FAYETTEVILLE -- Forrest City's wild card out of the AAAAA-East Conference deck helped the East deal the West a 6-4, 2-1 doubleheader sweep in Thursday night's Arkansas Activities Association Girls Softball All-Star games at Lady Razorback Yard.
Kanetra Pendleton, a wild-card addition to the East squad, scored the East's first run entering as a courtesy runner, singled home the game-winner in the sixth, scored a sixth-inning insurance run because of daring the catcher to throw to third, and dazzled the field at short including starting a first-game doubleplay.
The Forrest City senior also scored the first run of the second game motoring nonstop from second to home as she noticed West shortstop Kim Blackmon stumbling to find the bag before achieving a forceout at second.
For all that, attending media voted Pendleton the MVP of the tournament.
East head coach Steve Baker of Jonesboro, was very familiar with Pendleton and it didn't take long for the West All-Stars to find out about her.
Baker, who guided Jonesboro High School to the state tournament this season, liked what he saw from Pendleton during AAAAA-East conference play.
"I knew she could play because we couldn't get her out during the conference," Baker said. "She was a sparkplug for us tonight. She's got a lot of speed and got the ball rolling for us. She made all the routine plays."
April Barnett, the East starting pitcher from Woodlawn who threw three scoreless second-game innings, was named the East's Outstanding Player.
Viola's Hannah Benton threw two shutout, hitless second-game innings for the East before the West tallied an unearned run in the sixth off reliever Jamie Morgan of McGehee.
The West loaded the bases off Morgan in the seventh before she retired Mary Ellen Shelby on a fly to deep left for the game-ending out.
The East's second game game-winner was an unearned run in the third, the West committed six errors, after Jessica Ralph of Rivercrest had a leadoff single off losing starter Katy Burton of Malvern.
Prairie Grove's Kelci Russell was named the Outstanding Player for the West.
The first-game starting pitcher struck out six on just one hit and had a 4-1 lead for her three innings.
Pendleton ran in the second inning of the first game for Sara Lehman who had struck out but reached safely because the catcher missed it for a passed ball. A walk and two wild pitches brought Pendleton home. She singled home the game-winner off losing reliever Heather Baker during a 3-run sixth.
"I had two strikes on me," Pendleton said. "All I could do was hit a way and I got an RBI. I would like to try college softball and am looking, but right now I'm going to UALR and they don't have softball. I'll walk on in basketball."
Pendleton's dancing off third induced the wild pickoff that scored her. East first baseman Jessica Ralph of Rivercrest singled home a run off reliever Courtney Orr of Rogers in the sixth.
The West scored all four of its first-game runs in the second off East starter Ashley Cochran of Nettleton.
Joni Bridges of Magnolia, on a sacrifice bunt, and Russell with a single, each knocked in West first-game runs.
First-game East relievers Holly Rippee of Monticello, the winner, and Conway's Jessica Kelley in the sixth and seventh for a save, blanked the West thereafter.
Russell, bound to pitch for Arkansas Tech, pitched impressively but didn't sound impressed.
"Aw," Russell said, "It was OK. Wild pitches bother me."
Cassy Long of Farmington, a Lady Razorback signee, pitched three shutout, hitless innings for the West in the second-game but it was the East throwing the most blanks.
"It was wonderful," Viola's Benton said. "We have a good team and everybody came through. We played like a team and won as a team."
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
Most of the Forrest City youth baseball and softball leagues have already closed out their regular season.
The rest will put the finishing touches on the 2003 season tonight and Tuesday.
On Friday, M&T came through the loser's bracket to knock off undefeated Imboden twice to win the 2003 postseason T-Ball Tournament.
M&T fell into the loser's bracket Thursday following an 18-13 loss to Harman Diesel.
M&T got back to the championship game by defeating Farm Credit and Western Auto Thursday and then, in a rematch, ousting Hartman in the loser's semifinal game Friday.
They defeated M&T, who had rolled unbeaten into the championship game 18-17 in the first game and 14-11 in the second game to settle the championship.
In other games played Friday, the 10-under girls' softball league got one step closer to completing league play and setting up the championship game between the two divisional winners.
Stevens defeated Walker Insurance 11-4 to improve to 11-1 for the year with one game remaining.
Stevens has already clinched the National Division title in the league since second place Walker Insurance has four losses.
Stevens will play Dr. Schwartz Thursday in the championship game. Schwartz defeated Forrest City Bank 9-6 Friday and even though the team is tied with Food Giant at 11-2 in the American Division side, Schwartz owns the tie-breaker, beating Food Giant twice in head-to-head divisional play.
The championship game will begin at 6 p.m., Thursday.
