By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
A fantastic finish and a state record falling highlighted an exciting Beebe Badger Relays on Tuesday at Bro Erwin Stadium.
The Beebe boys’ track team trailed Cabot 95-83 with two events remaining, but after Beebe’s Gus McCoy won the 3,200-meter race and Sean Langley finished fourth, the Badgers trailed just 98-87 going into the final event, the 4x400-meter relay. Cabot’s Ben Hicks was sixth for the Panthers’ three points in the event.
Cabot had the best seedtime by six seconds in the relay, but didn’t enter its fastest team and had a bad race to finish sixth.
The Badgers’ team of John Carter, John Paul Savage, Connor Patrom and Keishun Davidson won the event and the Badgers won the meet, outscoring the Panthers 107-101 for first place.
“I’d say that’s a pretty good win for us,” said Beebe boys’ track coach Mark Pinkerton. “It was the first meet where we had everybody and we were able to put a pretty good lineup together. I know Cabot didn’t put all their best guys in all their best events. We do that sometimes trying to get some others qualified for state or just giving guys a chance to see what they can do. But still I thought we had a strong meet. We have some guys that are really coming on strong for us.”
Jacksonville Lighthouse finished 15th out of 23 schools, but senior sprinter Jordan McNair continued his impressive career by breaking his own Class 1A record in the 100-meter dash, running an 11.00 to win the event and break the old record he set at the 1A state meet last year of 11.08.
“I’m not totally satisfied with that race,” said McNair. “I didn’t feel like I got off the blocks like I should have. I finished strong, though. There were some fast guys in the race pushing me, and that always helps. It feels good to break the record again.”
McNair wasn’t the only one in the race with a blazing time. McNair won the race with a longer lean than the shorter Logan Penn of Hazen, who finished in 11.01. Dardanelle’s Chris Kershner was third and McNair’s teammate Robert Whitfield finished fourth with an 11.20.
“We felt like, going in, it was a good day to break a record,” said Lighthouse coach Kelvin Parker. “We knew he’d have to run one of his best times to beat the kid from Hazen, so we were expecting a fast race and thought he might get it.”
Beebe’s Trip Smith finished sixth with a personal record of 11.34, and drew praise from Pinkerton.
“He’s having a phenomenal season,” Pinkerton said of Smith. “He’s lost about 15 or 20 pounds and he’s getting faster and faster with every meet.”
Smith won the 300-meter hurdles with a personal record 42.32, beating Des Arc’s Dillon Conway and teammate Logan Archer, who were second and third respectively. Connor Daigle of Cabot was sixth.
Patrom edged out McNair in an exciting 200-meter dash. Patrom’s time of 22.85 beat McNair by a mere .03 seconds. Cabot’s Britton Alley and Whitfield were right there with the leaders, each finishing under 23 seconds at 22.90 and 22.98.
Cabot almost swept the jumping events, winning the high jump, long jump and pole vault, and taking second in the triple jump. Jarrod Barnes didn’t quite reach his school record-breaking jump of 22-feet he reached last week, but still won the event with a leap of 21-2. McNair took fourth at 19-2 and Jacksonville High’s Marcus Casey was seventh with a leap of 18-8. Barnes also finished second behind Conway in the triple jump. Conway went 43-6 and Barnes 42-7.
Rocky Burke won the pole vault, going 12-6 while Beebe’s Isaiah Hutson jumped 10-6 to finish fifth.
Cabot’s Matt Stanley won the high jump, matching his personal record of 6-5 on his last attempt. He and Bald Knob’s Mark Byers were the last two standing after each cleared 6-4 on their first attempts, but Byers was unable to clear the 6-5 mark.
Cabot’s Brandon Jones won the discus throw at 140-8, while teammate Mark Odom was third with a toss of 120-10. Jacksonville’s Terry Brown was fifth in that event and Beebe’s Reese Anders took sixth.
Cabot’s team of Barnes, Connor Daigle, Alex Roberts and Hillegas won the 4x100-meter relay with a time of 44.36 while Beebe took third and Lighthouse fifth. The Wolves had high hopes for the event but fell behind with a bad handoff on the first exchange.
Hillegas won the 400-meter dash while Davidson was third for Beebe and Landon Vaught of Cabot took fifth.
Smith took second behind Conway in the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 16.41 and Patrom was sixth. Alley finished fourth and Whitfield fifth for Lighthouse.
Before winning the crucial 3,200, McCoy took third in the 1,600.
Beebe finished second in the 4x800-meter relay.
Abundant Life’s Daniel Carrell won the 800-meter race by less than a second with a time of 2:08.88. Savage was third for Beebe and teammate Logan Brown was fifth.
Jacksonville’s Malcolm Nelson was between them in fourth place with a time of 2:13.02.
Friday, April 15, 2016
SPORTS STORY >> Second game rally lifts JHS to sweep at PA
By GRAHAM POWELL
Leader sportswriter
The Jacksonville baseball team has seen its share of tough breaks this season, but has improved as the season’s progressed. That improvement showed in Tuesday’s 5A-Central doubleheader against Pulaski Academy, as the Red Devils swept the Bruins by scores of 8-0 and 10-5 at Wildwood Park in west Little Rock.
Jacksonville (7-12, 5-3) cruised in game one of the twin bill behind nine hits and a complete game shutout performance on the mound by Brandon Hawkins. In the nightcap, Pulaski Academy (8-9, 3-3) jumped out to an early lead, but the Red Devils answered with a six-run fourth inning and held off PA’s late rally to earn the conference sweep.
Jacksonville took advantage of several PA errors in each game, but when the Bruins responded in game two with two quick runs in the first inning before adding three more in the fifth, JHS coach Larry Burrows was proud of the way his team responded, especially when the Bruins had that three-run fifth inning.
“That’s what I’ve been telling them, just keep going,” said Burrows. “They had a two-run inning and three-run inning, but that three-run inning could’ve been worse. In the past, that could’ve turned into a five spot or an eight spot.
“When things weren’t going our way, we held it to a three spot, and that was huge to do that. That’s what I told them. We’ve went through some heartache, but it doesn’t need to be for nothing. We need to just keep getting tougher and I think we showed a little bit of that tonight.”
Jacksonville played as the home team in game two of the league doubleheader. Pulaski Academy took an early lead with a two-run home run over the left-field fence off the bat of three-hole hitter Caden Haws in the top of the first inning.
The Red Devils answered with one run in the bottom of the first on an RBI ground-rule double by Caleb McMunn, and the score remained 2-1 PA until the fourth inning, when JHS reeled off six runs.
Game two starting pitcher Brandon Hickingbotham led off the bottom of the fourth with a standup double to center field. Wesley Williams came in to run for Hickingbotham. He advanced to third base on a sac fly to right center by Caden Sample, and scored the game-tying run on a Javan Wakefield double to the wall in left center.
Wakefield scored the go-ahead run on Caleb Smith’s double to the left-field wall the next at-bat. Jordan Wickersham was then hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second. Tyson Flowers hit into a force out at third base the following at-bat, but Kam Whitmore lined one off the left fielder’s glove to score Wickersham and Flowers and give JHS a 5-2 cushion.
Whitmore went to second base on that play, and advanced to third on a passed ball with two-hole hitter Mike Havard at the plate. Havard walked that at-bat, and advanced to second base on a wild pitch. Whitmore scored from third on the wild pitch, giving JHS a 6-2 lead.
Havard then scored on a single to right field by Trent Toney, capping the six-run fourth inning. The Bruins added their three runs in the fifth to make it a 7-5 game, but Jacksonville responded with three runs of its own in the sixth.
In that inning, JHS scored runs eight and nine on a Toney single to left field. Whitmore and Havard scored on the play, and a scary moment occurred as Havard crossed the plate.
Havard was able to score all the way from first base because of an errant throw home from left field. As the ball sailed over the PA catcher’s head and to the backstop, Havard came home and after he had crossed the plate, the throw from the backstop hit the home plate umpire in the side of his head. He took a few wobbly steps before falling to the ground.
He was helped off the field a few minutes later and appeared to be doing relatively OK after about a 15-minute delay, but couldn’t continue. The field umpire then moved behind the plate to close the game.
When play resumed, Toney advanced to third base on a passed ball and scored on a 4-3 groundout by Hickingbotham to set the final score. Hickingbotham then retired the side in the top of the seventh to give the Red Devils the conference sweep.
Jacksonville outhit Pulaski Academy 10-6 in game two. Toney was the only player with multiple hits in that game, finishing 2 for 3 with three RBIs. Hickingbotham threw all seven innings, finishing with four strikeouts.
The Red Devils’ first four runs of game one were unearned. They scored two in the first inning before adding one each in the second, third and fourth innings to lead 5-0. Jacksonville’s fifth run was scored on a Havard sac fly to left field. Whitmore scored on the play. He singled the previous at-bat before stealing second base and advancing to third on a passed ball.
Jacksonville didn’t score in the fifth, but added another run in the sixth before reeling off two more in the seventh to set the final score. The Devils outhit the Bruins 9-4 in the first game. Pulaski Academy had five errors in the first game and four in game two. Jacksonville had four errors in the two games combined.
Havard and PA’s Thomas Wheelis were the only players with multiple hits in game one. Havard was 2 for 2 with a run scored and two RBIs. Wheelis was 2 for 3 with a pair of singles. Hawkins finished with eight strikeouts in his seven innings of work.
Leader sportswriter
The Jacksonville baseball team has seen its share of tough breaks this season, but has improved as the season’s progressed. That improvement showed in Tuesday’s 5A-Central doubleheader against Pulaski Academy, as the Red Devils swept the Bruins by scores of 8-0 and 10-5 at Wildwood Park in west Little Rock.
Jacksonville (7-12, 5-3) cruised in game one of the twin bill behind nine hits and a complete game shutout performance on the mound by Brandon Hawkins. In the nightcap, Pulaski Academy (8-9, 3-3) jumped out to an early lead, but the Red Devils answered with a six-run fourth inning and held off PA’s late rally to earn the conference sweep.
Jacksonville took advantage of several PA errors in each game, but when the Bruins responded in game two with two quick runs in the first inning before adding three more in the fifth, JHS coach Larry Burrows was proud of the way his team responded, especially when the Bruins had that three-run fifth inning.
“That’s what I’ve been telling them, just keep going,” said Burrows. “They had a two-run inning and three-run inning, but that three-run inning could’ve been worse. In the past, that could’ve turned into a five spot or an eight spot.
“When things weren’t going our way, we held it to a three spot, and that was huge to do that. That’s what I told them. We’ve went through some heartache, but it doesn’t need to be for nothing. We need to just keep getting tougher and I think we showed a little bit of that tonight.”
Jacksonville played as the home team in game two of the league doubleheader. Pulaski Academy took an early lead with a two-run home run over the left-field fence off the bat of three-hole hitter Caden Haws in the top of the first inning.
The Red Devils answered with one run in the bottom of the first on an RBI ground-rule double by Caleb McMunn, and the score remained 2-1 PA until the fourth inning, when JHS reeled off six runs.
Game two starting pitcher Brandon Hickingbotham led off the bottom of the fourth with a standup double to center field. Wesley Williams came in to run for Hickingbotham. He advanced to third base on a sac fly to right center by Caden Sample, and scored the game-tying run on a Javan Wakefield double to the wall in left center.
Wakefield scored the go-ahead run on Caleb Smith’s double to the left-field wall the next at-bat. Jordan Wickersham was then hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second. Tyson Flowers hit into a force out at third base the following at-bat, but Kam Whitmore lined one off the left fielder’s glove to score Wickersham and Flowers and give JHS a 5-2 cushion.
Whitmore went to second base on that play, and advanced to third on a passed ball with two-hole hitter Mike Havard at the plate. Havard walked that at-bat, and advanced to second base on a wild pitch. Whitmore scored from third on the wild pitch, giving JHS a 6-2 lead.
Havard then scored on a single to right field by Trent Toney, capping the six-run fourth inning. The Bruins added their three runs in the fifth to make it a 7-5 game, but Jacksonville responded with three runs of its own in the sixth.
In that inning, JHS scored runs eight and nine on a Toney single to left field. Whitmore and Havard scored on the play, and a scary moment occurred as Havard crossed the plate.
Havard was able to score all the way from first base because of an errant throw home from left field. As the ball sailed over the PA catcher’s head and to the backstop, Havard came home and after he had crossed the plate, the throw from the backstop hit the home plate umpire in the side of his head. He took a few wobbly steps before falling to the ground.
He was helped off the field a few minutes later and appeared to be doing relatively OK after about a 15-minute delay, but couldn’t continue. The field umpire then moved behind the plate to close the game.
When play resumed, Toney advanced to third base on a passed ball and scored on a 4-3 groundout by Hickingbotham to set the final score. Hickingbotham then retired the side in the top of the seventh to give the Red Devils the conference sweep.
Jacksonville outhit Pulaski Academy 10-6 in game two. Toney was the only player with multiple hits in that game, finishing 2 for 3 with three RBIs. Hickingbotham threw all seven innings, finishing with four strikeouts.
The Red Devils’ first four runs of game one were unearned. They scored two in the first inning before adding one each in the second, third and fourth innings to lead 5-0. Jacksonville’s fifth run was scored on a Havard sac fly to left field. Whitmore scored on the play. He singled the previous at-bat before stealing second base and advancing to third on a passed ball.
Jacksonville didn’t score in the fifth, but added another run in the sixth before reeling off two more in the seventh to set the final score. The Devils outhit the Bruins 9-4 in the first game. Pulaski Academy had five errors in the first game and four in game two. Jacksonville had four errors in the two games combined.
Havard and PA’s Thomas Wheelis were the only players with multiple hits in game one. Havard was 2 for 2 with a run scored and two RBIs. Wheelis was 2 for 3 with a pair of singles. Hawkins finished with eight strikeouts in his seven innings of work.
Tuesday, April 12, 2016
EDITORIAL >> Arkansas held hostage
The Arkansas legislature will return to the capital today for what was supposed to be 30 days of routine roll calls to rubberstamp budget acts. Now, thanks to two disparate gentlemen—Barack Obama and Asa Hutchinson—it looms as the most momentous legislative session since the state’s historic racial crisis 60 years ago.
