By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
WHITE HALL -- By the time the 13-year-old District 7 Junior Babe Ruth tournament started, the six-team field had become four.
Pine Bluff Northern and Helena both dropped out of the tournament leaving tournament organizers scrambling to put together a new bracket.
The only other thing the teams had to battle -- besides each other -- was the rain. And there was plenty of it.
The Forrest City 13s weathered a long Saturday to finish third and now look ahead to hosting the Junior Babe Ruth 13-year-old state tournament, set to begin Thursday at the Forrest City Sports Complex. The 13s finished with a 2-2 mark.
Forrest City returned nine players from last year's 12-year-old All-Star team, which won the district title.
When Pine Bluff Northern dropped out of the tournament, Forrest City was the recipient of a forfeit win headed into their first-round game Friday night against Pine Bluff.
After an inning and a half, the rains returned, forcing the teams to return on Saturday to complete the first round.
Pine Bluff held Forrest City to just two hits and two walks on the way to an 8-0 win.
Barett Beshears and Chance Pearson claimed the two Forrest City hits.
Pearson and Markese Ware combined for Forrest City, giving up the eight Pine Bluff runs on seven hits.
Pine Bluff led 2-0 after the first inning and made it 4-0 after two. A three-run third made it 7-0 and a single run in the top of the seventh made the final.
The loss dropped Forrest City into the loser's bracket against Wynne later Saturday evening.
Beginning at 6:30 p.m., Forrest City finally put the finishing touches on an 11-6 victory just before 9:30, which meant the team had a quick turn-around as they took the field for the third time Saturday to face White Hall.
Wynne broke a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the second to lead 2-1 before Forrest City battled back to push home three runs in the top of the third to lead 4-2.
A single run in the top of the fourth put Forrest City on top 5-2 before Wynne rallied to tie the game at 5-5 with three runs in the bottom of the fourth and then took a 6-5 lead with a single run in the bottom of the fifth.
Forrest City scored twice in the sixth and added four runs in the seventh to secure the win.
Findley Scott Laws, Ware and Beshears combined for the pitching duties, holding Wynne to just four hits and eight walks while combining for seven strikeouts.
Beshears led Forrest City in the victory over Wynne by scoring four times while Mark Machen added two runs. Pearson, Mario Peters, Ware, Lee Smith and Jared Northcutt each scored single runs.
White Hall ended Forrest City's stay in the late game Saturday, winning 6-3.
White Hall took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning and Forrest City battled back to to tie the game at 1-1 in the third when William Burks walked and scored.
The game remained tied until the top of the fifth when White Hall plated three runs to take a 4-1 lead.
Forrest City stayed close by pushing home a run in the bottom of the fifth when Mario Peters singled and scored.
White Hall added two runs in the sixth and Forrest City scored a single run in the seventh by Jacoby Cooley to set the final.
Pearson, Peters and Beshears all took turns on the mound against White Hall.
The FC 13s will open state play Friday at 7:45 p.m., against Jacksonville.
As of press time, there was no word on the Forrest City 15-year-old All-Star team.
The Forrest City 10s and 12-year-old All-Stars each played two games in their respective district tournaments and were eliminated.
The FC 10s will play in the state tournament at Jacksonville later this month and the 11-year-old All-Stars will open state tournament play on Friday at Marion.
Due to the Fourth of July holiday stretching into Monday, the Forrest City adult men's softball league did not play Monday night.
The cancellation of Monday's schedule, coupled with two rain out, leaves the men down three games with a little more than a week to play before the district tournament begins at the Sports Complex.
Gym 2000 leads the men's league while Kerby's is in second and the Middle Busters are holding firm in third.
The league is expected to play Monday's schedule tonight and will return for another night of action on Thursday.
The adult women's league has already finished their season.
Chism won the outright league title.
The Cross County Arkansas State University Indian Club will host a golf scramble, Tuesday, July 13, at Crowley's ridge Country Club.
The tournament will benefit the Arkansas State University Indian Club.
Entry fees are $25 for the golf tournament and $10 for the meal.
The tournament well employ a shotgun start, set for 5:15 p.m., followed by the meal at 7 p.m.
Arkansas State University head football coach Steve Roberts and basketball coach Dickey Nutt are expected to be on hand for the tournament.
For more information or to enter the tournament, call Marvin Hagaman at 870-238-7953.