In other 10-under action Friday, Pizza Inn picked up its first win of the season defeating Sanyo 9-8 and Southern Furniture got past Title Company 10-8. Food Giant was awarded a forfeit win over True Value.
The 10-under league closes out regular season play Tuesday night.
In the Bambino 9-10 League, Mr. T Auto remained unbeaten at 11-0 for the year with a 9-4 win over Derrick CPA. Cochran Auto held onto second place with a 12-11 win over national Carpet One, improving to 10-2 for the year. Joey's, the league's third-place team, downed Giffin's Grins 9-7 Friday while Arkansas Electric defeated Sanyo 15-12.
In Minor League play on Friday, Devazier Brothers downed Easley Law 15-7 and improved to 8-2 on the season while T&J Properties pushed their season mark to 11-0 with an 11-1 win over JB Sports.
The league will play make up games tonight and Tuesday.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
Pearson Insurance used a combined effort from pitchers Chance Pearson and Mark machen in a one-hit, 3-0 shut out win over Wholesale Metal Thursday in Bambino 11-12 League action.
The Pearson victory leaves the league with three teams tied for first place -- Pearson, Lucas Trucking and Taco Bell -- all 9-2 with three make up games scheduled to be played to round out the season.
Wholesale Metal slips to second place at 8-3 for the year.
Pearson gave just up one hit in four innings but did not allow a run and had 10 strikeouts before giving way to Machen who finished up, pitching two innings and not allowing a hit or a run.
Findley Scott Laws and Barrett Beshears combined for the Wholesale Metal pitching duties.
Quinn Powell, KeMario Tucker and T.J. McFadden scored single runs to lead Pearson.
In other Bambino games played last Thursday, Lucas defeated Rideout 12-4, Vaccaro downed H&H 8-7 and Taco Bell stormed past Houser 15-1.
In tonight's make up schedule, Pearson will play Houser and Rideout takes on H&H at 6 p.m., while Wholesale Metal draws Vaccaro and Lucas gets Taco Bell at 7:30 p.m.
In Thursday's Minor League play, Lion's Club was awarded a forfeit win over Giffin's and Hill's Delta downed Food Giant 7-5.
In men's adult league softball, Poison blew past Morgan 22-11, Kerby's downed M&T 18-7, the Bulldogs were all over Boar's Head 33-1 and Barnes Timber dropped Food Giant 24-6.
The men's league returns to action tonight with games set for 8 and 9 p.m. The league plays through July 3.
JONESBORO -- A pair of Jonesboro Softball Association teams played their way to ASA District 1 softball titles over the weekend.
The CNI Slammers went unbeaten through the 12-and-under slow-pitch district while the Lil' Sluggers came out on top of the 8-and-under division as both advanced as the top seeds for upcoming state tournaments.
Other district winners included the Wreckers of Paragould in 16-and-under; the Lady Poachers of Marion in 14-and-under; Jett Fast of Marion in 12-and-under fast pitch; and the Lady Redbirds of Paragould in 10-and-under.
The Slammers and Georgia Carpet Outlet Seambusters have battled for the top two spots during the 12-and-under slow-pitch regular season at Southside Softball Complex and tangled again in the district finals in Paragould. Georgia Carpet finished second in the district, the Wildcats of Corning placed third.
In the 8-and-under district at Paragould, the Lil' Sluggers of the JSA topped the GBT Slugg Buggs of Trumann to earn the top seed for the state tournament.
The Lil' Sluggers are unbeaten in JSA play, one game ahead of the Slugg Buggs during the regular season.
A&R Ranch of Pocahontas finished third in the division while Chipman Painting of Paragould took fourth.
The Wreckers of Paragould ran through the 16-and-under fast-pitch tournament unbeaten to claim the district title. The Flames took second in the tournament at Southside Complex. The Bombers of Marion finished third and Senter Farms of Wilson finished fourth.
The Lady Poachers of Marion fought through the loser's bracket to capture the 14-and-under fast-pitch district tournament, topping the Lady Blades of Jonesboro twice in the final at Paragould. The Lady Blades received the top seed from District 1.
Dana Diamonds of Jonesboro finished third in the 14-and-under while the Comets of West Memphis took fourth.
Jett Fast of Marion beat the Renegades to win the 12-and-under fast pitch tournament in Paragould.
The Renegades are first in the JSA regular-season standings, just ahead of the Diamondbacks, who took third in the district.
The Stingers of Paragould finished fourth.
The Lady Redbirds of Paragould went unbeaten to win the 10-and under tournament, topping Senath, Mo., in the championship game at Southside Complex. Rampage, which won the JSA regular season, finished third.