So much rides on it: the physical wellbeing of nearly a million citizens who depend on some federal and state help to insure their medical care, the state government’s fiscal soundness, the economic well-being of a whole state that has finally soared out of the great recession, Arkansas’ ebbing highway and street-repair programs, Gov. Hutchinson’s political future . . . You get the picture.
All of that depends on one part of only one of the 800 appropriation bills the legislature adopts each year. It is Hutchinson’s Arkansas Works program, which provides subsidized insurance to some 265,000 men and women whose earnings are so small they cannot afford the big monthly premiums of regular health insurance or medical care outside hospital emergency rooms, which must treat them whether they can pay or not.
Until last week, Arkansas Works was called the Private Option or more commonly just Obamacare. The Private Option was the name applied to the expansion of Medicaid to poor working adults, one of the major features of the Affordable Care Act of 2010, aka Obamacare, but Hutchinson thought he needed to doctor the program some so that people would no longer associate it with the unpopular president. The legislature—all the Democrats and many Republicans—went along and reauthorized the old program with a new name by huge margins in both houses.
But not three-fourths of them, which the legislature by common practice since 1935 has considered necessary (wrongly, we think) to pass most appropriation bills. Nine of the 35 senators, all tea-party Republicans, vow they will vote against the appropriation of all federal and state Medicaid funds for the year that starts July 1, which includes money for Arkansas Works, to show how much they despise Barack Obama and everything associated with him. They have the power to thwart the will of the other 126 lawmakers and the governor. They all owe their offices to their campaigns against the black president and his health law. The Arkansas congressional delegation—all six of them—have the same political debt. They vote regularly to repeal Obamacare, refuse to confirm his nominees for federal jobs and oppose everything he and the regulatory agencies under his command propose to do.
Conservative legislators from Northwest Arkansas who voted for Arkansas Works and will now vote for the Medicaid appropriation confided at the Capitol last week how politically perilous their own votes were. Too many people back home were inured to the notion that Obama’s health law was a dastardly communist plot that will bankrupt the state and the country and that the 265,000 beneficiaries of Arkansas Works and the 800,000 children, disabled and elderly who receive Medicaid assistance or their family members are shiftless and undeserving of any help paying their medical bills or insurance. The Koch brothers, the oil and manufacturing barons who have amassed a net worth of a hundred billion dollars with federal subsidies of one sort or another, had their political arm put out a statement yesterday cheering the legislators who are determined to end help to the poorest 40 percent of Arkansans. The brothers had helped elect them.
It was quite a sight on the legislative floor last week: Rep. Charlie Collins and Sen. Jim Hendren, both right-wing Republicans, pleading with the handful of foes and with their own constituents back home to understand that the Medicaid program and Obamacare (which they nevertheless hate) actually reduce federal budget deficits and improve rather than undermine the state’s fiscal condition, now and for as long into the future as they can see.
But their pleas fell on deaf ears. Hutchinson at least grasped that when he was running for governor in 2014 and, unlike nearly all other Republican politicians, would not condemn the “private option” and promise to scrap it. Since then, he has made the case over and over that if the legislature ends the program it will decimate the state’s budget, force massive cuts in services all over the state, throw thousands out of jobs, and undermine the health of a quarter-million of the neediest people.
If the whole Medicaid program is ended, nursing homes and all the centers for the mentally and physically disabled will be closed, regional mental health services will be halted. If that happens, the nine senators who caused it will experience the wrath of their neighbors and friends who for the first time will understand what it was all about. Those ne’er-do-wells who wanted a handout were they.
Hutchinson pulled out all the plugs yesterday. Everybody wants a highway program but without paying taxes for it. Hutchinson plans a special session next month to carve away some general revenues and future surpluses to match $200 billion in federal highway and street aid the next few years without levying taxes. If the Medicaid expansion goes down, he said, there will be no special session and no highway program.
All hands will have to come aboard to save the sinking ship of state. He didn’t dare mention another good Republican who left office last fall cursed for consciously taking Louisiana down the same path the nine lawmakers are mapping for Arkansas. Hutchinson is determined not to be another Bobby Jindal. Wish him well. —Ernie Dumas
So much rides on it: the physical wellbeing of nearly a million citizens who depend on some federal and state help to insure their medical care, the state government’s fiscal soundness, the economic well-being of a whole state that has finally soared out of the great recession, Arkansas’ ebbing highway and street-repair programs, Gov. Hutchinson’s political future . . . You get the picture.
All of that depends on one part of only one of the 800 appropriation bills the legislature adopts each year. It is Hutchinson’s Arkansas Works program, which provides subsidized insurance to some 265,000 men and women whose earnings are so small they cannot afford the big monthly premiums of regular health insurance or medical care outside hospital emergency rooms, which must treat them whether they can pay or not.
Until last week, Arkansas Works was called the Private Option or more commonly just Obamacare. The Private Option was the name applied to the expansion of Medicaid to poor working adults, one of the major features of the Affordable Care Act of 2010, aka Obamacare, but Hutchinson thought he needed to doctor the program some so that people would no longer associate it with the unpopular president. The legislature—all the Democrats and many Republicans—went along and reauthorized the old program with a new name by huge margins in both houses.
But not three-fourths of them, which the legislature by common practice since 1935 has considered necessary (wrongly, we think) to pass most appropriation bills. Nine of the 35 senators, all tea-party Republicans, vow they will vote against the appropriation of all federal and state Medicaid funds for the year that starts July 1, which includes money for Arkansas Works, to show how much they despise Barack Obama and everything associated with him. They have the power to thwart the will of the other 126 lawmakers and the governor. They all owe their offices to their campaigns against the black president and his health law. The Arkansas congressional delegation—all six of them—have the same political debt. They vote regularly to repeal Obamacare, refuse to confirm his nominees for federal jobs and oppose everything he and the regulatory agencies under his command propose to do.
Conservative legislators from Northwest Arkansas who voted for Arkansas Works and will now vote for the Medicaid appropriation confided at the Capitol last week how politically perilous their own votes were. Too many people back home were inured to the notion that Obama’s health law was a dastardly communist plot that will bankrupt the state and the country and that the 265,000 beneficiaries of Arkansas Works and the 800,000 children, disabled and elderly who receive Medicaid assistance or their family members are shiftless and undeserving of any help paying their medical bills or insurance. The Koch brothers, the oil and manufacturing barons who have amassed a net worth of a hundred billion dollars with federal subsidies of one sort or another, had their political arm put out a statement yesterday cheering the legislators who are determined to end help to the poorest 40 percent of Arkansans. The brothers had helped elect them.
It was quite a sight on the legislative floor last week: Rep. Charlie Collins and Sen. Jim Hendren, both right-wing Republicans, pleading with the handful of foes and with their own constituents back home to understand that the Medicaid program and Obamacare (which they nevertheless hate) actually reduce federal budget deficits and improve rather than undermine the state’s fiscal condition, now and for as long into the future as they can see.
But their pleas fell on deaf ears. Hutchinson at least grasped that when he was running for governor in 2014 and, unlike nearly all other Republican politicians, would not condemn the “private option” and promise to scrap it. Since then, he has made the case over and over that if the legislature ends the program it will decimate the state’s budget, force massive cuts in services all over the state, throw thousands out of jobs, and undermine the health of a quarter-million of the neediest people.
If the whole Medicaid program is ended, nursing homes and all the centers for the mentally and physically disabled will be closed, regional mental health services will be halted. If that happens, the nine senators who caused it will experience the wrath of their neighbors and friends who for the first time will understand what it was all about. Those ne’er-do-wells who wanted a handout were they.
Hutchinson pulled out all the plugs yesterday. Everybody wants a highway program but without paying taxes for it. Hutchinson plans a special session next month to carve away some general revenues and future surpluses to match $200 billion in federal highway and street aid the next few years without levying taxes. If the Medicaid expansion goes down, he said, there will be no special session and no highway program.
All hands will have to come aboard to save the sinking ship of state. He didn’t dare mention another good Republican who left office last fall cursed for consciously taking Louisiana down the same path the nine lawmakers are mapping for Arkansas. Hutchinson is determined not to be another Bobby Jindal. Wish him well. —Ernie Dumas
TOP STORY >> Honoring Muttons’ lifetime of service
 |
| George Mutton and his wife, Mary Mutton, right, were honored April 2 with a “Celebration of Legacy” for their 51 years of service to the Life Tabernacle Pentecostal Church. Also pictured is their daughter, J’Laine Mutton Bradley. George Mutton is holding an Arkansas Senate citation presented by Sen. Eddie Joe Williams (R-Cabot). |
Leader staff writer
It takes a lifetime to build a legacy. Some are larger than others and some reach farther.
Last week, George Mutton, now 85, was given some measure of his decades long, unwavering service to God and church.
George Mutton of the Warsaw community thought he heard God’s calling while in his late teens, and he mentioned that fact to a Baptist preacher while attending a revival at Bayou Meto.
Mutton remembers saying, “I told him that someday I’m going to be a preacher.”
The older man told Mutton, “‘Well, you probably need to get baptized first.’”
He did, but it was at the First Buckeye Pentecostal Church (now First Pentecostal Church on Calvary Road in North Little Rock).
It was a couple years before a teenager named Mary Jackson (now Mutton) caught his eye.
They had both lived on Republican Road their entire lives but on opposite sides of Hwy. 107. As kids they rode the same school bus, but Mary Mutton remembers, “I didn’t pay much attention to him;” after all, she adds, “He was five years older than me.”
But by the time Mary turned 16, they were dating. Then Mutton got an invitation from Uncle Sam.
“I was drafted into the Marines,” he says. That was in 1951, and he served for two years in the Korean War.
Before shipping out, he asked Mary Mutton to marry him and she said yes.
Mutton says he learned an important lesson during his time in the military.
“It taught me that if you’re not going to finish it, don’t start it. But if you do, then do it right,” he says.
It was May 18, 1962, when the Lord instructed Mutton to start a church, he remembers.
The Life Tabernacle church became official in 1964, with services held in a century-old building in Faulkner Gap. Because the church was on a dirt road, driving was difficult during ice or snow.
“The weather was so bad in the wintertime that we bought a spot on Highway 107,” Mutton says.
The idea was to make it easier for members to get to and from but instead of the church taking on an unmanageable debt, they set up church in a prefabricated 25-foot-by-50-foot metal building they purchased from Sears and Roebuck for about $2,000, Mutton says. The year was 1972.
Mutton chuckles as he remembers, “It was designed for everything but a church,” but after a few modifications with a blowtorch, members settled in just fine.
At that time, Mary Mutton estimates they had about 50 members.
Later, the congregation would sell the metal building and build a proper church.
They built the sanctuary first, with members and Mutton doing as much of the work as possible. When it was completed, they only owed about $3,500 on the building—Mutton doesn’t like to carry too much debt, whether his own or the church’s.
“It wasn’t anything special,” Mutton says. Later, they added Sunday school classrooms to the rear of the building.
But no matter the construction materials, members found a home at Life Tabernacle, including Dist. 29 State Sen. Eddie “Joe” Williams (R-Cabot).
Williams says, “I have fond childhood memories of driving from Sheridan to have fellowship at George’s church…It was full of great people and the Muttons are certainly great people. They are big-hearted and giving.”
HIS BETTER HALF
A pastor’s wife is as important to church life as the pastor, and Mary Mutton was more involved than most, says her husband.
She taught Sunday school classes and still plays the piano on Sunday morning, he says proudly.
For years, both George and Mary Mutton participated in a singing ministry, first with The Spiritualettes and then with the Sounds of Life.
She also taught adult education for the Little Rock School District.
Mutton says he teased his wife about the luncheons and dinners they hosted at the church, telling her, “You don’t have to cook the whole meal.”
She says in her defense, “I always wanted to make sure there was plenty for everyone.”
Mutton adds, “Pentecostals like to eat.”
Rebecca Adams has been a Life Tabernacle member for about 20 years and says about the Muttons, “They are the rock of the church. They’ve always been there and it comes from the heart.”
Donald Canon of Canon Heating and Air of Jacksonville and a Life Tabernacle member, has known the Muttons for about seven years.
“They’re very honest people, upstanding and trustworthy. They bring those same qualities to worship and to the church.”
Their only child, daughter J’Laine Bradley of the Warsaw community has great memories of growing up in the church and of her parents.
“I had their total love, guidance and support, and they taught me to live for the Lord…They were such good parents,” Bradley remembers.
She married Darrell Bradley but remains a Mutton at heart.
Now, Bradley has two grown children — a son, Dylan Bradley, and a daughter, Holly Bradley Martin, who is expecting her first child in a few weeks.
MORE THAN A JOB
Mutton was a heating-and- air guy by day and a pastor by night and on weekends. Mary Mutton says, “He didn’t take a salary” from the church but instead provided for the family working for John B. May’s heating-and-air company.
May supported Mutton’s work at the church, and Mutton says, “He was so good to me, just like a father. If I needed to be off for any reason, a funeral, a hospital visit, he didn’t mind.”
Canon says, “George is someone you can depend on and he has a lot of wisdom to share.”
Bradley says about her dad, “He has a pastor’s heart.”
Current Life Tabernacle pastor Clyde Phillips agrees, telling the story about the time when he was injured in a motorcycle accident and hospitalized in Akron, Ohio.
Mutton paid his own travel expenses so he could wait by Phillips’ bedside for about a week. He says, “George has a good heart and he’s always been there for me.”
Phillips has been a church member for more than 30, first serving as assistant pastor, and after Mutton’s retirement two years ago, he became head pastor. The church is now more than 150 strong.
Mutton says he never regretted going into the ministry, “If you do something for the Lord, put your hand to the plow and don’t look back.”
CELEBRATION
“It was Brother Clyde’s idea to put a plaque on the front of the building in honor of my father,” Bradley says about the inspiration behind the church’s “Celebration of Legacy” and reception.
Bradley and several others from the church started planning and extending invitations to members and friends, including Sen. Williams, who decided to doubly honor Mutton at the April 2 gathering.
Williams says, “I wanted to honor him. George worked full time but unselfishly dedicated his life to the Lord. He was all about the church.”
Both he and Mary Mutton were honored by Williams’ Arkansas Senate Citation, which reads in part: “During their 64-year marriage, Rev. and Mrs. Mutton have worked as a devoted team touching many lives through their church ministry…and have been generous with their personal time…”
More than 150 guests attended. Bradley says, “I was so excited. People came from all over the state.”
