By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
The sixth-ranked Searcy Lions played like the top team in the AAAAA-East Conference in a varsity doubleheader against Forrest City Wednesday.
That would be because they are the top team in the conference.
At 20-2 overall and 9-1 in the East, the Lions have West Memphis and Blytheville remaining on the conference schedule and are in good shape to secure the No. 1 seed into the Class AAAAA State Tournament.
They've done it with solid hitting, solid pitching and solid defense.
Wednesday, Lions' starter Matt Dillon went seven innings in the first game holding the Mustangs to one hit in an 8-0 win at the Sports Complex.
Brandon Lynch equaled Dillon's effort in game two, holding the Mustangs to just one hit through five innings in a 10-0 "mercy rule" victory.
Meanwhile Terrance Ware went the distance for Forrest City in the first game and took the complete game loss.
Forrest City Coach Reggie Murphy sent three pitchers to the mound in game two, starting with Chad Doyle, who gave way to Sawyer Ramsey who gave way to Travis Holloway.
Ware gave up all eight runs in the opener as the Lions scattered 13 hits, including a solo home run by Adam Bennett. Ware walked one, hit two and had one strike out.
The Mustangs only hit came off the bat of sophomore Larry Bean to lead off the bottom of the third inning. Bean also drew a full count walk in the bottom of the fifth.
The only other Mustang player to reach base in the first game was Rashad Green, on an error.
Dillon retired the first six Mustang hitters he faced before the single to Bean and then retired the next seven batters before Green reached base and then ended by setting down the final seven hitters.
In game two, freshman Justin Harris singled to right center with two outs in the top of the second inning. That was all of Forrest City's offense.
Doyle, who started game two, lasted only and inning and two-thirds, giving up seven runs on six hits while walking four. Ramsey took over in the bottom of the second with the Mustangs trailing 7-0 and worked into the bottom of the third before giving way to Holloway.
Ramsey allowed three runs on no hits and walked one as the Mustang defense committed two errors which produced three runs.
Lynch struck out seven Forrest City hitters on the way to getting the win.
Forrest City falls to 3-10 overall for the year and 1-9 in the conference.
The Mustangs will travel to West Helena today for a non conference game before hosting Blytheville for a varsity conference doubleheader next Tuesday and Wynne on Thursday for a no conference varsity-junior varsity game.
Forrest City will end the regular season by playing a varsity doubleheader at West Memphis on April 26.
*In other conference games played Wednesday, Jonesboro remained in second place in the league standings by sweeping Jacksonville 8-0 and 5-2 at Dupree Park in Jacksonville.
*Derek Simmons gave Cross County two RBIs and a pitching victory, lifting the Thunderbirds past Bay 11-8 on Wednesday in high school baseball.
Simmons finished with a 3-for-4 performance at the plate, and gave up seven hits in six innings of work.
Cross County improves to 8-11 and 7-1 in the 3AA-North.
*Brayden Malone hit an inside-the-park grand slam in the fourth inning of Marked Tree's 15-3 victory over Hughes Wednesday.
Jeffrey Thompson also came up with a three-run shot in the fourth. William Ruthven added a home run in the fifth inning. Malone finished with four RBIs, while Justin Muse, Andy Lung and Ryan Thompson each came up with two hits for Marked Tree (17-8-1, 6-3 3AA-South).
Lung got the five-inning win, striking out five batters and giving up four hits. He walked one.
Finally, the Forrest City senior high boys and girls' track teams get to open the season.
The Mustangs and Lady Mustangs will run today at the Greene County Tech Eagle Relays in Paragould.
The teams are scheduled to run twce next week in the lady Hurricane and the Paul Hoffman Relays at Jonesboro.
Meanwhile, the Palestine-Wheatley Patriots, who finished second behind Batesville Tuesday at the Harding Academy Relays in Searcy, will run at the Wynne Yellowjacket Relays today.
The Wynne meet will begin at approximately 3:30 p.m.