By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
So far, through post season Benton Harmony-Grove has not given up a run.
The defending Class AA state fast-pitch champion Lady Cardinals shut out Arkansas Baptist 10-0 Wednesday in the finals of the Region 5 Tournament at Cabot.
In four postseason games, the Lady Cardinals have outscored their opponents 26-0.
Their next test comes Saturday when they face the Palestine-Wheatley Lady Patriots in the first round of the Class AA State Tournament at Brockwell.
Facing a team who hasn't allowed a post-season run may be the least of the worries for Palestine-Wheatley Coach Lanny Allen.
P-W's senior prom is tonight. The bus leaves for Brockwell at 7:30 a.m., Saturday.
The Lady Patriots, 12-5 for the year, are the No. 2 seed from Region 4.
Benton Harmony-Grove is 27-4 headed into state play. The team was unbeaten in the 5AA South conference this year as as been the case for the past two years.
Both coaches -- P-W's Lanny Allen and BHG's Mike Kitchens -- think the upper half of the AA state bracket is probably the toughest.
"But that's nothing new for us," Kitchens said. "We have played upper classification teams all year. Before the season started, the girls voted to play a tougher schedule this season. They all wanted to find out how good they could be."
BHG's only losses have been against Texarkana, Batesville, Nashville and Greenbrier. They have posted victories over such fast-pitch powers as Cabot, Lonoke, Searcy, Sheridan, White Hall, Oak Grove, Nettleton, Sylvan Hills and Lake Hamilton.
In fact, the Lady Cardinals non-conference portion of the season schedule included nothing but upper classification schools.
Kitchens starts five seniors, two juniors, one sophomore and one freshman.
He returned everyone from last year's championship team.
The Lady Patriots will go with four seniors, four sophomores and one freshman.
BHG is in their third year of fast-pitch while Palestine-Wheatley is bringing down the curtain on the school's second year of fast-pitch.
The Lady Patriots failed to get out of regional last year but turned things around this season with a veteran core of players returning. P-W finished second in the 2AA South district tournament and second in the Region 4 tournament. The Lady Patriots lost to Gillett in both championship games.
Allen, who watched Wednesday's final between BHG and Arkansas Baptist, said the Lady Cardinals "would be a good test" for his Lady Patriots.
"They (BHG) are small but they have good speed," Allen said. "Their pitcher doesn't throw quite as hard as the girls from Gillett throws (Jona Howell) and we managed to get some hits off her."
Allen said it will take concentration and error-free play to get past BHG.
"We have a chance to get the win," Allen said.
P-W and BHG are scheduled to play at 1:30 p.m., Saturday.
If you're planning a trip to the Class AA Fast Pitch State Tournament in Brockwell Saturday, you might want to avoid downtown Melbourne.
This is the weekend for the annual "Pioneer Days" celebration in Melbourne. That means the entire downtown area will be brimming with activities.
An alternate route does exist. From Batesville, take Highway 69 toward Melbourne. At the "Welcome to Melbourne" sign, turn right onto Highway 69-Spur or Lacrosse Road. Go approximately seven miles to the intersection called Violet Hill and turn left onto Highway 56. At this point you are five miles from Brockwell, population 200. At the first and maybe only intersection in Brockwell, turn right onto Highway 9 which takes you to the ICC High School Field, approximately two miles.
By the way, Melbourne's Pioneer Days will feature lots of arts and crafts, a variety of musical acts and lot of things for the kids. Admission is free.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
Food Giant plated two runs in the sixth inning which helped the team take a season-opening 19-17 win over Giffin's Grins in 12-under fast-pitch girls' softball Thursday night at the Sports Complex.
In other 12-under games, Dr. Beasley handed Crowley's Ridge a 15-10 loss and Airtherm downed Children's Clinic 13-7.
Giffin's led 5-2 after one inning before Food Giant rallied for five runs in the second inning to take a 7-5 lead.
Giffin's plated five runs in the third inning to regain the lead but both teams were tied at 12-12 after four innings.
Elizabeth Brimer scored four runs to lead Giffin's while Jamie Scott scored three times.
Food Giant got run production from Taja Bannes, Jasmine Jones and Jessica Johnson.