In one sense, she says they celebrated the legacy of the church that her father helped build, but, Bradley adds, “The real celebration was my dad’s influence…He reached so many people, and now those people are reaching out to others. That’s his real legacy.”
Richard “Rick” Allen and his wife, Pat, attended the reception. Both have attended the church for more than three decades.
“It was just beautiful…Tears come to my eyes when I think of George. He is truly an outstanding man of God,” he says.
Phillips says, “I learned what it means to be a pastor from one of the best. I strive to be like George, but I’ll never be the man my pastor is.”
As a young man, Mutton didn’t realize all the rewards he would reap as a minister, but now says, “So many people count their blessings by what they possess but I count mine through the Lord and what he has given me through the church. I have so many blessings.”
TOP STORY >> Davis, Vietnam veteran, dies
By RICK KRON
Leader staff writer
Lex Edward (Butch) Davis of Sherwood, a former alderman, Vietnam War veteran, a believer in the city and all around good guy, died on Monday at the age of 71.
He was among the first 15 inductees into the Arkansas Military Veterans Hall of Fame at the Agora Center in Conway and initiated the annual veterans parade in Sherwood, which is now in its sixth year.
“He was an incredible person,” said Marcia Cook, Sherwood Chamber of Commerce director. “Butch was involved in so many aspects of the city. He was a true asset and was always willing to help. We will miss him.”
Betty Barnhardt, director of Keep Sherwood Beautiful, said, “Butch never met someone he could not get along with, never let his handicap stand in the way of getting something done. He was most helpful and encouraging in his support of Keep Sherwood Beautiful. At each event we could count on his assistance taking extra supplies and water to our volunteers. He exemplified what a true friend is...always smiling and laughing.”
Davis, an Army sergeant, almost died in Vietnam in the summer of 1969 in a huge explosion that nearly wiped out his company. He was put on a rescue helicopter along with several dead soldiers heading for the morgue. He’d come to momentarily, hoping the chopper crew didn’t think he was dead.
“When the bomb hit me, it felt like a bell over my head. I knew I was hit. It got my whole left side,” he told The Leader in 2007.
His injuries spread all over his body, including his spinal cord, which wasn’t severed, though. “I was one of the last flown out. I was worried they thought I was dead,” he said.
When it exploded, it killed six and injured 28 G.I.s, along with several South Vietnamese out on patrol with the Americans. “There were enough casualties to fill a couple of helicopters,” Davis remembered.
Once he was in the helicopter, Davis was hoping the chopper crew would realize he was still alive. He’d open his eyes, and then closed them again.
“I couldn’t move,” Davis said. “I blacked out again for a while.”
Fortunately, he woke up in a hospital, and then was flown to another hospital in Japan. He received more treatment at the Veterans Hospital in Richmond, Va. Months of therapy followed. He was finally released in December 1969.
He lived the rest of his life with shrapnel in his neck.
He signed up for the Army when he was 16 — “I lied about my age,” he admitted — and was 24 years old when he was hit, and he’d been in pain for almost 47 years. You can only imagine his injuries — almost his whole body was ripped up, and he seemed disabled along much of his left side — but Davis never complained. He went on to have a long political career advancing Sherwood, the city that he loved.
For his 1969 Vietnam service, Davis earned a Bronze Star, a Purple Heart and a Combat Infantryman’s Badge.
He will be known for his great attitude, laughter and helping others. Davis served 11 years as an alderman and did more volunteer work than most people half his age.
Despite his disability, Davis said, “I really enjoyed the military. I was going down the wrong path when I joined up.”
He was alderman from 1999 to 2010 and was also a VFW commander, a co-organizer of the Wheel Chair Olympics, Sherwood Volunteer of the Year, honorary commander of the Little Rock Air Force Base and an Arkansas National Guard Community Council member.
Alderman Marina Brooks called Davis her mentor. “He took me under his wing as an alderman. He truly was Mr. Sherwood. We will miss him,” she said.
His funeral will be held at 11:30 a.m. Monday, April 18 at Griffin Leggett Rest Hills Funeral Home with burial at 1 p.m. at North Little Rock Veterans Cemetery.
Leader staff writer
Lex Edward (Butch) Davis of Sherwood, a former alderman, Vietnam War veteran, a believer in the city and all around good guy, died on Monday at the age of 71.
He was among the first 15 inductees into the Arkansas Military Veterans Hall of Fame at the Agora Center in Conway and initiated the annual veterans parade in Sherwood, which is now in its sixth year.
“He was an incredible person,” said Marcia Cook, Sherwood Chamber of Commerce director. “Butch was involved in so many aspects of the city. He was a true asset and was always willing to help. We will miss him.”
Betty Barnhardt, director of Keep Sherwood Beautiful, said, “Butch never met someone he could not get along with, never let his handicap stand in the way of getting something done. He was most helpful and encouraging in his support of Keep Sherwood Beautiful. At each event we could count on his assistance taking extra supplies and water to our volunteers. He exemplified what a true friend is...always smiling and laughing.”
Davis, an Army sergeant, almost died in Vietnam in the summer of 1969 in a huge explosion that nearly wiped out his company. He was put on a rescue helicopter along with several dead soldiers heading for the morgue. He’d come to momentarily, hoping the chopper crew didn’t think he was dead.
“When the bomb hit me, it felt like a bell over my head. I knew I was hit. It got my whole left side,” he told The Leader in 2007.
His injuries spread all over his body, including his spinal cord, which wasn’t severed, though. “I was one of the last flown out. I was worried they thought I was dead,” he said.
When it exploded, it killed six and injured 28 G.I.s, along with several South Vietnamese out on patrol with the Americans. “There were enough casualties to fill a couple of helicopters,” Davis remembered.
Once he was in the helicopter, Davis was hoping the chopper crew would realize he was still alive. He’d open his eyes, and then closed them again.
“I couldn’t move,” Davis said. “I blacked out again for a while.”
Fortunately, he woke up in a hospital, and then was flown to another hospital in Japan. He received more treatment at the Veterans Hospital in Richmond, Va. Months of therapy followed. He was finally released in December 1969.
He lived the rest of his life with shrapnel in his neck.
He signed up for the Army when he was 16 — “I lied about my age,” he admitted — and was 24 years old when he was hit, and he’d been in pain for almost 47 years. You can only imagine his injuries — almost his whole body was ripped up, and he seemed disabled along much of his left side — but Davis never complained. He went on to have a long political career advancing Sherwood, the city that he loved.
For his 1969 Vietnam service, Davis earned a Bronze Star, a Purple Heart and a Combat Infantryman’s Badge.
He will be known for his great attitude, laughter and helping others. Davis served 11 years as an alderman and did more volunteer work than most people half his age.
Despite his disability, Davis said, “I really enjoyed the military. I was going down the wrong path when I joined up.”
He was alderman from 1999 to 2010 and was also a VFW commander, a co-organizer of the Wheel Chair Olympics, Sherwood Volunteer of the Year, honorary commander of the Little Rock Air Force Base and an Arkansas National Guard Community Council member.
Alderman Marina Brooks called Davis her mentor. “He took me under his wing as an alderman. He truly was Mr. Sherwood. We will miss him,” she said.
His funeral will be held at 11:30 a.m. Monday, April 18 at Griffin Leggett Rest Hills Funeral Home with burial at 1 p.m. at North Little Rock Veterans Cemetery.
TOP STORY >> Cuts imperil programs all across state
By JOHN HOFHEIMER
Leader senior staff writer
With the fiscal session of the General Assembly convening today, several legislators have vowed to vote against funding Arkansas Works—that’s the governor’s version of the private option.
Failure to approve Arkansas Works will leave a gaping $150 million hole in the governor’s budget for 2017 and, according to state Rep. Joe Farrer (R-Austin), a $350 million hole for 2018 — leaving no money for highways and other essential programs.
“It’s all in the math,” Farrer said Tuesday.
Farrer, who previously opposed the private option, said he’s now for it.
He said he voted against the private option three years ago, when the costs and benefits were hypothetical.
“Now it’s a business decision. I’m supporting it to help get the money,” Farrer said.
He said that 70 percent of all births in the state are Medicaid births, and they need to be paid for. Without Arkansas Works, John Stephens, a health insurance consultant hired to assess the programs, says costs for traditional Medicaid would go up 6 to 8 percent.
“We paid him $2 million to give us the numbers, and he’s the only expert I know up here,” Farrer said.
Last session, both houses approved the Arkansas plan as policy by a simple majority, but funding matters require a supermajority—75 percent—of each house. In the House, that’s 75 votes, in the Senate, with 35 members, that’s 27 votes.
That means the Senate will likely need to turn at least two nays into yeas.
“I’m voting for the funding,” said Sen. Jane English (R-North Little Rock). Of her original opposition to Private Option/Arkansas Works, “I lost the battle in 2013, as a policy decision,” she said.
When it came time to fund the measure the first year, English provided the needed 27th vote in the Senate in exchange for comprehensive reorganization of workforce education.
“We have moved some people off traditional Medicaid, where the state paid 30 percent of the cost and onto Medicaid expansion,” she said, “where the state’s share this year is 0 percent, and next year 5 percent.
“We have a program going on two years, made a lot of changes, moved some people off traditional Medicaid where we paid 30 percent of costs,” she continued. “In Arkansas Works, the state’s share is 0 percent for now but goes up to 5 percent the next year.”
Sen. Eddie Joe Williams (R-Cabot) said he would vote for the program. “You have to look at the entire process. There’s parts I don’t care for and parts I do. But the governor’s $100 million tax cut means the budget would be in trouble without the Medicaid cost offsets provided the state,” Williams said.
Federal law requires public hospitals to provide care for the indigent, which would be uncompensated care without Arkansas Works. “That’s an unfunded mandate,” he said. “Those are real costs and somebody has to pay for it.”
Rep. Camille Bennett (D-Lonoke) says there’s nothing the General Assembly can do to change the Affordable Care Act, and Arkansas residents are going to have to pay taxes regardless, so they might as well get some of that value back to pay for Arkansas Works.
“I voted for it after changes were made to make it more effective, and I’ll be voting to fund it. I see no other option available,” Bennett said.
She said the Senate will take the matter up first and that the House may decline to approve any funding bills until the matter is settled, so legislators will know whether or not they have to cut the budget.
She said she believes the House will approve funding Arkansas Works.
While Williams and English opposed the private option when it first came before the General Assembly in 2013, Sen. Jonathan Dismang (R-Searcy), now Senate president pro-tempore, helped former House Speaker Davy Carter (R-Cabot) navigate the tricky waters of approval.
Dismang is expected to once again play a major roll in getting Medicaid expansion funded.
COPELAND SAYS NO
Rep. Donnie Copeland (R-North Little Rock) remains steadfast in his opposition to the Medicaid expansion under any name.
Copeland intends to introduce a bill that would split Arkansas Works out of the DHS budget so it would be possible to vote against Medicaid expansion without voting against the DHS budget.
He says he’s not concerned about the $150 million budget shortfall to the governor’s budget. He says it can be made up by eliminating waste. He cited a $200 million state information technology program he says has never worked right and the $20 million contract he says the state gave the same company to straighten out its own mess.
He would also eliminate corporate welfare to outfits like Big River Steel and make sure the Medicaid money is spent on disabled and needy children and traditional Medicaid patients.
UAMS WORRIES
If Arkansas Works isn’t approved, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Chancellor Dan Rahn says it could leave hospitals statewide providing $200 million in uncompensated care, and UAMS’ loss alone could be $65 million, he said Tuesday afternoon.
“We’d have to limit uncompensated care to emergency only,” he said.
“Seventy-five percent of our entire (UAMS) budget is supported by patient care,” he said. “It subsidizes the teaching.
“It will take $30 million out of academics,” he said, and result in big cuts in personnel.
Rahn said it was frustrating to have “the same political struggle every year.”
He said he supports the governor’s enhancements to the private option.
It was Carter, as speaker, who guided private option funding through the House, and his successor as speaker, Rep. Jeremy Gillam (R-Judsonia), is working to help the governor get his version funded.
CUTS TO EDUCATION
Gillam on Monday sent lawmakers a copy of what a $150 million shortfall would mean to the various departments, agencies and programs throughout the state, starting with a $31 million hit to public education, libraries and workforce education.
Nearly $5 million would be cut from higher education; $3.4 from two-year technical colleges; State Police would be cut about $2 million; the state Health Department by nearly $4 million; county jail reimbursement about $500,000 and child-support enforcement could lose $400,000.
The Department of Human Services would be cut by $54 million, including about $11 million from Children and Family Services, $1.4 million from Division of Youth Services and about $2 million from Developmentally Disabled services.
The $31 million in public school fund cuts include $7 million from the school recognition program, $1.6 million for at-risk programs, $5 million in Better Chance funds, $2 million in coordinated school health, $9 million from National Board of Professional Teaching Standards, $3 million in Smart Start funds, $750,000 in surplus commodities.
Leader senior staff writer
With the fiscal session of the General Assembly convening today, several legislators have vowed to vote against funding Arkansas Works—that’s the governor’s version of the private option.
Failure to approve Arkansas Works will leave a gaping $150 million hole in the governor’s budget for 2017 and, according to state Rep. Joe Farrer (R-Austin), a $350 million hole for 2018 — leaving no money for highways and other essential programs.
“It’s all in the math,” Farrer said Tuesday.
Farrer, who previously opposed the private option, said he’s now for it.
He said he voted against the private option three years ago, when the costs and benefits were hypothetical.
“Now it’s a business decision. I’m supporting it to help get the money,” Farrer said.
He said that 70 percent of all births in the state are Medicaid births, and they need to be paid for. Without Arkansas Works, John Stephens, a health insurance consultant hired to assess the programs, says costs for traditional Medicaid would go up 6 to 8 percent.
“We paid him $2 million to give us the numbers, and he’s the only expert I know up here,” Farrer said.
Last session, both houses approved the Arkansas plan as policy by a simple majority, but funding matters require a supermajority—75 percent—of each house. In the House, that’s 75 votes, in the Senate, with 35 members, that’s 27 votes.
That means the Senate will likely need to turn at least two nays into yeas.
“I’m voting for the funding,” said Sen. Jane English (R-North Little Rock). Of her original opposition to Private Option/Arkansas Works, “I lost the battle in 2013, as a policy decision,” she said.
