By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
BRINKLEY -- Mallory Nelson and Stacey Gracey combined to pitch the Forrest City Lady Mustangs past Brinkley 11-4 Wednesday in nonconference action at Brinkley.
The victory leaves the Lady Mustangs at 5-7 overall and 2-6 in the conference.
Nelson and Gracey, bolstered by a solid offensive effort, made sure that Wednesday's game would not be a rematch of the first meeting between the two teams on March 10.
That was the nine-inning affair won by Brinkley 9-6.
Holly Simon, Chari Agnew and Gracey each scored twice as the Lady Mustangs built a 4-1 lead after one inning.
Brinkley made a run, scoring three runs off Nelson in the bottom of the second inning to tie the game at 4-4.
It stayed that way until the top of the fourth when Forrest City plated six runs to lead 10-4.
With Gracey on the mound in relief of Nelson, the Lady Tigers did not score over the final five innings.
The Lady Mustangs added a single run in the sixth to produce the final.
Leigh Anna Taylor, Nelson, Risondra Deans, Aneisha Barden and Shardavia Davis each scored single runs.
Nelson went the first two innings and faced nine batters. She gave up the four Brinkley runs on two hits and a walk while striking out three.
Gracey struck out nine through five innings to pick up the win. She did not allow a run and held Brinkley to three hits.
Forrest City will host Blytheville today at 4:30 p.m. Rachael Sims, the team's lone senior, will be recognized before the game.
The Forrest City Junior Mustangs and the Palestine-Wheatley Junior Patriots will be among the competing schools today at the Junior Jacket Relays in Wynne.
The junior high track meet will begin at approximately 3:30 p.m. at Yellowjacket Stadium.
The Forrest City senior high track teams are scheduled to begin their season next week at the Greene County Tech Relays.
The Palestine-Wheatley senior boys will run for the first time on Tuesday, April 13, at Harding Academy.
The Junior Patriots ran fourth at the Junior Eagle Relays on Monday at Harding Academy.
Marion will host the Patriot Relays on Friday, April 16.
TRUMANN -- Marked Tree's Andy Lung allowed just two runs on seven hits and no walks to earn his sixth win of the season as the Indians run-ruled Trumann 12-2 in senior high baseball Wednesday.
Will Drace was a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate and Jeffery Thompson was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and a run batted in.
At Osceola, the Seminoles crushed Rivercrest 17-4 as every batter for the Seminoles recorded a hit in the victory Wednesday in senior high baseball.
Sarah Hunter, 10, of Wynne, was crowned the Pony 4-Division champion at the South Arkansas National Barrel Horse Association finals, held March 20, at Pine Bluff. Hunter in the granddaughter of Gerald and Alice Faye Oswalt of Forrest City. The championship was the first for Hunter and Foxy, her 22-year-old Appaloosa pony. She has been riding for three years.
By FRED CONLEY
So long, Wynne. Good bye Marianna. Been nice knowing you, Blytheville.
Hello Poplar Bluff, Mo. It's been a while, West Helena. Welcome back, Sylvan Hills.
The 2004 Forrest City Mustang football schedule has a new look this season -- losing three longtime opponents and welcoming back three teams who have been here before.
Ending a long-standing relationship, Wynne opted not to renew its contract with Forrest City as one of the Mustangs' three non conference opponents. Since 1996 (with the exception of 2001) the Yellowjackets have been the opening opponent for Forrest City.
For the next two seasons, that slot will be filled by the Poplar Bluff, Mo. Mules. The switch gives the Mustangs the chance to open at home for the second straight year since the Mules come to Sam Smith Stadium on Sept. 3.
It is not a first-time matchup between the two schools but it has been a while since the last matchup. The two schools faced each other during the 1981 and 1982 football seasons. Forrest City won both games, 21-7 and 34-3.
West Helena was a regular conference date on Forrest City's schedule until 1995, when both teams switched conferences.
The Cougars are taking over the nonconference slot formerly held by Marianna. The Sept. 10 matchup will be the Mustangs' first road trip for 2004 as the team heads south to play in Cougar country.
Marianna has been on the Mustang schedule each season since at least 1975.
Osceola remains as the Mustangs' third and final nonconference game. Former Mustang coach and Forrest City native Clinton Gore brings his Seminoles to Sam Smith Stadium on Sept. 17.
That ushers in the AAAAA-East portion of the season which will see former AAAAA-East member Sylvan Hills returning from a two-year stint in Class AAAA, to replace longtime rival Blytheville, who drops down to Class AAAA.
Sylvan Hills comes to Sam Smith on Oct. 15.
Conference road trips this season will be to Jonesboro, Cabot, Mountain Home and West Memphis, which as we all know by now, will be on a Thursday. It always is when West Memphis hosts.
Conference teams coming to Sam Smith besides Sylvan Hills are Searcy and Jacksonville.
Forrest City fans are already familiar with West Helena and Sylvan Hills, but may not know much about Poplar Bluff.
The Mules, under third-year coach Mike Dormady, finished 8-1 a year ago playing from Missouri's equivalent to Arkansas' Class AAAA. But Poplar Bluff did not make the Missouri state playoffs because the Missouri state football playoff system is set up entirely different than Arkansas'.
Dormady expects to dress about 65 players this year. The Mules will divide their offense almost down the middle, using the run 50 percent of the time and the passing game 50 percent of the time. At least, that appears to be Dormady's game plan.
The Mules will run from a basic one-back set, using different looks. The team returns a two-year starter at quarterback and a two-year starter at tailback. Dormady has plenty of kids back in the skill positions as well but says his team won't be quite as big along the line this year.
The Mustangs are the first of three consecutive nonconference Arkansas opponents for Poplar Bluff. The Mules will also play Blytheville and Jonesboro.
And Forrest City is not the longest road trip for the Mules this year. That honor goes to Jefferson City, Mo.
Why so many Arkansas teams?
"We have had problems finding Missouri teams willing to play us," Dormady said. "Not because they are scared of us but because of some bad blood and grudges being held over from past seasons. But that's okay. I would rather play some Arkansas teams.
The current deal with Poplar Bluff is for two years only. The Mustangs will go there in 2005. But if the first two games are successful, the Mules could become a regular opponent for the Mustangs.
"I don't have that much input in those areas," Dormady said, "but I think that would be beneficial for both schools. I would not be opposed to a long term agreement."
Tomorrow, we will take a look at West Helena and Sylvan Hills.