By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
Looks like the Bambino (11-12) League will be a race to the finish.
Four games into the season, the league is already jammed up at the top.
Lucas Trucking and Pearson Insurance are both 4-0 while Wholesale Metal is 3-1. Rideout Lumber isn't far behind at 2-2.
H&H, at 1-3 on the year, tried to make some noise of their own Thursday night when they took Lucas to the very edge, before losing 10-9.
Jerome McDaniel's solo home run in the bottom of the fourth ended the game.
Both teams were locked in a 5-5 tie after the first inning. H&H used three hits and two walks in the top of the second inning to score four runs to take a 9-5 lead.
Lucas answered with three runs in the bottom of the second to close the gap to 9-8 and tied the game in the bottom of the third when Markese Ware singled and scored, tying the game at 9-9.
Jacob Hoskins, representing the game-winning run, was left standing at third base to end the inning.
McDaniel, John Jones and Bruce Hurd each scored two runs to lead Lucas while H&H got two runs each from Nathan Jefferson, Doug Ferguson and Derek Buchanan.
Pearson had an easier time reaching 4-0, putting away Taco Bell 7-1.
Tied at 1-1 after the first inning, Pearson scored three runs in the top of the third and plated three more runs in the fifth to set the final.
Theo Goodwin, Quinn Powell and Mark Machen each scored two runs while Seth Smith scored Taco Bell's only run.
Wholesale Metal got a solid pitching performance from Findley Scott Laws to down Houser 8-1.
Chandler Sorrells and Henry Henderson plated two runs each for Wholesale Metal. Jeffrey Siler scored Houser's only run.
Rideout scored seven runs in the top of the fourth to finish off Vaccaro Lumber 12-5 Thursday.
*In Minor league (pitching machine) action Thursday, T&J Properties kept their win streak going with a 12-0 shut out win over Food Giant.
T&J is 4-0 for the year and on top of the Minor League standings.
Devazier Brothers improved to 2-1 Thursday by holding off Giffin's Grins 3-2.
Devazier led 1-0 going into the bottom of the first before Giffin's tied the game at 1-1.
Devazier scored twice in the top of the third and then held off Giffin's in the bottom half of the inning to notch the win.
Terry White scored two of Devazier's three runs.
*The Junior Babe Ruth League teams were rolling sevens and 11s Thursday night.
The numbers proved to be both lucky and unlucky.
Union Planter's Bank stayed unbeaten in the league and moved to 4-0 by turning back Rotary Club 11-7.
Rotary led 5-1 before Union rallied for five runs in the bottom of the second inning to take a 6-5 lead. Rotary regained the advantage in the top of the fourth by scoring twice to lead 7-6.
Union won it with four runs in the bottom of the inning.
Kellon Bowman, Randy Miller and Justin Harris all scored twice to lead Union Planter's.
Kyle Gaines, Justin Gadberry, Justin Nosler, Charles Cooley and Kenneth Powell all scored single runs in Rotary's five-run, second inning.
Freeman improved to 3-1 for the year with a 7-3 win over Taylor Glass.
Preston Echols went the distance for Freeman, striking out eight Taylor Glass hitters to get the win.
Travis Holloway and Echols each scored twice for Freeman.
After falling behind 2-0, Freeman took a 3-2 lead in the top of the second and extended their cushion to 6-2 after three innings.
Cochran Auto evened their season mark at 2-2 Thursday with an 11-7 win over Twillies Tigers.
Cochran scored all 11 of their runs in the bottom of the second inning when they sent 15 batters to the plate for five hits, three walks and one hit batter.
Torre Hunter, Kenny Norman and Brandon Barnett each scored two runs for Cochran.
Dion Davenport and Justin Cochran combined for the pitching duties.
Maurice Walker scored twice for the Tigers while Kiel Smith and Daniel Richards handled the pitching duties.
The Tigers led 2-0 before Cochran put together the 11-run, second inning.
Due to Forrest City High School graduation ceremonies no games are scheduled at the complex tonight in any of the youth leagues.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
Dr. Beasley gave the 12-under fast pitch softball leaders all they could handle Thursday night, except a loss.
Leading 9-7 after four innings, Dr. Beasley couldn't contain Airtherm in the final two innings -- falling 14-9.
Airtherm, 4-0, scored seven of their 14 runs in the team's last two at bats.
Dr. Beasley, 2-2, opened a 5-0 lead after one inning and added four runs in the fourth to lead 9-5.
Robin Stuart led Airtherm by scoring four times, using two singles and a double to do the damage. Jessica Rickard scored twice for Airtherm, which saw all 10 starters score at least one run.
Tanesha Parchman led Beasley by scoring twice, including a fourth inning home run.