When it came time to fund the measure the first year, English provided the needed 27th vote in the Senate in exchange for comprehensive reorganization of workforce education.
“We have moved some people off traditional Medicaid, where the state paid 30 percent of the cost and onto Medicaid expansion,” she said, “where the state’s share this year is 0 percent, and next year 5 percent.
“We have a program going on two years, made a lot of changes, moved some people off traditional Medicaid where we paid 30 percent of costs,” she continued. “In Arkansas Works, the state’s share is 0 percent for now but goes up to 5 percent the next year.”
Sen. Eddie Joe Williams (R-Cabot) said he would vote for the program. “You have to look at the entire process. There’s parts I don’t care for and parts I do. But the governor’s $100 million tax cut means the budget would be in trouble without the Medicaid cost offsets provided the state,” Williams said.
Federal law requires public hospitals to provide care for the indigent, which would be uncompensated care without Arkansas Works. “That’s an unfunded mandate,” he said. “Those are real costs and somebody has to pay for it.”
Rep. Camille Bennett (D-Lonoke) says there’s nothing the General Assembly can do to change the Affordable Care Act, and Arkansas residents are going to have to pay taxes regardless, so they might as well get some of that value back to pay for Arkansas Works.
“I voted for it after changes were made to make it more effective, and I’ll be voting to fund it. I see no other option available,” Bennett said.
She said the Senate will take the matter up first and that the House may decline to approve any funding bills until the matter is settled, so legislators will know whether or not they have to cut the budget.
She said she believes the House will approve funding Arkansas Works.
While Williams and English opposed the private option when it first came before the General Assembly in 2013, Sen. Jonathan Dismang (R-Searcy), now Senate president pro-tempore, helped former House Speaker Davy Carter (R-Cabot) navigate the tricky waters of approval.
Dismang is expected to once again play a major roll in getting Medicaid expansion funded.
COPELAND SAYS NO
Rep. Donnie Copeland (R-North Little Rock) remains steadfast in his opposition to the Medicaid expansion under any name.
Copeland intends to introduce a bill that would split Arkansas Works out of the DHS budget so it would be possible to vote against Medicaid expansion without voting against the DHS budget.
He says he’s not concerned about the $150 million budget shortfall to the governor’s budget. He says it can be made up by eliminating waste. He cited a $200 million state information technology program he says has never worked right and the $20 million contract he says the state gave the same company to straighten out its own mess.
He would also eliminate corporate welfare to outfits like Big River Steel and make sure the Medicaid money is spent on disabled and needy children and traditional Medicaid patients.
UAMS WORRIES
If Arkansas Works isn’t approved, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Chancellor Dan Rahn says it could leave hospitals statewide providing $200 million in uncompensated care, and UAMS’ loss alone could be $65 million, he said Tuesday afternoon.
“We’d have to limit uncompensated care to emergency only,” he said.
“Seventy-five percent of our entire (UAMS) budget is supported by patient care,” he said. “It subsidizes the teaching.
“It will take $30 million out of academics,” he said, and result in big cuts in personnel.
Rahn said it was frustrating to have “the same political struggle every year.”
He said he supports the governor’s enhancements to the private option.
It was Carter, as speaker, who guided private option funding through the House, and his successor as speaker, Rep. Jeremy Gillam (R-Judsonia), is working to help the governor get his version funded.
CUTS TO EDUCATION
Gillam on Monday sent lawmakers a copy of what a $150 million shortfall would mean to the various departments, agencies and programs throughout the state, starting with a $31 million hit to public education, libraries and workforce education.
Nearly $5 million would be cut from higher education; $3.4 from two-year technical colleges; State Police would be cut about $2 million; the state Health Department by nearly $4 million; county jail reimbursement about $500,000 and child-support enforcement could lose $400,000.
The Department of Human Services would be cut by $54 million, including about $11 million from Children and Family Services, $1.4 million from Division of Youth Services and about $2 million from Developmentally Disabled services.
The $31 million in public school fund cuts include $7 million from the school recognition program, $1.6 million for at-risk programs, $5 million in Better Chance funds, $2 million in coordinated school health, $9 million from National Board of Professional Teaching Standards, $3 million in Smart Start funds, $750,000 in surplus commodities.
SPORTS STORY >> Lonoke girls beat ’Birds in the eighth
By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
The Lonoke softball team picked up a big 4A-2-Conference win on Thursday, beating Stuttgart 8-7 at Lonoke Ballpark with some late heroics before going 2-2 at the Ozark Classic tournament at Harrison over the weekend.
Thursday’s win was one of the most exciting of the season. Regulation ended with the score tied at 7-7 and Stuttgart started the top of the eighth with a runner on second. Sophomore Maddie Poolpitcher struck out the first batter, then got a pop up to the infield. Pool came back from a 3-0 count to fan Chloe Cox and give the home team a chance for the win.
Lonoke’s Molly Harrison went to second to start the inning, and things went well at the beginning. Harrison moved to third on a sacrifice grounder by Madison McFadden, but Valerie Staton popped up into foul territory for the second out.
With Pool at the plate and a 1-0 count, Harrison stole home to end the game.
McFadden and Staton each went 2 for 5 with a double and two RBIs. Mary Sumner went 2 for 3 with two RBIs and Harrison went 2 for 5 with three runs scored.
Pool threw all eight innings, giving up 12 hits and three earned runs while fanning 11 and walking three.
At Harrison, Lonoke split a pair of drastically different games with Harrison, losing 15-0 on Friday and then beating the Lady Goblins 15-0 on Saturday. Later that same day, the Lady Jackrabbits dropped a 4-3 decision to league foe Southside-Batesville, and beat Calico Rock 10-5.
McFadden hit a home run in the win over Harrison, while Molly Harrison went 3 for 3 with three more RBIs in the leadoff spot. Pool threw a one-hitter over four innings for the win.
Trinity Foley went 3 for 3 to lead Lonoke (8-8-1) in the win over Calico Rock. Pool and Madison Crow both went 2 for 4, both of Crow’s hits going for extra bases.
The Lady Jackrabbits will get back to league play on Thursday with a road trip to take on the Newport Lady Greyhounds.
Leader sports editor
The Lonoke softball team picked up a big 4A-2-Conference win on Thursday, beating Stuttgart 8-7 at Lonoke Ballpark with some late heroics before going 2-2 at the Ozark Classic tournament at Harrison over the weekend.
Thursday’s win was one of the most exciting of the season. Regulation ended with the score tied at 7-7 and Stuttgart started the top of the eighth with a runner on second. Sophomore Maddie Poolpitcher struck out the first batter, then got a pop up to the infield. Pool came back from a 3-0 count to fan Chloe Cox and give the home team a chance for the win.
Lonoke’s Molly Harrison went to second to start the inning, and things went well at the beginning. Harrison moved to third on a sacrifice grounder by Madison McFadden, but Valerie Staton popped up into foul territory for the second out.
With Pool at the plate and a 1-0 count, Harrison stole home to end the game.
McFadden and Staton each went 2 for 5 with a double and two RBIs. Mary Sumner went 2 for 3 with two RBIs and Harrison went 2 for 5 with three runs scored.
Pool threw all eight innings, giving up 12 hits and three earned runs while fanning 11 and walking three.
At Harrison, Lonoke split a pair of drastically different games with Harrison, losing 15-0 on Friday and then beating the Lady Goblins 15-0 on Saturday. Later that same day, the Lady Jackrabbits dropped a 4-3 decision to league foe Southside-Batesville, and beat Calico Rock 10-5.
McFadden hit a home run in the win over Harrison, while Molly Harrison went 3 for 3 with three more RBIs in the leadoff spot. Pool threw a one-hitter over four innings for the win.
Trinity Foley went 3 for 3 to lead Lonoke (8-8-1) in the win over Calico Rock. Pool and Madison Crow both went 2 for 4, both of Crow’s hits going for extra bases.
The Lady Jackrabbits will get back to league play on Thursday with a road trip to take on the Newport Lady Greyhounds.
SPORTS STORY >> CHS softball gets easy sweep at MH
By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
The Lady Panther softball team had little trouble with host Mountain Home on Friday. Cabot got an easy and fast sweep of the Bombers, winning 16-0 and 10-0 in the 7A/6A-East Conference doubleheader.
The Cabot bats were alive and the Bomber defense was not, leading to the huge margin and four-inning ending in game one. Cabot compiled 13 base hits and three walks to go with seven Mountain Home errors.
Lauren McCluskey pitched for Cabot and gave up just one hit over four innings with five strikeouts and zero walks.
The big inning in game one came early, as Cabot scored seven runs in the top of the first, starting with a leadoff walk by Leah Gerald. Bethany Knowles then reached on the first error to put two runners on for Southern Miss commitment Heather Hill.
She then ripped a double to left field to score both base runners to give the Lady Panthers a 2-0 lead with no outs. Hannah Montgomery benefitted from another MH error and Hill moved to third.
McCluskey singled to score Hill and was replaced by courtesy runner Kenzie Howard. Parker Steadman walked to load the bases before Kaitlyn Felder hit her own two-run single to center field for a 5-0 lead.
With runners on the corners, Felder’s courtesy runner, Tracy Hanson, stole second, and the MH second baseman failed to hold onto the throw from home.
That allowed Steadman to score before Rachel Allgood struck out for the first out of the inning. Macee Abbott popped up to first for the second out, but Hanson scored on a passed ball for the final run of the opening frame.
Cabot got a five-run second inning started with a leadoff single by Hill. Montgomery followed with a double to right that left both runners in scoring position.
McCluskey’s sacrifice grounder scored Hill and left Montgomery at third base. Steadman reached on a bunt single, and Felder’s second double drove in Montgomery for a 9-0 Cabot lead. Allgood walked and Abbott reached when MH tried, but failed, to get the out at home on her ground ball, making it 10-0 and leaving the bases loaded.
Gerald was then called out for interference after her bunt attempt. Knowles then singled to drive in Hanson and Allgood for a 12-0 lead going into the bottom of the second inning.
Cabot got just one run in the third. Montgomery was hit by the second pitch of the inning, and Steadman tripled with one out to make it 13-0.
In the decisive fourth inning, Bethany Knowles hit a two-out home run after Gerald’s leadoff single. Hill then singled to left field, advanced to second on an error and scored on another error to set the final margin.
Hill led Cabot in hits, going 3 for 4 with two RBIs. Knowles went 2 for 4 with four runs batted in. Felder went 2 for 3 with two doubles and three RBIs. Gerald and Steadman also had two hits apiece for the Lady Panthers (8-2, 6-0).
Playing as the home team in game two, Gerald singled to start the game and scored on a one-out double by Hill. She then scored on another double by Montgomery for a quick 2-0 lead.
Abbott and Gerald got on to start the second inning on a hit-by-pitch and an error, but were still standing on second and third with two outs. Montgomery then lined a single to left to score Abbott, and Gerald scored on yet another MH error.
No one scored in the third, but Cabot posted three in the fourth. Hill was hit, Montgomery singled and McCluskey walked to load the bases with no outs. Anna Beth Duncan singled to score Hill and Felder singled to score Montgomery.
Allgood’s bunt got Howard thrown out at home and Abbott lined out to center field, but Gerald drew a bases-loaded walk to score Duncan and give Cabot a 7-0 lead.
Needing three runs in the bottom of the fifth for another mercy-rule ending, the Lady Panthers got just that. Hill took a pitch off the arm and Montgomery walked to start the inning.
Two batters later, Steadman hit an RBI single that scored Hill and left two runners on base. Felder then singled to load the bases for Marlee Munford. She finished things off with a two-RBI double to the wall in center field for the 10-0 win.
Montgomery and Felder each went 3 for 3 at the plate to lead Cabot’s 14-hit performance. McCluskey was even better in the nightcap. She pitched all five innings and gave up just one hit while again striking out five and walking no one.
Mountain Home (8-9, 3-3) hosts Little Rock Central in its next outing. Cabot plays a nonconference game at 5 p.m. today at Sylvan Hills, and will host another conference doubleheader against Jonesboro at 5 p.m. Thursday.
Leader sports editor
The Lady Panther softball team had little trouble with host Mountain Home on Friday. Cabot got an easy and fast sweep of the Bombers, winning 16-0 and 10-0 in the 7A/6A-East Conference doubleheader.
The Cabot bats were alive and the Bomber defense was not, leading to the huge margin and four-inning ending in game one. Cabot compiled 13 base hits and three walks to go with seven Mountain Home errors.
Lauren McCluskey pitched for Cabot and gave up just one hit over four innings with five strikeouts and zero walks.
The big inning in game one came early, as Cabot scored seven runs in the top of the first, starting with a leadoff walk by Leah Gerald. Bethany Knowles then reached on the first error to put two runners on for Southern Miss commitment Heather Hill.
She then ripped a double to left field to score both base runners to give the Lady Panthers a 2-0 lead with no outs. Hannah Montgomery benefitted from another MH error and Hill moved to third.
McCluskey singled to score Hill and was replaced by courtesy runner Kenzie Howard. Parker Steadman walked to load the bases before Kaitlyn Felder hit her own two-run single to center field for a 5-0 lead.
With runners on the corners, Felder’s courtesy runner, Tracy Hanson, stole second, and the MH second baseman failed to hold onto the throw from home.
That allowed Steadman to score before Rachel Allgood struck out for the first out of the inning. Macee Abbott popped up to first for the second out, but Hanson scored on a passed ball for the final run of the opening frame.
Cabot got a five-run second inning started with a leadoff single by Hill. Montgomery followed with a double to right that left both runners in scoring position.
McCluskey’s sacrifice grounder scored Hill and left Montgomery at third base. Steadman reached on a bunt single, and Felder’s second double drove in Montgomery for a 9-0 Cabot lead. Allgood walked and Abbott reached when MH tried, but failed, to get the out at home on her ground ball, making it 10-0 and leaving the bases loaded.
Gerald was then called out for interference after her bunt attempt. Knowles then singled to drive in Hanson and Allgood for a 12-0 lead going into the bottom of the second inning.
Cabot got just one run in the third. Montgomery was hit by the second pitch of the inning, and Steadman tripled with one out to make it 13-0.
