By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
EL DORADO -- The Forrest City All-Stars stayed long enough in El Dorado to play three games at the 11-Year-Old Cal Ripken State Tournament at the El Dorado Boys and Girls Club.
Thirty-two teams began the tournament on Friday.
As of Sunday El Dorado, Crossett, West Helena, Maumelle, Star City, Pine Bluff International, Pine Bluff Seabrook and Little Rock Junior Deputy had all reached the final eight in the winner's bracket.
The tournament continues throughout this week, ending with the championship game begin played at 6 p.m., Thursday.
Forrest City found themselves in the loser's bracket after suffering a 4-3 loss to Cabot Friday morning.
That brought the team back on Saturday against Hot Springs.
Forrest City rolled to a 17-0 shutout to put them against Monticello on Sunday.
Monticello proved to be too much eliminating Forrest City 8-2.
The host team El Dorado opened with an 11-0 win over Jacksonville and then got past Dumas 3-1 to reach the elite eight.
El Dorado advanced Sunday with a 3-1 victory over Star City.
El Dorado plays today at 4 p.m.
Paul Anzalone and Bryan Martin combined on a two-hitter with Martin pitching the final three innings for the victory. Martin yielded a run on one hit with a walk and six strikeouts. Anzalone started and pitched three scoreless innings, allowing one hit and two walks with six strikeouts.
It was a pitcher's duel early as Star City's Brent Noble matched Anzalone on the hill for three innings. Noble gave up just two hits while striking out four.
El Dorado got on the board in the fourth against Bradley Hill. With one out, Cody Brazzel singled and Jeremy Green was hit by a pitch. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch. With two outs, Martin came up big, slapping a single to right, which scored two runs.
After Martin struck out the side in the top of the fifth, the All Stars added some insurance in the bottom of the inning. Anzalone walked and moved to second on a wild pitch. Andrew Sexton hit a grounder to third, which was thrown over the first baseman's head, allowing Anzalone to score for a 3-0 lead.
For Star City, Curengton had a bunt hit in the third and Noble singled in the fourth.
Saturday's best game may have been in the loser's bracket between Jacksonville and Sheridan, each trying to stay alive.
That game entered the fifth inning tied, 3-3, and entered the sixth inning, tied, 5-5, both teams refusing to lose.
But in the top of the sixth, Jacksonville's Tommy Sanders blasted a solo home run that provided the winning margin. Jacksonville won, 6-5.
The annual WynneBall Tournament will be held Monday, July 22 at the Wynne Sports Complex and will run through Saturday, July 27.
Age divisions include T-Ball (5-6), eight-under coach pitch, 10-under and 12-under.
For more information about the tournament or to enter, contact Joel Davis at (501) 837-2238 or (870) 238-7439.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
The Lady Outlaws from Siloam Springs rolled through the competition this weekend in the 16-team 14-under softball state tournament played at Forrest City.
The Lady Outlaws defeated Benton's Phenomenon in Saturday's final 10-9.
The Fort Smith Diamond Dazzlers held on to finish third.
Wynne's Backstreet Florist finished 1-2, defeating Mass Confusion from Texarkana 9-3 in the opening game before falling to the Lady Outlaws 7-6 and being eliminated by Pocahontas Da Bomb 2-1.
The Lady Outlaws stayed in the winners bracket and finished unbeaten at 5-0, dispatching Blue Heat from Greenwood, Backstreet, the Lady Red Hots, and the Phenomenon team twice -- once in the winner's semifinals and then again in the finals.
SYLVAN HILLS --Forrest City Hanner and Forrest City Smith each finished 1-2 over the weekend at the Arkansas South Cal Ripken State Pitching Machine Tournament held at Sylvan HIlls.
Forrest City Hanner lost their first-round game Friday morning to Lakewood 12-10 but rebounded to defeat Pine Bluff International 4-0 in the loser's bracket Friday afternoon.
The team was eliminated Saturday by Beebe's All-Stars 11-1.
"It was good experience for these kids," said Head Coach Tommy Hanner. "We basically took a young squad with the purpose of letting them see what it's all about at this level. Most of the teams competing at the tournament were traveling teams who had played twice as many games as we had played and had been together all season."