In 16-under fast-pitch action, Sanyo scored in every inning to take a 15-2 win over Dr. St. John in three innings in the only game played.
Clay had an open date.
Risondra Deans led Sanyo with three runs while Tiffany Flenory, LaShanda Barton, Rachel Sims and Ashley Flenory scored two runs each.
Cassandra Jackson scored both St. John runs.
The 10-under girls' slow pitch league opens its season schedule tonight.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
T&J Properties rolled up big numbers in their season-opening win over Devazier Brothers while Hill's Delta Concrete slipped past the Forrest City Lion's Club in Minor League (pitching machine) action Thursday.
Devazier led early but T&J plated five runs in the second inning and then added nine runs in the third inning on their way to an 18-3 win over Devazier.
Matt Jumper scored three times to lead T&J while Reid Wingo, Colin Love, Keaton Johnson and Anfernee Baker plated two runs each.
In the second game, Hill's Delta broke a 4-4 tie in the bottom of the fifth when Malik Mosby scored to lift Hill's to a 5-4 win over Lion's Club.
Lion's Club tied the game at 4-4 with two runs in the top of the fifth.
The remainder of the pitching machine teams will open the season tonight beginning at 6 p.m.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
Lucas Trucking adapted quickly to moving up into a new league.
Lucas, last year's Bambino 9-10-year-old league champion, is playing in the 11-12-year-old division this year.
The team opened the season Thursday with a 2-0 shut out win over Wholesale Electric.
Lucas got single runs from Markese Ware and Zach Hoskins to take the win.
Ware's solo home run in the second put Lucas in front 1-0. Hoskins scored in the third when he doubled and came around.
Wholesale Electric managed just two base runners for the entire game.
In other Bambino League games Thursday, H&H defeated Houser 14-1 as Douglas Ferguson, Derek Buchanan and Nathan Jefferson scored two runs each.
Pearson Insurance got runs from seven of their 10 starters in an 11-0 shutout win over Ridout Lumber and Taco Bell had an easy time against Vaccaro Lumber, winning 8-1.
The Bambino 9-10-year-old League opens its season schedule tonight.
Morgan, Kerby's, Gym 2000 and M&T Paving opened the adult men's softball league Thursday by taking easy victories.
Barnes Timber had the night off and will open the season Monday.
Morgan scored five runs in the third inning and added six more in the fourth to take a come-from-behind 21-12 win over the Bulldogs.
Kerby's used a five-run sixth inning to complete an 11-3 victory over Food Giant while M&T Paving exploded for 10 runs in the third to help put away Boar's Head 18-8.
Boar's Head led 5-1 after two innings.
Gym 2000 held Poison, formerly Sanyo, scoreless until the fifth inning on their way to a 13-3 win.
Gym 2000 led 4-0 after the first inning and added three runs in the third, two in the fourth and four more in the fifth.
Poison had just four base runners through the first four innings.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
Twillies Tigers shut down Rotary Club's third-inning rally Thursday night and held on to take a 14-13 win as the Junior Babe Ruth League opened play.
The Tigers led 14-10 after two innings before Rotary scored three runs in the top of the third to get within a run.
The Tigers got the final two outs to save the victory.
William Mitchell scored three times to lead the Tigers and got help from teammates Alan Triggs, Jamie Green and Napolean Marlowe, who scored two runs each in the win.
Nakieer Barton scored three runs to lead Rotary Club.
Green and Kiel Smith combined for the Tigers' pitching duties while Adam Moody and Rashad Green combined for Rotary Club.
Rotary led 7-0 after scoring seven times in the top of the first inning. The Tigers tied the game with seven runs in the bottom half of the inning.
Rotary regained a 9-7 lead before falling behind 10-9.
In other games, Union Planter's Bank plated five runs in the first inning and added six in the sixth inning to complete a 16-1 opening season win over Taylor Glass.
Freeman's used a five-run, fourth inning to hold off Cochran Auto 8-6 Thursday.
Travis Holloway scored three runs to lead Freeman's while T.J. Walker added two.
Michael Holland scored twice for Cochran.
Holloway went the distance from the mound for Freeman's to post the win. Cochran used Leonard Banks and Dion Davenport.
All six Junior Babe Ruth teams will be back in action Monday night.