In the decisive fourth inning, Bethany Knowles hit a two-out home run after Gerald’s leadoff single. Hill then singled to left field, advanced to second on an error and scored on another error to set the final margin.
Hill led Cabot in hits, going 3 for 4 with two RBIs. Knowles went 2 for 4 with four runs batted in. Felder went 2 for 3 with two doubles and three RBIs. Gerald and Steadman also had two hits apiece for the Lady Panthers (8-2, 6-0).
Playing as the home team in game two, Gerald singled to start the game and scored on a one-out double by Hill. She then scored on another double by Montgomery for a quick 2-0 lead.
Abbott and Gerald got on to start the second inning on a hit-by-pitch and an error, but were still standing on second and third with two outs. Montgomery then lined a single to left to score Abbott, and Gerald scored on yet another MH error.
No one scored in the third, but Cabot posted three in the fourth. Hill was hit, Montgomery singled and McCluskey walked to load the bases with no outs. Anna Beth Duncan singled to score Hill and Felder singled to score Montgomery.
Allgood’s bunt got Howard thrown out at home and Abbott lined out to center field, but Gerald drew a bases-loaded walk to score Duncan and give Cabot a 7-0 lead.
Needing three runs in the bottom of the fifth for another mercy-rule ending, the Lady Panthers got just that. Hill took a pitch off the arm and Montgomery walked to start the inning.
Two batters later, Steadman hit an RBI single that scored Hill and left two runners on base. Felder then singled to load the bases for Marlee Munford. She finished things off with a two-RBI double to the wall in center field for the 10-0 win.
Montgomery and Felder each went 3 for 3 at the plate to lead Cabot’s 14-hit performance. McCluskey was even better in the nightcap. She pitched all five innings and gave up just one hit while again striking out five and walking no one.
Mountain Home (8-9, 3-3) hosts Little Rock Central in its next outing. Cabot plays a nonconference game at 5 p.m. today at Sylvan Hills, and will host another conference doubleheader against Jonesboro at 5 p.m. Thursday.
SPORTS STORY >> Pitch Panthers shock Bombers
By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
The Cabot girls’ soccer team got another dominant performance while the boys picked up a big conference win last Friday against Mountain Home. The Lady Panthers routed Mountain Home 9-1 in a mercy-rule match while the boys handed the Bombers just their second loss of the season with a 2-0 win at Panther Stadium.
The Mountain Home ladies (5-6-1, 1-2) had no answer for Cabot’s powerful offense. The Lady Panthers scored on more than 60 percent of their shots, scoring on 9 of 15 shots on goal.
Junior Hadley Dickinson and sophomore Tristyn Edgar each pulled the hat trick while senior Maddie Rice and freshmen Gracen Turner and Brooklyn Stracener scored one goal apiece. Rice assisted on three other goals while Leelee Denton had two assists for Cabot.
The Lady Panthers (12-1, 3-0) have now outscored their three conference opponents by a combined 25-2.
The Cabot boys had not won a game when conference play began, but are leading the 7A/6A- East after three-straight wins. The Bombers (8-2-2, 2-1) were fresh off a 2-0 win at North Little Rock before being stunned by the Panthers (3-4-2, 3-0). Seth Whitman and Abi Brown posted Cabot’s two goals.
Both Cabot teams hosted Little Rock Christian Academy on Tuesday, and will travel to Jonesboro on Friday for another conference matchup against the Hurricanes.
Leader sports editor
The Cabot girls’ soccer team got another dominant performance while the boys picked up a big conference win last Friday against Mountain Home. The Lady Panthers routed Mountain Home 9-1 in a mercy-rule match while the boys handed the Bombers just their second loss of the season with a 2-0 win at Panther Stadium.
The Mountain Home ladies (5-6-1, 1-2) had no answer for Cabot’s powerful offense. The Lady Panthers scored on more than 60 percent of their shots, scoring on 9 of 15 shots on goal.
Junior Hadley Dickinson and sophomore Tristyn Edgar each pulled the hat trick while senior Maddie Rice and freshmen Gracen Turner and Brooklyn Stracener scored one goal apiece. Rice assisted on three other goals while Leelee Denton had two assists for Cabot.
The Lady Panthers (12-1, 3-0) have now outscored their three conference opponents by a combined 25-2.
The Cabot boys had not won a game when conference play began, but are leading the 7A/6A- East after three-straight wins. The Bombers (8-2-2, 2-1) were fresh off a 2-0 win at North Little Rock before being stunned by the Panthers (3-4-2, 3-0). Seth Whitman and Abi Brown posted Cabot’s two goals.
Both Cabot teams hosted Little Rock Christian Academy on Tuesday, and will travel to Jonesboro on Friday for another conference matchup against the Hurricanes.
SPORTS STORY >> Cabot capitalizes, Red Devils don’t
By GRAHAM POWELL
Leader sportswriter
Timely hits were the key to the Cabot baseball team’s 10-6 win over Jacksonville in a nonconference game Thursday at Dupree Park. The Red Devils outhit the Panthers 11-10 and the hosts committed one fewer error, but Jacksonville left 12 runners on base and Cabot did the better job of capitalizing with runners in scoring position.
“We had one more (error) than them and one less hit and somehow we win the game 10-6,” said Cabot coach Ronnie Goodwin. “Baseball’s a funny game. I remember a game last year we hit nine balls hard and the other team hit two balls hard and we lost the game 2-1.
“Timely hitting is the name of the game in this game, but I thought we took really, really good swings for the most part today. We kept forcing the action and putting pressure on them (Jacksonville).”
Both teams scored their first two runs in the second inning, but Cabot (13-5, 5-1) scored the next six to take an 8-2 lead. Four of those runs came in the top of the third.
Catcher Denver Mullins reached on an error at second base to lead off the third inning, but Eric Larsen hit into a 6-4 fielder’s choice the next at-bat. Jake Slunder and Braden Jarnigan followed with consecutive singles to load the bases, and Dylan Thomas hit a bases-clearing double to right center the next at-bat.
That gave Cabot a 5-2 lead, and Thomas scored two batters later on an infield single to shortstop by Logan Gilbertson. The Panthers added two more runs in the fourth.
Bobby Joe Duncan led off the fourth inning with a walk and Mullins singled to left field the next at-bat. Larsen then hit into a fielder’s choice at third base, but everyone was safe on the play, loading the bases.
Slunder then hit into a 1-2 fielder’s choice for the first out of the inning, but Jarnigan drove in Logan Edmondson, Mullins’ courtesy runner, the following at-bat with a sac fly to center field. Brett Brockinton flew out to right field the next at-bat for the third out, but not before Larsen scored on a passed ball, giving Cabot the 8-2 cushion.
Jacksonville (5-12, 3-3) scored one run each in the bottom of the fourth and fifth innings. Red Devil leadoff hitter Kameron Whitmore doubled to start the bottom of the fourth. He advanced to third base on a passed ball and scored on a Mike Havard groundout to first base.
In the bottom of the fifth, JHS catcher Javan Wakefield started things off with a single to left field. He stole second base and later scored on a sac fly by Tyson Flowers, which cut the Panthers’ lead to 8-4.
Cabot answered with two more runs in the top of the sixth. Larsen led off the inning with a single. Slunder followed that at-bat with a single, and Jarnigan drove in both runners with a standup double to right center on a hit-and-run play, giving CHS the six-run lead.
“The hit and run Jarnigan got later in the game – you know, if we don’t get that two-RBI double there on a hit and run, that game might get a little heady there at the end,” Goodwin said.
Jacksonville came back with two runs in the bottom of the seventh, but it wasn’t enough to get back in the game. Jordan Wickersham started things off with a one-out walk. Flowers sacrificed him to second base with a bunt, and Whitmore then reached on an error at shortstop, putting runners at the corners.
With Havard at the plate, Wickersham scored Jacksonville’s fifth run on a wild pitch, which also advanced Whitmore to second base, and he scored on Havard’s two-out double to right center, and that set the final score.
“We’ve been on the other end of a lot of games this year,” said Jacksonville coach Larry Burrows, “and, you know, I keep telling them to work hard and we’re going to start getting the break we need. We’re going to get that hit they need. We’re so close.”
In addition, Burrows would like to see his players do a better job of playing more for each other and the team.
“We’ve just got to play together more,” Burrows said. “I don’t know that there’s the desire to win for each other, and that’s what I was talking to them about (postgame). I think that’s pretty much it in a nutshell. We have enough ability. Obviously, we don’t have as much as we had last year. But we have enough ability and we’ve gotten better every week, just individually. But that’s what we’ve got to do is get better as a team.”
Havard led Jacksonville at the plate Thursday, going 3 for 4 with three RBIs. Whitmore, Brandon Hickingbotham, Caden Sample and Wakefield each had two hits for the Red Devils.
Slunder led Cabot offensively, going 3 for 3 with three runs scored. Jarnigan had two hits for the Panthers, and Blake McCutchen, Mullins, Larsen, Thomas and Gilbertson had one apiece.
Brodey Schluter got the win on the mound. He took to the hill with one out in the bottom of the second with the score tied at 2-2, and pitched through the sixth inning, finishing with three strikeouts.
The Panthers also got a pair of 7A/6A-East Conference wins at Mountain Home on Friday. Cabot beat the Bombers 13-0 in the first game of the twinbill, and edged the hosts in the nightcap with a 7-5 victory.
Jacksonville was off Friday, and resumed 5A-Central Conference play last night at Pulaski Academy after deadlines.
The Panthers also had a conference doubleheader last night. Theirs was at home against Jonesboro. Look for scores and details on those games in Saturday’s edition of The Leader.
Leader sportswriter
Timely hits were the key to the Cabot baseball team’s 10-6 win over Jacksonville in a nonconference game Thursday at Dupree Park. The Red Devils outhit the Panthers 11-10 and the hosts committed one fewer error, but Jacksonville left 12 runners on base and Cabot did the better job of capitalizing with runners in scoring position.
“We had one more (error) than them and one less hit and somehow we win the game 10-6,” said Cabot coach Ronnie Goodwin. “Baseball’s a funny game. I remember a game last year we hit nine balls hard and the other team hit two balls hard and we lost the game 2-1.
“Timely hitting is the name of the game in this game, but I thought we took really, really good swings for the most part today. We kept forcing the action and putting pressure on them (Jacksonville).”
Both teams scored their first two runs in the second inning, but Cabot (13-5, 5-1) scored the next six to take an 8-2 lead. Four of those runs came in the top of the third.
Catcher Denver Mullins reached on an error at second base to lead off the third inning, but Eric Larsen hit into a 6-4 fielder’s choice the next at-bat. Jake Slunder and Braden Jarnigan followed with consecutive singles to load the bases, and Dylan Thomas hit a bases-clearing double to right center the next at-bat.
That gave Cabot a 5-2 lead, and Thomas scored two batters later on an infield single to shortstop by Logan Gilbertson. The Panthers added two more runs in the fourth.
Bobby Joe Duncan led off the fourth inning with a walk and Mullins singled to left field the next at-bat. Larsen then hit into a fielder’s choice at third base, but everyone was safe on the play, loading the bases.
Slunder then hit into a 1-2 fielder’s choice for the first out of the inning, but Jarnigan drove in Logan Edmondson, Mullins’ courtesy runner, the following at-bat with a sac fly to center field. Brett Brockinton flew out to right field the next at-bat for the third out, but not before Larsen scored on a passed ball, giving Cabot the 8-2 cushion.
Jacksonville (5-12, 3-3) scored one run each in the bottom of the fourth and fifth innings. Red Devil leadoff hitter Kameron Whitmore doubled to start the bottom of the fourth. He advanced to third base on a passed ball and scored on a Mike Havard groundout to first base.
In the bottom of the fifth, JHS catcher Javan Wakefield started things off with a single to left field. He stole second base and later scored on a sac fly by Tyson Flowers, which cut the Panthers’ lead to 8-4.
Cabot answered with two more runs in the top of the sixth. Larsen led off the inning with a single. Slunder followed that at-bat with a single, and Jarnigan drove in both runners with a standup double to right center on a hit-and-run play, giving CHS the six-run lead.
“The hit and run Jarnigan got later in the game – you know, if we don’t get that two-RBI double there on a hit and run, that game might get a little heady there at the end,” Goodwin said.
Jacksonville came back with two runs in the bottom of the seventh, but it wasn’t enough to get back in the game. Jordan Wickersham started things off with a one-out walk. Flowers sacrificed him to second base with a bunt, and Whitmore then reached on an error at shortstop, putting runners at the corners.
With Havard at the plate, Wickersham scored Jacksonville’s fifth run on a wild pitch, which also advanced Whitmore to second base, and he scored on Havard’s two-out double to right center, and that set the final score.
“We’ve been on the other end of a lot of games this year,” said Jacksonville coach Larry Burrows, “and, you know, I keep telling them to work hard and we’re going to start getting the break we need. We’re going to get that hit they need. We’re so close.”
In addition, Burrows would like to see his players do a better job of playing more for each other and the team.
“We’ve just got to play together more,” Burrows said. “I don’t know that there’s the desire to win for each other, and that’s what I was talking to them about (postgame). I think that’s pretty much it in a nutshell. We have enough ability. Obviously, we don’t have as much as we had last year. But we have enough ability and we’ve gotten better every week, just individually. But that’s what we’ve got to do is get better as a team.”
Havard led Jacksonville at the plate Thursday, going 3 for 4 with three RBIs. Whitmore, Brandon Hickingbotham, Caden Sample and Wakefield each had two hits for the Red Devils.
Slunder led Cabot offensively, going 3 for 3 with three runs scored. Jarnigan had two hits for the Panthers, and Blake McCutchen, Mullins, Larsen, Thomas and Gilbertson had one apiece.
Brodey Schluter got the win on the mound. He took to the hill with one out in the bottom of the second with the score tied at 2-2, and pitched through the sixth inning, finishing with three strikeouts.
The Panthers also got a pair of 7A/6A-East Conference wins at Mountain Home on Friday. Cabot beat the Bombers 13-0 in the first game of the twinbill, and edged the hosts in the nightcap with a 7-5 victory.
Jacksonville was off Friday, and resumed 5A-Central Conference play last night at Pulaski Academy after deadlines.
The Panthers also had a conference doubleheader last night. Theirs was at home against Jonesboro. Look for scores and details on those games in Saturday’s edition of The Leader.
