armstrong, Malik Avant, Christopher Burns, Tarrance Davis, Michael Evans, Nautica Finny, Sharonda Hurst, Samantha McCain, Adrian Mobley, Andreal Russell and Chandler Wilkins.
The team was coached by Bobby Woodard and Jeff Bradley.
In Junior Bambino league action Friday night, the VIPs stayed hot by putting away Mr. T Auto 7-5.
The VIPs improve to 9-5 for the year by winning their fifth consecutive game.
Mario Peters scored twice to lead the VIPs.
In other games Friday, Farm Credit got three runs each from Tony Morgan and Brandon Moton in an 11-10 win over Hill Concrete.
Hill got two runs from Ladarius Townsend.
Lucas Trucking and Sanyo did not play due to both teams having playerers involved in the district tournament play.
A&C Motors and Title Company did not play on Friday as well.
The league will play tonight and Tuesday to finish up the year.
With the upcoming Fourth of July holiday and the district baseball tournaments getting under way throughout the state, the remaining Forrest City youth league schedules have been revamped.
The 10-under slow-pitch girls' league will play make ups from May 17 tonight and on Tuesday will play the regular season schedule of games at the Sports Complex.
Tonight's games have FC Bank at McDonald's, True Value against Food Giant, Dr. Schwartz against Steven's and Walker Insurance against Title Company at 6 p.m. and Southern Furniture and Sanyo at 7 p.m.
The league will not play Friday, July 5.
The Junior Bambino League (9-10) will play tonight and Tuesday (July 2) to put the finishing touches on their season.
Sanyo and Food Giant will play at 6 p.m. while A&C will play VIPs and Title Company takes on Mr. T at 7:15 p.m.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
After dropping a doubleheader to Mountain Home on Saturday, the Forrest City American Legion teams returned to action on Sunday and recorded their first sweep of the season, taking down Lonoke twice.
Mountain Home took 15-5 and 16-4 victories over Forrest City A Satruday.
Sunday, Forrest City A downed Lonoke 12-4 and the Forrest City AAA team got their first win of the year in the nightcap, winning 8-4.
Charles Gaines led Forrest City by scoring three times in the AAA game and twice in the A game.
Sean Northcutt and Jesse Whittemore combined for the pitching duties in the AAA game while Danny Flowers got the call in the A game.
Forrest City will host Searcy today at 5 p.m.
* CITY LEAGUES
ADULT SOFTBALL
Men's League
Monday, July 1
M&T Paving vs Young Guns, 7 p.m. F3
Gym 2000 vs Food Giant, 7 p.m. F4
Morgan vs Sanyo, 8 p.m. F3
Barnes vs Bulldogs, 8 p.m. F4
Boar's Head vs TSM Computers, 9 p.m. F3
Miller Insurance vs Greg's, 9 p.m. F4
YOUTH BASEBALL
T-Ball Post Season Tournament
Friday's Scores
Loser's Semifinal Game
Long Real Estate 22, Dr. Cartillar 4
Championship Game
Long Real Estate 23, Giffin's Grins 7
Long Real Estate 17, Giffin's Grins 10 (If)
Junior Bambino League (9-10)
Friday's Scores
A&C Motors vs Title Company
VIPs 7, Mr. T Auto 5
Farm Credit 11, Hill Concrete, 10
Lucas Trucking vs Sanyo - postponed
10-Year-Old District 7 Tournament
at Pine Bluff
Friday's Results
Marion defeated Wynne
WHelena defeated Clarendon
PBluff Seabrook defeated Forrest City
PB International defeated West Memphis
Saturday's Results
Marion defeated West Memphis
Forrest City defeated West Helena
PB International defeated PB Seabrook
Sunday's Results
Forrest City defeated Marion
Forrest City defeated PB Seabrook
Monday, July 1
PB International vs Forrest City, 6 p.m.
12-Year-Old District 7 Tournament
at WMemphis
Friday's Scores
Marion defeated Wynne
PB Seabrook defeated West Helena
PB International defeated Clarendon
Forrest City defeated West Memphis
Saturday's Results
West Helena defeated Wynne
West Memphis defeated Clarendon
PB Seabrook defeated Marion
PB International defeated Forrest City
Sunday's Results
Forrest City defeated West Helena
West Memphis defeated Marion
West Memphis defeated Forrest City
PB International defeated PB Seabrook
West Memphis defeated PB Seabrook
Monday, July 1
PB International vs West Memphis, 6 p.m.
GIRLS SOFTBALL
10-Under League (Slow-Pitch)
Friday's Scores
Steven's 10, So. Furniture 5
Walker Insurance 10, FCity Bank 1
True Value 15, McDonald's 0
Dr. Schwartz 8, Title Company 6
Monday, July 1
FCity Bank vs McDonald's, 6 p.m. F1
True Value vs Food Giant, 6 p.m. F2
Dr. Schwartz vs Steven's, 6 p.m. F3
Walker Ins. vs Title Co., 6 p.m. F4
So. Furniture vs Sanyo, 7 p.m. F2