By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
CARLISLE -- Palestine-Wheatley senior pitcher Libby Martin held Carlisle to just two hits Wednesday and her Lady Patriot teammates backed her with plenty of offense in a 9-3 win over the Lady Bison.
Through two games, Martin has given up just three runs on three hits. Against Carlisle, she did not walk a batter.
Fallon Parker led the Lady Patriots (2-0) going 3-for-4 at the plate and scoring twice.
Martin was 2-for-3 and scored twice to help her own cause while Lauren Dover, Beth Varvil, Jenny Loewer, Andrea Cooper and Kara Siler each scored single runs in the win.
Both teams scored twice in the first inning leaving the game in a 2-2 tie until the top of the fifth when the Lady Patriots took a 4-2 lead by scoring twice.
In the top of the sixth, P-W plated three runs to take a 7-3 lead and then added the final two runs in the top of the seventh.
The Lady Patriots banged out eight hits against Carlisle pitching and took advantage of four walks. P-W made just three errors in the game.
"We're hitting the ball well and playing well defensively in the field," P-W Coach Lanny Allen said. "I'm starting two freshmen, three sophomores and four seniors and everybody is contributing."
Allen singled out the play of sophomore Natalie Halbert for her defensive play in center field, making a catch at the fence against Carlisle to keep the momentum on P-W's side of the field.
The Lady Patriots next play Tuesday at Barton.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
If there is a key to beating Pulaski Academy, Lonoke basketball coach Wes Swift says he hasn't found it yet.
In four meetings this season against No. 7 ranked Pulaski Academy -- home and home during the conference season, and one time each in the district and regional tournaments -- Swift's Jackrabbits are 0-4 against the Bruins.
Game five -- which just happens to be the state title game between the two Class AAA teams -- is set for Friday at the Pine Bluff Convention Center at 3:30 p.m.
The Bruins will be looking for the second straight championship while Swift will be looking for his second state title in three years.
Swift led the Hughes Blue Devils to the 2001 state title, beating Clarksville in the final and finishing 35-1.
His coaching stock soared and he landed in Lonoke via a two-week stay at Shiloh Christian.
Should Swift pull another "jackrabbit" out of his coaching hat against Pulaski Academy, his next phone call may be from Georgia.
For Swift, tomorrow's final is not much different than his first.
"We were underdogs against Clarksville and we're underdogs against P.A., Swift said. "That's not a bad place to be. At least that's the way I look at it."
Swift said he just wants to keep his Jackrabbit team focused and relaxed from now until game time.
"If you're relaxed, you stand a better chance of hitting your shots and that's what we have to do."
Swift added that he hasn't found any chicks in the P.A. armor at all.
"They (P.A.) are so much more physical and they don't have any weaknesses, at least none that I've found. They play almost year round because they are basically the Wings AAU team. By playing during regular season and then together during the summer, makes them two or three seasons ahead of everybody else."
Lonoke earned the right to challenge P.A. for the state title by turning back East Poinsett County 44-42 in Monday's regional tournament final at Prescott.
Pulaski Academy disposed of Pine Bluff Dollarway in a game that really wasn't close at all.
The Bruins are 33-1, their lone loss coming against Harrison over the Christmas holidays.
Lonoke came close to knocking off the Bruins in the finals of the regional tournament, losing by one, 51-50.
"I feel very fortunate in having the opportunity to coach in another state title game again," Swift said. "My kids have worked hard all year and they deserve to be here. We just have to go out and play well and hopefully find a way to bring home another state title to Lonoke."
Lonoke won back-to-back Class AAA state titles in 1999 and 2000.
In other state championship games set for Friday, the West Memphis Lady Blue Devils, runners-up a year ago, will face Bentonville for the Class AAAAA state girls' title at 5:15 p.m.; LR Fair and Hot Springs will decide the Class AAAA boys title at 7 p.m. and Guy-Perkins will try for their third straight Class A girls title when they face Sulphur Rock at 8:45 p.m.
The annual Razorback Rally will be held Wednesday, April 16, at the Forrest City Civic Center.
University of Arkansas football coach Houston Nutt will be the featured speaker at this year's Rally, once again sponsored by the East Central Arkansas Razorback Club.
Former Forrest City Coach Harold Horton and former UA Razorback baseball coach Norm DeBriyn will be at the Rally as well.
Tickets are available now from several local merchants and are $15 for adults and $7.50 for kids ages 12 and under.
The fourth annual Harold Horton Award will be announced at this year's Rally.
The rally will begin with a social hour at 6 p.m. and a catered dinner will be served at 7 p.m. A silent auction will also be held.
Weather permitting, the Forrest City Lady Mustangs will host Jonesboro today in AAAAA-East Conference fast-pitch softball action at the Sports Complex.
Game time is set for 5 p.m.
Forrest City will play at Jacksonville on Friday.