Friday, April 08, 2016
EDITORIAL >> Merle Haggard, 1937-2016
Like Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard was clearly a country singer, but his songs transcended across all lines, across all levels of America. It would be hard to find someone who didn’t know where an Okie came from…Muskogee, of course.
Haggard, affectionately referred to as the Hag, died Wednesday on his 79th birthday. He will be deeply missed by all musicians and fans.
I had a chance to spend a few moments with him at a Las Vegas casino where he had dropped and lost a few quarters. We both commiserated on the tightness of the machines, he talked a little more about this and that — just like a regular guy. But he was the one who spoke his mind often and strongly when it came to our country. He truly had a “Fightin’ Side.”
In his career he hit No. 1 on the charts 38 different times across three decades.
His connection to Cash is greater than just the music. Haggard actually served time in jail, where Cash saw him perform in the prison band and the Man in Black made sure Haggard would not be known as the Man in Orange.
Haggard, a stalwart of the Bakersfield, Calif., music scene, was a prolific songwriter as well as a singer who made you feel like his songs were just for you.
How many times have we said, “If we make it through December,” or felt the parental sadness in “Mama Tried,” the joyous mix of “Let’s Chase Each Other Around the Room” and the family ties in “Daddy Frank the Guitar Man.”
He sang about being a “Branded Man,” but it was hard to really put a brand on him. His music represented us all from angry to optimistic to broken hearts and true love. As wide ranging as his music was, so was his life.
His mom was asked once to sum him up and did it in one word, “unpredictable.”
“I come by it honestly. But I also plan it. I intend to be taking a different route this morning to wherever I’m going than I did yesterday morning, and I’m not gonna leave at the same time. And I’m not gonna worry about the show I’m doing this weekend till I get on stage. I just have always been that way. And you might even trick the devil once in a while, if nobody knows what you’re gonna do.”
There’s no doubt he tricked the devil and is taking his “Silver Wing” on an unpredictable route to heaven, but that’s where he’ll be cause the good Lord likes a little pickin’ too.
— Rick Kron
Haggard, affectionately referred to as the Hag, died Wednesday on his 79th birthday. He will be deeply missed by all musicians and fans.
I had a chance to spend a few moments with him at a Las Vegas casino where he had dropped and lost a few quarters. We both commiserated on the tightness of the machines, he talked a little more about this and that — just like a regular guy. But he was the one who spoke his mind often and strongly when it came to our country. He truly had a “Fightin’ Side.”
In his career he hit No. 1 on the charts 38 different times across three decades.
His connection to Cash is greater than just the music. Haggard actually served time in jail, where Cash saw him perform in the prison band and the Man in Black made sure Haggard would not be known as the Man in Orange.
Haggard, a stalwart of the Bakersfield, Calif., music scene, was a prolific songwriter as well as a singer who made you feel like his songs were just for you.
How many times have we said, “If we make it through December,” or felt the parental sadness in “Mama Tried,” the joyous mix of “Let’s Chase Each Other Around the Room” and the family ties in “Daddy Frank the Guitar Man.”
He sang about being a “Branded Man,” but it was hard to really put a brand on him. His music represented us all from angry to optimistic to broken hearts and true love. As wide ranging as his music was, so was his life.
His mom was asked once to sum him up and did it in one word, “unpredictable.”
“I come by it honestly. But I also plan it. I intend to be taking a different route this morning to wherever I’m going than I did yesterday morning, and I’m not gonna leave at the same time. And I’m not gonna worry about the show I’m doing this weekend till I get on stage. I just have always been that way. And you might even trick the devil once in a while, if nobody knows what you’re gonna do.”
There’s no doubt he tricked the devil and is taking his “Silver Wing” on an unpredictable route to heaven, but that’s where he’ll be cause the good Lord likes a little pickin’ too.
— Rick Kron
TOP STORY >> Ordnance unit defuses bombs
By CHRISTY HENDRICKS
Leader staff writer
“It’s not a souvenir. Its sole purpose in life is to kill people,” said Master Sgt. John Carroll, referring to ordnances. Carroll is the 19th Civil Engineer Squadron explosive ordnance disposal flight chief at Little Rock Air Force Base.
The base EOD unit was called out last week after a Hot Springs resident found a Civil War-era explosive device while doing excavation work in Danville (Yell County).
According to reports, the man brought the item back to his home in Hot Springs and, after doing some research, realized it was a possible land mine and contacted Hot Springs Police. The department contacted the base and an EOD unit was sent out. The unit determined it was an explosive and disposed of it by detonating it at a landfill.
“Several people are upset that we took this suspected land mine and didn’t give it to a museum, but we can’t,” Carroll told The Leader on Thursday. “Liability prevents us from doing that. If we give it to somebody and someone gets killed, it comes back on us. If it’s explosive or suspected to be explosive we are taking possession of it, and we are getting rid of it in a safe and expedient method.”
“It all comes back to safety,” he said. “The safest thing is for us to make it go away. We’re gonna make it go away and what we’re not gonna do is turn it over to somebody.”
Summer tends to be a busier time for the unit because “people are out doing more. Hunting season, people go out in the woods, they start finding stuff in the woods.”
“If you have an explosive device in your home, call the authorities,” Carroll said. “Ordnance items are not good souvenirs to have.”
Carroll laid out the proper route to follow if you come across an ordnance or suspected explosive device.
First, do not touch it. “Not every ordnance was designed to go off at impact,” he said. “Some items are meant to go off at a later time. Just because it didn’t go off doesn’t mean its safe. It doesn’t mean it’s a dud. Duds aren’t safe.”
Second, mark the area off. This let’s the bomb unit know where to go when they are called out.
Third, report the item to the local authority. That could be city, county or state law enforcement.
“I can’t speak for the different agencies on how they operate, but most likely a bomb tech from one of those agencies will go out and look at it and if it’s a military ordnance they’re not supposed to touch it, they call us,” Carroll said. “We can’t take a call from any ‘Joe schmo.’ It has to be from an official agency. They would call us most likely, we have to direct them to the command post. All calls have to come from command post.”
“If we get the call, the first thing we’re going do is make sure command post is notified. Sometimes we get a call from the State Police, they’ll shoot us a text of the suspected item,” Carroll. “They know they also have to contact the command post, but they’ll give us a heads up so we know to start prepping our gear. Then they’ll contact the command post to make the official request.”
Agencies must also ask permission for the base EOD unit to respond off base.
“Ultimately, Little Rock Air Force Base is our primary mission,” Carroll said. “If we don’t have the manning due to other mission requirements, we wouldn’t be able to roll out. Or maybe there’s other safety concerns, maybe there’s lightning. I’m not going to have my guys out pulling explosives if they’re in the middle a thunderstorm where there’s lightning. Explosives, they just don’t get along very well with lightning. If it’s not safe for my guys they’re not going to roll out, not until it is.”
When the unit is given a go-ahead to respond they will gather the equipment needed, such as explosives, firearms and other classified materials that may be needed to diffuse or detonate the item. “The rest of it’s going to be situationally dependant,” he said. “There’s a primary checklist of things that will also go. We take several tools.”
The unit has to verify whether the ordnance is explosive or not. “We use some of our specialized equipment to try to find out the status of the suspected item. If it is explosive, or it’s suspected to be explosive, and we can’t verify it, you always have to err on the side of safety and assume that it is. If it’s deemed to be explosive, we can’t give it to anybody.”
“There is an inherent danger with explosives,” he continued. “If an item can be disposed of locally we will, but sometimes that’s not the best method. Sometimes you can’t find a place locally to dispose of it. If it’s something in downtown Little Rock, you can’t blow it up in downtown Little Rock. I’m going to have to transport it out of the city to dispose of it. We will transport occasionally to a safer location to do a safe disposal.”
“Our job in general, everything we do is in the interest of public safety,” he said. “Our primary mission is to prevent the loss of life or property in the safest way possible, however that may be.”
Last fall, the unit was called to Cabot to dispose of a Civil War-era cannon ball, to North Little Rock to dispose of a chain shot and to Pea Ridge to dispose of a James round. “Cannonballs, those are explosive,” he said. “The James round is by far the most hazardous.”
“A lot of people have this misconception that Civil War ordnances didn’t have explosives in them,” he said. “They think it’s just solid chunks of steel. And that is not the case. Explosives were weaponized hundreds of years ago. It’s estimated that the Chinese first stared using fireworks in the 10th Century. Explosives have been around for a minute. They just weren’t weaponized until later. By Civil War time, they were certainly weaponized.”
Occasionally the unit will be called when an elderly person has passed away and happened to have a souvenir, such as a hand grenade he may have brought home from World War I or II.
“That was allowed back then,” Carroll said. “And so, grandpa dies, and he has a hand grenade in the house. The odds are if it’s in grandpa’s old stash, it’s not armed and it’s safe to transport for us. It doesn’t mean it is, so we still have to do our typical routine of verifying its condition (before transport).”
Leader staff writer
“It’s not a souvenir. Its sole purpose in life is to kill people,” said Master Sgt. John Carroll, referring to ordnances. Carroll is the 19th Civil Engineer Squadron explosive ordnance disposal flight chief at Little Rock Air Force Base.
The base EOD unit was called out last week after a Hot Springs resident found a Civil War-era explosive device while doing excavation work in Danville (Yell County).
According to reports, the man brought the item back to his home in Hot Springs and, after doing some research, realized it was a possible land mine and contacted Hot Springs Police. The department contacted the base and an EOD unit was sent out. The unit determined it was an explosive and disposed of it by detonating it at a landfill.
“Several people are upset that we took this suspected land mine and didn’t give it to a museum, but we can’t,” Carroll told The Leader on Thursday. “Liability prevents us from doing that. If we give it to somebody and someone gets killed, it comes back on us. If it’s explosive or suspected to be explosive we are taking possession of it, and we are getting rid of it in a safe and expedient method.”
“It all comes back to safety,” he said. “The safest thing is for us to make it go away. We’re gonna make it go away and what we’re not gonna do is turn it over to somebody.”
Summer tends to be a busier time for the unit because “people are out doing more. Hunting season, people go out in the woods, they start finding stuff in the woods.”
“If you have an explosive device in your home, call the authorities,” Carroll said. “Ordnance items are not good souvenirs to have.”
Carroll laid out the proper route to follow if you come across an ordnance or suspected explosive device.
First, do not touch it. “Not every ordnance was designed to go off at impact,” he said. “Some items are meant to go off at a later time. Just because it didn’t go off doesn’t mean its safe. It doesn’t mean it’s a dud. Duds aren’t safe.”
Second, mark the area off. This let’s the bomb unit know where to go when they are called out.
Third, report the item to the local authority. That could be city, county or state law enforcement.
“I can’t speak for the different agencies on how they operate, but most likely a bomb tech from one of those agencies will go out and look at it and if it’s a military ordnance they’re not supposed to touch it, they call us,” Carroll said. “We can’t take a call from any ‘Joe schmo.’ It has to be from an official agency. They would call us most likely, we have to direct them to the command post. All calls have to come from command post.”
“If we get the call, the first thing we’re going do is make sure command post is notified. Sometimes we get a call from the State Police, they’ll shoot us a text of the suspected item,” Carroll. “They know they also have to contact the command post, but they’ll give us a heads up so we know to start prepping our gear. Then they’ll contact the command post to make the official request.”
Agencies must also ask permission for the base EOD unit to respond off base.
“Ultimately, Little Rock Air Force Base is our primary mission,” Carroll said. “If we don’t have the manning due to other mission requirements, we wouldn’t be able to roll out. Or maybe there’s other safety concerns, maybe there’s lightning. I’m not going to have my guys out pulling explosives if they’re in the middle a thunderstorm where there’s lightning. Explosives, they just don’t get along very well with lightning. If it’s not safe for my guys they’re not going to roll out, not until it is.”
When the unit is given a go-ahead to respond they will gather the equipment needed, such as explosives, firearms and other classified materials that may be needed to diffuse or detonate the item. “The rest of it’s going to be situationally dependant,” he said. “There’s a primary checklist of things that will also go. We take several tools.”
The unit has to verify whether the ordnance is explosive or not. “We use some of our specialized equipment to try to find out the status of the suspected item. If it is explosive, or it’s suspected to be explosive, and we can’t verify it, you always have to err on the side of safety and assume that it is. If it’s deemed to be explosive, we can’t give it to anybody.”
“There is an inherent danger with explosives,” he continued. “If an item can be disposed of locally we will, but sometimes that’s not the best method. Sometimes you can’t find a place locally to dispose of it. If it’s something in downtown Little Rock, you can’t blow it up in downtown Little Rock. I’m going to have to transport it out of the city to dispose of it. We will transport occasionally to a safer location to do a safe disposal.”
“Our job in general, everything we do is in the interest of public safety,” he said. “Our primary mission is to prevent the loss of life or property in the safest way possible, however that may be.”
Last fall, the unit was called to Cabot to dispose of a Civil War-era cannon ball, to North Little Rock to dispose of a chain shot and to Pea Ridge to dispose of a James round. “Cannonballs, those are explosive,” he said. “The James round is by far the most hazardous.”
“A lot of people have this misconception that Civil War ordnances didn’t have explosives in them,” he said. “They think it’s just solid chunks of steel. And that is not the case. Explosives were weaponized hundreds of years ago. It’s estimated that the Chinese first stared using fireworks in the 10th Century. Explosives have been around for a minute. They just weren’t weaponized until later. By Civil War time, they were certainly weaponized.”
Occasionally the unit will be called when an elderly person has passed away and happened to have a souvenir, such as a hand grenade he may have brought home from World War I or II.
“That was allowed back then,” Carroll said. “And so, grandpa dies, and he has a hand grenade in the house. The odds are if it’s in grandpa’s old stash, it’s not armed and it’s safe to transport for us. It doesn’t mean it is, so we still have to do our typical routine of verifying its condition (before transport).”
TOP STORY >> Funeral home’s owners’ trial set
By JOHN HOFHEIMER
Leader senior staff writer
Circuit Judge Chris Piazza on Thursday split the trial of Arkansas Funeral Care owners Leroy Wood, 84, and Rodney (Rod) Wood, 61, his son, from that of the manager, Edward Snow. Each was charged with 13 felony counts of abusing a corpse after an investigator for the state Board of Embalmers and Funeral Home Directors found bodies “stacked on top of each other” and a cooler “filled beyond capacity.”