Food Giant exploded to take a 15-9 win over Crowley's getting three runs from Brittney Johnson and two runs each from Jasmine Jones, Ariel Bannes and Gabriel Bannes.
Food Giant improves to 2-2 for the year.
Crowley's got two runs each from Jasmine Williams, Kimberly Shafer and D'Andrea Jenkins.
In the final 12-under game Thursday, Children's Clinic moved into second place in the league by being awarded a forfeit win over Giffin's Grins.
Children's Clinic is 3-1 for the year.
In 16-under fast-pitch, Times-Herald picked up their first win of the year by taking a 14-6 win over Clay Funeral Home Thursday night.
Jennifer Ballard and Fallon Parker led the way offensively for Times-Herald, scoring three runs each.
Eight of the nine Times-Herald starters scored at least one run in the victory.
Times-Herald led 2-1 after one inning and plated four runs in the top of the third to push their lead to 6-2.
Clay answered with a five-run, third inning to tie the game at 6-6.
Two runs in the fourth inning , one in the fifth and five in the sixth gave Times-Herald the win.
Bonanza kept pace Thursday night and improved to 2-1 for the year by taking a 10-2 win over Dr. St. John.
Bonanza opened the game by scoring five times in the top of the first before St. John answered with two runs in the bottom half of the inning.
That was as close as St. John would get as Bonanza added single runs in the third and fourth innings and three runs in the fifth.
Katie McNair and Leigh Anna Taylor scored two runs each for Bonanza.
Cassandra Jackson scored one of St. John's two runs.
League leader Sanyo, 3-0, had an open date Thursday but will return to play Monday when they take on St. John at 7:15 p.m.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
Finally, Forrest City Softball Coach Amber Main had something to get excited about.
On the heels of an 8-22 regular season and a 2-12 campaign in the AAAAA-East Conference, Main learned Thursday that senior shortstop Kanetra Pendleton, a three-year starter for the Lady Mustangs, had made the East All-Star squad.
Pendleton is one of two wildcard players selected for the upcoming All-Star Game in Fayetteville and of the two, she is the first alternate.
"That means she will more than likely play," said East All-Star Coach Steve Baker, from Jonesboro.
There are 22 roster slots available for each All-Star team.
"Being a wildcard selection means that should one of the other selected players choose not to play in the All-Star game or can't play, then they take that spot on the roster."
Baker called Pendleton "the best shortstop his Lady Hurricane team faced this season.
"She is a force on the field," Baker said. "She turned some defensive plays against us that left me almost speechless. Not only is she tough on defense, she is a tough out at the plate as well. When Coach Main nominated her at the coaches meeting, we all agreed she should be on the All-Star list."
The All-Star girls' fast pitch softball doubleheader will be played at Ladyback Yard on the University of Arkansas campus in Fayetteville Thursday, June 19, starting at 6 p.m.
While Baker heads up the East girls' squad, the West All-Star team will be coached by Texarkana's Phillip Miller.
Barton's Jim Sain is an assistant on the East team and was able to watch Pendleton play during the regular season.
Pendleton was named to the East All-Conference and All-State teams this year.
She started and played for the Lady Mustangs as a freshman and a sophomore before sitting out her junior season and returning this year as a senior.
Ten high school seniors have been selected to receive a $500 college scholarship from the Arkansas Activities Association-State Farm Insurance Scholar-Athlete Program.
The winners, their sport and school were announced this morning and include Marjorie Caitlin (volleyball) from Pulaski Academy; Laura Ellen McWilliams (basketball) from Bauxite; Andrea Elizabeth Taylor, (softball) from Bald Knob; Candice Renee James (track) from Bryant and Ashley Lynn Ganus (tennis) from El Dorado in the girls' division.
In the boys division the winners are Samuel Kyle ONeal (football) from Warren; David Matthew Harlan (basketball) from Jonesboro Westside; Brian Oliver Beam (baseball) from Fort Smith Christian; Derrick Lee Sims (track) from Fordyce and John Stephen Boling (golf) from Jonesboro Westside.
More than 180 students applied for the 10 scholarships.
Each student-athlete had to meet scholastic requirements of a seven-semester minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher, and each student-athlete had to score at least 21 on the ACT or at least 900 on the SAT.
The 2003 Scholar-Athlete winners will be honored at a luncheon on Monday, May 19, at the Little Rock DoubleTree Hotel starting at 11 a.m.
Poison, M&T Paving, the Bulldogs and Barnes Timber each recorded victories Thursday night in adult men's softball action at the Sports Complex.
Barnes stayed unbeaten with a 26-5 win over Food Giant. Gym 2000 is unbeaten, but had Thursday off. M&T improved to 3-1 with a 29-18 win over Kerby's. Poison downed Morgan 20-5 and the Bulldogs beat Boar's Head 18-7.