By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
Wholesale Metal used a solid pitching performance from Findley Scott Laws Thursday night and slipped past Lucas Trucking 4-3 in Bambino 11-12 League play.
The win leaves Wholesale Metal in a tie for first place in the league standings with Pearson Insurance, a 13-7 winner over Rideout Thursday. Both teams are 6-1 for the year.
Pearson scored five times in the third inning and added four runs each in the fourth and fifth to notch the win over Rideout.
Lucas, which entered the game locked in a three-way tie for first with Wholesale and Pearson, drops to 5-2 and into a tied for second place with Taco Bell. Taco Bell got by Vaccaro 7-4.
Laws went four innings and gave up one run on two hits. he struck out five and did not allow a hit or a base-runner by Lucas for the first three innings.
Lucas' first hit came in the top of the fourth when Louis Driver delivered a one-out single and came around to score on a base hit by Bruce Hurd.
Barrett Beshears came on to close out the game, pitching the final two innings to preserve the Wholesale Metal win. Beshears gave up Lucas' final two runs on three hits and two walks while striking out six.
Wholesale took an early 3-0 lead by plating three runs in the bottom of the first inning.
Chandler Sorrells singled to lead off the inning and Laws followed with a single. Both runners scored as Beshears reached base and came around to score.
Lucas pitcher Jim Bailey settled down after the first inning to retire the Wholesale side in the second and gave ware to Markese Ware in the third, who retired the side before giving up a run in the bottom of the fourth when Justin Cook was hit by a pitch and scored on an RBI double by Beshears.
That was all for Wholesale as Ware struck out four of the final seven batters he faced.
Lucas scored twice in the top of the sixth inning when Driver walked and scored his second run of the game and John Jones singled and scored. Bailey, representing the tying run, was left stranded at third base when Lucas' final two hitters went down on strikes to end the game.
The Wholesale victory avenges an opening season loss to Lucas back on May 1.
In other games Thursday, H&H kept Houser winless with a 13-10 victory.
H&H pushed four runs across the plate in the bottom of the fourth inning to take the come-from-behind win. Houser was leading 10-9 before the H&H rally.
Taco Bell improved to 5-2 and moved into the tie for second with Lucas by scoring six runs in the bottom of the first inning to hold off Vaccaro 7-4.
Seth Smith led the way by scoring twice for Taco Bell.
Quinn Powell and Chance Pearson each scored three times to lead Pearson while Theodis Goodwin, Mark Machen and T.J. Mcfadden scored two times each.
Rideout got two runs each from Lee Smith and Jacoby Cooley.
*In Minor league action Thursday, T&J Properties kept on rolling with a 23-2 win over Devazier Brothers.
The latest victory leaves T&J at 7-0 in the league while Devazier slips to 4-2 and into a tie for second with J.B. Sports.
Six T&J players scored three times each Thursday -- Seth Eakin, Delan Parkman, Landon McFadden, Colin Love, Reed Wingo and Jacob Siler while Tyrin White and Matt Jumper scored twice.
Lion's Club picked up a win by putting away Hill's Delta Concrete 8-6 in the second pitching machine league game.
Hill's got runs from Joseph Tripp, Draylon Willis, Jared Haynie and Ethan Adams while Luke Conner scored twice for Lion's Club and got help from Dow Williams, Cole Bieber, Ethan Mathes, Ryan Jayroe and Jalen Ford.
*Union Planter's Bank regained sole possession of first place in the Junior Babe Ruth League Thursday with a 5-0 shut out win over Freeman.
Kellon Bowman scored twice for Union while Randy Miller and Byron Gardner scored single runs.
Union improves to 5-1 for the year while Cochran Auto, a 12-6 winner over Rotary Club remains in second place at 5-2 for the year. Taylor Glass, at 4-3, is third in the league after defeating Twillies Tigers 12-6 Thursday night.
Torey Rogers scored three times for taylor Glass while Tyrice Bradley, Maurice Bradley and Terrence Pendleton added two runs each. Alan triggs led the Tigers by scoring twice.
Airtherm moved to 7-0 for the year and pushed their lead in the 12-under fast pitch league to two games with a 14-5 win over Crowley's Thursday night.
Food Giant remained in second place at 5-2 by defeating Children's Clinic 15-6 and Dr. Beasley ended a four-game losing streak with a 19-15 win over Giffin's Grins.
Beasley got three runs from Shanneka Barber, Sydney Mitchell and Shanice Robinson in the win.
Jamil Scott scored three times for Giffin's while Chantrice Mason, Brittney Kidd, Ashley Peoples and Kandace Kirkwood scored two runs each.
*In the 16-under fast pitch league, Sanyo stayed in first place by turning back Bonanza 7-1 Thursday night while Dr. St. John split a doubleheader by defeating Clay Funeral Home 8-4 and then losing to Times-Herald 12-11 in a make up game.
Gym 2000 did something that no other team has done in the men's softball league over the past three seasons -- hand Barnes Timber a defeat.
Gym held off Barnes 20-19 Thursday night and moved into first place in the league. Gym is 6-0 for the year while Barnes falls to 5-1.
In other men's games, Kerby's rolled up Morgan 28-7 while Poison blasted Boar's Head 19-5. M&T Paving held off the Bulldogs 14-12.
The second annual 'Ralph" charity golf tournament will be played Monday, June 30, at the Forrest City Country Club.
The tournament, named in honor of Ralph Thompson, helps raise money to benefit the East Arkansas Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) and like-minded charities.
Ralph Thompson is the father of Forrest City native, John Thompson, head football coach at East Carolina University.
For more information about the tournament, contact Mallory Parker at 870-633-3505.
The tournament will include a tennis tournament and a 9-hole shootout late Sunday and a silent auction.
The tournament raised $10,000 last year.