The three men operated the Jacksonville funeral home, located at 2620 W. Main St. It was shut down Jan. 12, 2015.
Leroy Wood, 87, is a Jacksonville resident. Rodney Wood, 62, lives in Heber Springs and Snow, 64, is a Cabot resident.
Piazza set an April 21 pre-trial hearing for the Woods. Among the issues to be resolved is whether the search of the funeral home, conducted by board investigator Leslie Stokes, was “out of bounds,” said former Attorney General Dustin McDaniel, Leroy Wood’s lawyer.
He called the search warrantless, and, along with Patrick Benca for Rodney Wood and Majorie Rogers for Snow, is contesting admissibility of Stokes’ testimony.
McDaniel said that issue was to have been resolved Thursday, but that Stokes, who has moved out of the area, wasn’t there.
McDaniel said later that the prosecution had known since October that he would challenge the admissibility of Stokes’ testimony at the pre-trial hearing Thursday.
The Woods will be tried April 25-27. Snow’s pre-trial hearing is set for May 24 and trial for June 27.
On Jan. 23, 2015, the state Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors levied a $10,000 fine and closed Arkansas Funeral Care by accepting voluntarily surrendered funeral director, crematory and establishment licenses from Leroy Wood. That fine has been paid, according to board Secretary Amy Goode.
According to the affidavit, employees told police there was an unusual number of death calls in January. They said the management refused to pay overtime and would not cremate or bury anyone until services were paid for in full.
The employees also claimed the Woods denied requests for additional help, equipment and overtime because they said they couldn’t afford it. The father and son were planning to open another funeral home in Alma at that time.
The affidavit lists 12 witnesses, with one being the board’s inspector and another being a Jacksonville police officer. It’s probable the other 10 are employees.
The affidavit also reads, “There is evidence of multiple bodies stored outside of the cooler over a period of time in January…Bodies were stacked on top of one another, on pallets, on the washer and dryer and on every available space they could find.
“Coffee cans with deodorizer were placed next to bodies to help with the odor in the room. The employees reported they were astonished that management refused to stop taking bodies when there was nowhere left to put them.”
Stokes first presented her report during a Jan. 21 emergency teleconference, and 31 bodies and 22 remains were immediately removed from the home.
Leader senior staff writer
Circuit Judge Chris Piazza on Thursday split the trial of Arkansas Funeral Care owners Leroy Wood, 84, and Rodney (Rod) Wood, 61, his son, from that of the manager, Edward Snow. Each was charged with 13 felony counts of abusing a corpse after an investigator for the state Board of Embalmers and Funeral Home Directors found bodies “stacked on top of each other” and a cooler “filled beyond capacity.”
The three men operated the Jacksonville funeral home, located at 2620 W. Main St. It was shut down Jan. 12, 2015.
Leroy Wood, 87, is a Jacksonville resident. Rodney Wood, 62, lives in Heber Springs and Snow, 64, is a Cabot resident.
Piazza set an April 21 pre-trial hearing for the Woods. Among the issues to be resolved is whether the search of the funeral home, conducted by board investigator Leslie Stokes, was “out of bounds,” said former Attorney General Dustin McDaniel, Leroy Wood’s lawyer.
He called the search warrantless, and, along with Patrick Benca for Rodney Wood and Majorie Rogers for Snow, is contesting admissibility of Stokes’ testimony.
McDaniel said that issue was to have been resolved Thursday, but that Stokes, who has moved out of the area, wasn’t there.
McDaniel said later that the prosecution had known since October that he would challenge the admissibility of Stokes’ testimony at the pre-trial hearing Thursday.
The Woods will be tried April 25-27. Snow’s pre-trial hearing is set for May 24 and trial for June 27.
On Jan. 23, 2015, the state Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors levied a $10,000 fine and closed Arkansas Funeral Care by accepting voluntarily surrendered funeral director, crematory and establishment licenses from Leroy Wood. That fine has been paid, according to board Secretary Amy Goode.
According to the affidavit, employees told police there was an unusual number of death calls in January. They said the management refused to pay overtime and would not cremate or bury anyone until services were paid for in full.
The employees also claimed the Woods denied requests for additional help, equipment and overtime because they said they couldn’t afford it. The father and son were planning to open another funeral home in Alma at that time.
The affidavit lists 12 witnesses, with one being the board’s inspector and another being a Jacksonville police officer. It’s probable the other 10 are employees.
The affidavit also reads, “There is evidence of multiple bodies stored outside of the cooler over a period of time in January…Bodies were stacked on top of one another, on pallets, on the washer and dryer and on every available space they could find.
“Coffee cans with deodorizer were placed next to bodies to help with the odor in the room. The employees reported they were astonished that management refused to stop taking bodies when there was nowhere left to put them.”
Stokes first presented her report during a Jan. 21 emergency teleconference, and 31 bodies and 22 remains were immediately removed from the home.
TOP STORY >> Store attracts big crowd
Hundreds of people lined up early Wednesday morning outside the new Edwards Cash Saver in Jacksonville, eager to get their $1 silver coins and check out the bargains inside.
The cost-plus supermarket is similar to the Edwards Cash Saver in downtown Little Rock and Levy. All goods are available at the stores’ cost plus 10 percent at checkout.
The line stretched around the corner in front of the old Knight’s Super Foods store in Jackson Square, 315 S. James St.
The remodeled 42,000-square-foot store was newly painted inside and outside, with updated fixtures and a wide variety of groceries, from freshly cut meat to cage-free eggs and organic vegetables and much more.
In a few minutes, a throng of shoppers rushed into the store as if it were Black Friday, beckoned by the bright lights and white walls with new shelves and crates of daily specials inside.
Business was booming all day as shoppers filled the parking lot and 600 shopping carts and more were in steady use late into the evening.
But before all that, Steve Edwards, owner and president, hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony with Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce members and city officials.
Joining him were Oral Edwards, his father and company founder; Ashley and Paul Rowton, Steve’s daughter and son-in-law; executive vice president Gary Proffitt and his wife Amy; store manger Ron Davis, Mayor Gary Fletcher and others.
Edwards told the assembled crowd, “This is a special day for the Edwards family.”
“This happened really fast,” Edwards said. “We started construction 48 days ago to make it a great place to shop. We think our timing is perfect.”
He said the company, which is based in east Arkansas and has been rapidly expanding into the Little Rock market, had long been interested in moving to Jacksonville.
“We’ve been looking at Jacksonville for a long time,” Edwards said. “When Knight’s became available, we jumped on it.”
Knight’s continues to operate stores in Cabot and Beebe.
Edwards, who was a member of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission for 16 years, said Jacksonville is poised for growth, pointing to a new high school that will be built behind the store and a SIG Sauer ammo plant going up on Gen. Samuels Road.
“The city voted to invest in itself with a millage increase” to build the new high school, Edwards said, which is why his company made a big investment in the store.
He said Fletcher and city administrator Jim Durham helped smooth the way for the acquisition. In other towns, Edwards said, a businessman might see the mayor once. “Not here. They were always available.”
Fletcher returned the compliment. “This is going to help revitalize downtown,” the mayor said. “I predict this will be your No. 1 producing store.”
After first day’s business, Fletcher might not be wide of the mark. Edwards praised Proffitt for doing a great job supervising the store’s remodeling the last seven weeks. Proffitt, who worked as a teenager for Knight’s Super Foods in Cabot, also worked for Food 4 Less and Fleming Foods, a wholesale supplier, before going to work for Edwards almost 20 years ago.
The store has 50 full-time employees and 70 part-time workers, Edwards said.
Carlos Alatreste is the meat manager and Mark Ledbetter is the produce manager.
The store does not have a full-service deli, but it has a large smoker making hot smoked ribs, chickens, pork, brisket and other meat items available daily.
The store also has a large fresh produce department along with a full selection of name-brand and private-label grocery items.
One customer remarked she was pleased with the selection of organics from salad greens to milk, half-and-half, cream cheese, eggs and canned tomatoes and tomato sauce.
In addition, she said there is a large selection of fresh produce, not to mention a huge assortment of dried herbs, spices and condiments.
The Edwards stores have become known as “The Meat People” and the Jacksonville store includes a large meat department, which features certified Angus beef.
The store emphasizes fresh meat especially because large chains like Walmart have eliminated their butchers.
Associated Wholesale Grocers in Memphis is Edwards’ main supplier. This is the seventh store in central Arkansas for the Edwards family since entering the market in 2009.
GES, Inc., the Edwards’ parent company, was formed in 1968 to consolidate a group of supermarkets. The corporation now owns 10 supermarkets since moving into the Little Rock market in 2009.
The company has four supermarkets in Little Rock, one in North Little Rock and Bryant, as well as stores in Forrest City, Harrisburg and Marianna, along with convenience stores in McCrory and Augusta. Oral and Steve Edwards, who have more than 80 years of grocery experience between them, own GES, Inc. Along with Proffitt, the Edwards family also owns Tobacco Warehouse, LLC, which operates convenience stores.
The cost-plus supermarket is similar to the Edwards Cash Saver in downtown Little Rock and Levy. All goods are available at the stores’ cost plus 10 percent at checkout.
The line stretched around the corner in front of the old Knight’s Super Foods store in Jackson Square, 315 S. James St.
The remodeled 42,000-square-foot store was newly painted inside and outside, with updated fixtures and a wide variety of groceries, from freshly cut meat to cage-free eggs and organic vegetables and much more.
In a few minutes, a throng of shoppers rushed into the store as if it were Black Friday, beckoned by the bright lights and white walls with new shelves and crates of daily specials inside.
Business was booming all day as shoppers filled the parking lot and 600 shopping carts and more were in steady use late into the evening.
But before all that, Steve Edwards, owner and president, hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony with Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce members and city officials.
Joining him were Oral Edwards, his father and company founder; Ashley and Paul Rowton, Steve’s daughter and son-in-law; executive vice president Gary Proffitt and his wife Amy; store manger Ron Davis, Mayor Gary Fletcher and others.
Edwards told the assembled crowd, “This is a special day for the Edwards family.”
“This happened really fast,” Edwards said. “We started construction 48 days ago to make it a great place to shop. We think our timing is perfect.”
He said the company, which is based in east Arkansas and has been rapidly expanding into the Little Rock market, had long been interested in moving to Jacksonville.
“We’ve been looking at Jacksonville for a long time,” Edwards said. “When Knight’s became available, we jumped on it.”
Knight’s continues to operate stores in Cabot and Beebe.
Edwards, who was a member of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission for 16 years, said Jacksonville is poised for growth, pointing to a new high school that will be built behind the store and a SIG Sauer ammo plant going up on Gen. Samuels Road.
“The city voted to invest in itself with a millage increase” to build the new high school, Edwards said, which is why his company made a big investment in the store.
He said Fletcher and city administrator Jim Durham helped smooth the way for the acquisition. In other towns, Edwards said, a businessman might see the mayor once. “Not here. They were always available.”
Fletcher returned the compliment. “This is going to help revitalize downtown,” the mayor said. “I predict this will be your No. 1 producing store.”
After first day’s business, Fletcher might not be wide of the mark. Edwards praised Proffitt for doing a great job supervising the store’s remodeling the last seven weeks. Proffitt, who worked as a teenager for Knight’s Super Foods in Cabot, also worked for Food 4 Less and Fleming Foods, a wholesale supplier, before going to work for Edwards almost 20 years ago.
The store has 50 full-time employees and 70 part-time workers, Edwards said.
Carlos Alatreste is the meat manager and Mark Ledbetter is the produce manager.
The store does not have a full-service deli, but it has a large smoker making hot smoked ribs, chickens, pork, brisket and other meat items available daily.
The store also has a large fresh produce department along with a full selection of name-brand and private-label grocery items.
One customer remarked she was pleased with the selection of organics from salad greens to milk, half-and-half, cream cheese, eggs and canned tomatoes and tomato sauce.
In addition, she said there is a large selection of fresh produce, not to mention a huge assortment of dried herbs, spices and condiments.
The Edwards stores have become known as “The Meat People” and the Jacksonville store includes a large meat department, which features certified Angus beef.
The store emphasizes fresh meat especially because large chains like Walmart have eliminated their butchers.
Associated Wholesale Grocers in Memphis is Edwards’ main supplier. This is the seventh store in central Arkansas for the Edwards family since entering the market in 2009.
GES, Inc., the Edwards’ parent company, was formed in 1968 to consolidate a group of supermarkets. The corporation now owns 10 supermarkets since moving into the Little Rock market in 2009.
The company has four supermarkets in Little Rock, one in North Little Rock and Bryant, as well as stores in Forrest City, Harrisburg and Marianna, along with convenience stores in McCrory and Augusta. Oral and Steve Edwards, who have more than 80 years of grocery experience between them, own GES, Inc. Along with Proffitt, the Edwards family also owns Tobacco Warehouse, LLC, which operates convenience stores.
SPORTS STORY >> Badgers split two with Bruins
By GRAHAM POWELL
Leader sportswriter
The Beebe Badger baseball team split its 5A-Central Conference doubleheader with Pulaski Academy on Tuesday at Gillam Fields in Beebe. The Badgers dropped the first game 9-7 before lighting up the Bruins 17-0 in game two, thanks to 15 base hits and a no-hitter from Arkansas Razorback signee Angus Denton.
In game one, Pulaski Academy (7-7, 3-1) jumped out to a quick 7-0 lead in the first two innings of play. The Bruins scored one run in the top of the first before reeling off six more in the second to take the seven-run lead.
Beebe (5-11, 4-2) didn’t get things going until the fifth inning. In that inning, the Badgers scored four runs and added three more in the bottom of the seventh to set the final score. They had a chance to win it with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the seventh, but a fly out to right field ended it in PA’s favor.
“That first game, we played maybe an inning and a half of baseball, the way it’s supposed to be played,” said Beebe coach Mark Crafton. “When you spot a team seven runs off of just mental errors and you have the physical errors on top of that, it’s hard to bounce back.
“In high school baseball, sometimes you have those good comebacks and sometimes you don’t, and we just ran out of time. We had opportunities, but we didn’t capitalize on those opportunities.”
