By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
North Pulaski’s Jae Lynn Russell Memorial softball tournament begins Friday at Dupree Park with one of the largest fields in tournament history. Nine teams mostly from central Arkansas take part in the eighth-annual event. A total of 18 games are scheduled over Friday and Saturday if weather holds out.
The hosting Lady Falcons start things off at 1 p.m. Friday against Mayflower. The Lady Eagles won a tournament at Sherwood Sports Complex before spring break. North Pulaski lost its last game before spring break to Lonoke while shorthanded. Before that, the Lady Falcons swept their conference opener against Pulaski Academy 24-2 and 20-0. They also beat Little Rock Christian on Tuesday to remain undefeated in the 5A Central Conference.
The winner of that game will play again at 11 a.m. Saturday. The loser plays again at 4 p.m. Friday against the loser of the other 1 p.m. game, Jacksonville vs. Maumelle.
The Lady Red Devils lost their last two before spring break and Friday will be their first game since returning to school this week. Those two losses were both close contests against Bauxite and Wynne. Against Wynne, the defending class 5A East champions, Jacksonville had a 7-3 lead in the sixth inning before things fell apart in the 10-7 loss.
Lonoke takes on Joe T. Robinson High School at 2:30 p.m. on field six, and Little Rock Hall plays the Jacksonville-Maumelle winner at the same time on field seven. The final first-round game is at 10 a.m. Saturday between Forrest City and Tuckerman.
The championship game is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Saturday on field six.