The Forrest City Smith All-Stars defeated Beebe 16-6 in Thursday's opening game but fell to Pine Bluff 13-3 and Lake Village 11-3 on Friday.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
PINE BLUFF -- The Forrest City 13-year-old All-Stars' stay at the state tournament in Pine Bluff was short, but worthwhile.
Head Coach Jeff Turner said even though his all-stars played two games and came home, the kids got some valuable experience.
"We had a good run and the kids learned," Turner said. "We hope to play in a couple more tournaments and the more playing time you can give the kids the better they will be."
Forrest City lost to Crossett Friday morning in the tournament's opening game 9-5 after leading 5-1 early.
Crossett scored six runs in the fifth inning to win the game.
Blake Davis scored twice to lead Forrest City while Larry Bean, Michael King and Wilson Parker added single runs.
Maumelle eliminated Forrest City Saturday, taking an 11-3 win.
Forrest City led 2-1 after the first inning but fell behind when Maumelle plated three runs in the third inning.
They completed the come-from-behind win by scoring six runs in the sixth inning.
Justin Ross, Kellon Bowman and Blake Davis each scored single runs for Forrest City.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
The Zone 2 American Legion 'A' District Tournament will play makeup starting at 1 p.m. today at the Sports Complex.
Sunday's schedule of games were halted by rain.
Batesville was leading Mountain Home 1-0 in a loser's bracket game when the game was suspended.
That game will start in the bottom of the second inning today. Two more games, a winner's semifinal game between Blytheville and Searcy will begin at 3:30 p.m. and the loser's bracket semifinal game will be played at 6 p.m.
The championship game, originally set for tonight, will be pushed back to Tuesday, beginning at 4 p.m.
Forrest City's A team was eliminated from the tournament Friday morning after suffering a 10-0 loss to the Jonesboro Ricemen.
Jonesboro led 3-0 before Forrest City starting pitcher Danny Flowers tired in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Daniel Parten and Jimmy Aldridge relieved but failed to contain the Ricemen.
Forrest City managed just three hits in the game one each by Charles Gaines, Clyde Kennedy and Colby McKennon. Jonesboro's Jason Dillon was the winning pitcher in the three-hit shutout.
In other games Friday, Newport eliminated Jonesboro's Fat City 9-4 and Paragould eliminated Newport 14-3 in loser's bracket games while No. 2 seeded Mountain Home defeated Paragould 4-3 and Blytheville defeated Wynne 10-3.
On Saturday, in loser's bracket games, Jonesboro's Ricemen eliminated Wynne 10-1, Batesville ousted the Ricemen 5-4 and Mountain Home eliminated Paragould 8-7.
In the winner's bracket Saturday, Blytheville defeated Batesville 6-3 and Searcy shut out Mountain Home 4-0.
Blytheville and Searcy remain unbeaten in the winner's bracket and will play today at 3:30 p.m.
Adult Softball
Monday, July 15
Food Giant vs Bulldogs, 7 p.m. F3
Kerby's vs Greg's, 7 p.m. F4
Sanyo vs Young Guns, 8 p.m. F3
Morgan vs Barnes, 8 p.m. F4
Gym 2000 vs Boar's Head, 9 p.m. F3
M&T Paving vs TSM Computers, 9 p.m. F4
11-Year-Old State Tournament at El Dorado Boys and Girls' Club
Friday's Scores
CRossett defeated Wynne
Lake Village vs Dardanelle
Cabot defeated Forrest City
LR Junior Deputy defeated Hot Springs
West Helena defeated Magnolia
Cleveland County vs N Garland Cty
PB Seabrook defeated Sylvan Hills Sylvan Hills
DeWitt vs Des Arc
Maumelle defeated West Memphis
Hermitage vs Beebe
Monticello defeated Russellville
Pine Bluff International defeated Monticello
Star City defeated Pottsville
McGehee vs Vilonia
Dumas defeated Sheridan
El Dorado defeated Jacksonville
El Dorado defeated Dumas
GIRLS SOFTBALL
14-Under State Tournament at Forrest City
Winner's Semifinals
Lady Outlaws 13, Phenomenon 7
Loser's Semifinals
Phenomenon 12, Dazzlers 3
Championship Game
Lady Outlaws 10, Phenomenon 9