John Finley started on the mound for Beebe in game one, and pitched well, but the defense struggled to make plays behind him and it took too long for the Badger bats to get going, and in the end, the Bruins’ seven-run cushion was too much to overcome.
“I tell you, John Finley pitched an outstanding game,” Crafton said. “We just didn’t do anything offensively or defensively to back him and I hate that for him. Being a senior, his last few outings he’s been outstanding. We just haven’t given him any run production.
“We’re young and we’re kind of learning the game as we go and trying to find the right mix. Game one was a lot different than game two. The kids play completely different when they have Angus on the mound and I don’t understand that.”
Beebe played as the visiting team in game two, and Denton was given a four-run cushion before he threw a pitch. Carson McNeill hit a one-out single to center field to start the first-inning rally.
Denton reached on an error at third base the next at-bat. Finley followed with a double to drive in McNeill and Johnathan McGhee drove in runs two and three with a single to center field.
McGhee advanced to second base on a passed ball and scored two batters later on a two-out single by Alec Matlock, which put the Badgers up 4-0. Beebe’s most productive inning came in the top of the second. The Badgers scored six more runs in that inning to push their lead to 10-0.
Nine-hole hitter JT Nicholson led off the second inning with a bunt single, and he advanced to second base on the same play because of an errant throw to first. Leadoff hitter Hunter Naramore was hit by a pitch the next at-bat, and McNeill singled after that to load the bases.
Denton was then plunked on the first pitch of his at-bat, which gave him an RBI as Nicholson scored for a 5-0 Badger lead. Finely followed with a two-RBI single to left field that upped the Beebe lead to 7-0, and McGhee and Bryson Halford walked the next two at-bats. Halford’s walk was with the bases loaded, which allowed CJ Cauldwell, Denton’s courtesy runner, to score for an 8-0 BHS lead.
Blaine Burge drove in the next run with a 6-4 fielder’s choice, and Nicholson made it 10-0 with a two-out single to right field, scoring McGhee. Beebe added a pair of runs in the third and fourth innings before putting three more across the plate in the fifth to set the final score of game two.
Halford walked to lead off the fifth and Matlock reached on a dropped fly ball in right field the next at-bat. Halford advanced all the way to third on the dropped ball and Matlock went to second on the same play. Halford and Matlock scored shortly after and Beebe scored its last run of the night on a sac fly to left field by Denton.
Pulaski Academy’s Jacob Andersen reached on an error at shortstop in the bottom of the seventh to give the Bruins a base runner, but Will Hart popped into a 1-3 double play to end the game early because of the sportsmanship rule.
Denton finished the no-hit outing with nine strikeouts and just one walk. McNeill led Beebe at the plate in game two, going 4 for 4 with four singles. Finley was 3 for 3. Nicholson was 2 for 3 and Naramore, Denton, McGhee, Halford, Matlock and Hayden Crafton had one hit each in game two. Denton led Beebe with three hits in game one.
Leader sportswriter
The Beebe Badger baseball team split its 5A-Central Conference doubleheader with Pulaski Academy on Tuesday at Gillam Fields in Beebe. The Badgers dropped the first game 9-7 before lighting up the Bruins 17-0 in game two, thanks to 15 base hits and a no-hitter from Arkansas Razorback signee Angus Denton.
In game one, Pulaski Academy (7-7, 3-1) jumped out to a quick 7-0 lead in the first two innings of play. The Bruins scored one run in the top of the first before reeling off six more in the second to take the seven-run lead.
Beebe (5-11, 4-2) didn’t get things going until the fifth inning. In that inning, the Badgers scored four runs and added three more in the bottom of the seventh to set the final score. They had a chance to win it with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the seventh, but a fly out to right field ended it in PA’s favor.
“That first game, we played maybe an inning and a half of baseball, the way it’s supposed to be played,” said Beebe coach Mark Crafton. “When you spot a team seven runs off of just mental errors and you have the physical errors on top of that, it’s hard to bounce back.
“In high school baseball, sometimes you have those good comebacks and sometimes you don’t, and we just ran out of time. We had opportunities, but we didn’t capitalize on those opportunities.”
John Finley started on the mound for Beebe in game one, and pitched well, but the defense struggled to make plays behind him and it took too long for the Badger bats to get going, and in the end, the Bruins’ seven-run cushion was too much to overcome.
“I tell you, John Finley pitched an outstanding game,” Crafton said. “We just didn’t do anything offensively or defensively to back him and I hate that for him. Being a senior, his last few outings he’s been outstanding. We just haven’t given him any run production.
“We’re young and we’re kind of learning the game as we go and trying to find the right mix. Game one was a lot different than game two. The kids play completely different when they have Angus on the mound and I don’t understand that.”
Beebe played as the visiting team in game two, and Denton was given a four-run cushion before he threw a pitch. Carson McNeill hit a one-out single to center field to start the first-inning rally.
Denton reached on an error at third base the next at-bat. Finley followed with a double to drive in McNeill and Johnathan McGhee drove in runs two and three with a single to center field.
McGhee advanced to second base on a passed ball and scored two batters later on a two-out single by Alec Matlock, which put the Badgers up 4-0. Beebe’s most productive inning came in the top of the second. The Badgers scored six more runs in that inning to push their lead to 10-0.
Nine-hole hitter JT Nicholson led off the second inning with a bunt single, and he advanced to second base on the same play because of an errant throw to first. Leadoff hitter Hunter Naramore was hit by a pitch the next at-bat, and McNeill singled after that to load the bases.
Denton was then plunked on the first pitch of his at-bat, which gave him an RBI as Nicholson scored for a 5-0 Badger lead. Finely followed with a two-RBI single to left field that upped the Beebe lead to 7-0, and McGhee and Bryson Halford walked the next two at-bats. Halford’s walk was with the bases loaded, which allowed CJ Cauldwell, Denton’s courtesy runner, to score for an 8-0 BHS lead.
Blaine Burge drove in the next run with a 6-4 fielder’s choice, and Nicholson made it 10-0 with a two-out single to right field, scoring McGhee. Beebe added a pair of runs in the third and fourth innings before putting three more across the plate in the fifth to set the final score of game two.
Halford walked to lead off the fifth and Matlock reached on a dropped fly ball in right field the next at-bat. Halford advanced all the way to third on the dropped ball and Matlock went to second on the same play. Halford and Matlock scored shortly after and Beebe scored its last run of the night on a sac fly to left field by Denton.
Pulaski Academy’s Jacob Andersen reached on an error at shortstop in the bottom of the seventh to give the Bruins a base runner, but Will Hart popped into a 1-3 double play to end the game early because of the sportsmanship rule.
Denton finished the no-hit outing with nine strikeouts and just one walk. McNeill led Beebe at the plate in game two, going 4 for 4 with four singles. Finley was 3 for 3. Nicholson was 2 for 3 and Naramore, Denton, McGhee, Halford, Matlock and Hayden Crafton had one hit each in game two. Denton led Beebe with three hits in game one.
SPORTS STORY >> Panthers dominate Cat relays
By GRAHAM POWELL
Leader sportswriter
The Cabot High School boys’ track team dominated the competition at Thursday’s Wampus Cat Relays at Conway High School. The Panthers racked up 143 team points to win the boys’ meet, which was 25 points ahead of Conway’s second-place total of 118.
Only two other schools broke 100 points in the boys’ division. Parkview finished third with 105 points and Bryant finished fourth with 101. Little Rock Central was fifth with 44 points. Sylvan Hills’ boys finished eighth out of the 12 teams competing Thursday. The Bears totaled 23 points – three more than ninth-place J.A. Fair.
Ten of Cabot’s points were scored by junior Matt Stanley, who won the high jump with a height of 6-feet, 4inches. It was an inch higher than Greg Mitchell of Little Rock Central, who cleared 6-3.
Cabot teammate Jarrod Barnes won the long jump by nine inches Thursday. His winning jump was 20-feet, 10.5 inches. Kolby McNeal of Parkview was second with a jump of 20-feet, 1.5 inches.
Cabot’s Brandon Jones won the discus throw with a toss of 148-feet, 5.25 inches, which was more than five feet further than the second-place throw.
Teammate Rocky Burke won the boys’ pole vault with a height of 12-feet, 6 inches, and Cabot’s Braxton Burton was second in that event with a vault of 11-feet.
Mark Odom edged Parkview’s Amari James in the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 14.75 seconds. For Sylvan Hills, Nathan Burd placed second in the 1,600-meter run with a time of 4:48.38. Conway’s Toler Freyaldenhoven won that race with a time of 4:16.51.
The Panthers had several second-place finishes as well. Cabot’s 4x800-meter relay team of Jack Moore, Stuart Nickell, Gardner Howze and Greyson Kaufman finished second behind Conway with a time of 8:37.39.
Cabot’s 4x100 relay team of Alex Roberts, Brandon Whitley, Rocky Burke and Connor Daigle took second behind Parkview with a time of 44.30. Britton Alley was second in the 400-meter dash with a time of 51.38, and Odom was second in the 100-meter dash with a time of 11.47.
In the girls’ meet, the host school edged Bryant for the top spot in the team standings.
Conway won it with 161 points. Bryant finished with 144.5 team points and Sylvan Hills was third out of the 11 teams competing, finishing with 81.5 points. Cabot was fifth with 62.5 points.
The Lady Bears claimed the top two spots in the girls’ shot put. Sa’maya Farmer won the event with a toss of 33-feet, and teammate Raigen Thomas finished second with a throw of 31-feet, 7 inches.
Two more Lady Bears earned first and second place in the discus throw. Sierra Towles won that event with a throw of 101-feet, 10.5 inches, and Jayla Bell finished just behind her with a second-place throw of 98-feet, 1.5 inches.
Cabot’s Casey Gore finished second in the 1,600-meter run. Her time of 5:31.10 was just behind Lauren Campbell of Conway. Campbell finished in 5:27.61. In the 300-meter hurdles, Sylvan Hills’ Makayla Smith took second with a time of 50.17 seconds.
Haley Hood of Bryant won that event with a time of 46.16.
Leader sportswriter
The Cabot High School boys’ track team dominated the competition at Thursday’s Wampus Cat Relays at Conway High School. The Panthers racked up 143 team points to win the boys’ meet, which was 25 points ahead of Conway’s second-place total of 118.
Only two other schools broke 100 points in the boys’ division. Parkview finished third with 105 points and Bryant finished fourth with 101. Little Rock Central was fifth with 44 points. Sylvan Hills’ boys finished eighth out of the 12 teams competing Thursday. The Bears totaled 23 points – three more than ninth-place J.A. Fair.
Ten of Cabot’s points were scored by junior Matt Stanley, who won the high jump with a height of 6-feet, 4inches. It was an inch higher than Greg Mitchell of Little Rock Central, who cleared 6-3.
Cabot teammate Jarrod Barnes won the long jump by nine inches Thursday. His winning jump was 20-feet, 10.5 inches. Kolby McNeal of Parkview was second with a jump of 20-feet, 1.5 inches.
Cabot’s Brandon Jones won the discus throw with a toss of 148-feet, 5.25 inches, which was more than five feet further than the second-place throw.
Teammate Rocky Burke won the boys’ pole vault with a height of 12-feet, 6 inches, and Cabot’s Braxton Burton was second in that event with a vault of 11-feet.
Mark Odom edged Parkview’s Amari James in the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 14.75 seconds. For Sylvan Hills, Nathan Burd placed second in the 1,600-meter run with a time of 4:48.38. Conway’s Toler Freyaldenhoven won that race with a time of 4:16.51.
The Panthers had several second-place finishes as well. Cabot’s 4x800-meter relay team of Jack Moore, Stuart Nickell, Gardner Howze and Greyson Kaufman finished second behind Conway with a time of 8:37.39.
Cabot’s 4x100 relay team of Alex Roberts, Brandon Whitley, Rocky Burke and Connor Daigle took second behind Parkview with a time of 44.30. Britton Alley was second in the 400-meter dash with a time of 51.38, and Odom was second in the 100-meter dash with a time of 11.47.
In the girls’ meet, the host school edged Bryant for the top spot in the team standings.
Conway won it with 161 points. Bryant finished with 144.5 team points and Sylvan Hills was third out of the 11 teams competing, finishing with 81.5 points. Cabot was fifth with 62.5 points.
The Lady Bears claimed the top two spots in the girls’ shot put. Sa’maya Farmer won the event with a toss of 33-feet, and teammate Raigen Thomas finished second with a throw of 31-feet, 7 inches.
Two more Lady Bears earned first and second place in the discus throw. Sierra Towles won that event with a throw of 101-feet, 10.5 inches, and Jayla Bell finished just behind her with a second-place throw of 98-feet, 1.5 inches.
Cabot’s Casey Gore finished second in the 1,600-meter run. Her time of 5:31.10 was just behind Lauren Campbell of Conway. Campbell finished in 5:27.61. In the 300-meter hurdles, Sylvan Hills’ Makayla Smith took second with a time of 50.17 seconds.
Haley Hood of Bryant won that event with a time of 46.16.
SPORTS STORY >> JHS beats SH for first time since ’08
By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
Before this season, the last time the Jacksonville softball Lady Red Devils beat Sylvan Hills was 2008. They did it twice on Tuesday 11-7 and 4-1, and in so doing, staked an early claim to an outright 5A-Central Conference championship, and a number one seed in the state tournament next month in Harrison.
If the Lady Red Devils hold serve and win out in conference, which they should do since only the bottom tier teams in the league are left on the schedule, it will be Jacksonville’s first conference championship in softball since 2004.
“I’m just proud of them,” said Jacksonville coach Hank Hawk. “They have had this one (Sylvan Hills) circled since day one. They didn’t play their best in that first game, but they played hard and they bounced back from the mistakes, just like they always seem to do. But I like the games like the second a lot more. It’sa lot less stressful without all the errors.”
The two teams combined for a whopping 11 errors in game one, including seven by Jacksonville. Five of those came in the second and third innings and led to three unearned runs for Sylvan Hills (7-6, 4-2).
Jacksonville scored first in the bottom of the first inning on an error by Sylvan Hills. Allison Seats singled to start the game, stole second and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Bailey Holt.
Seats was still at third after Emily Lovercheck drove a pitch into the ground right in front of home plate for a 2-3 putout, but scored when catcher Cara Pozza’s pickoff throw from home to third missed by Joy Franco.
Franco reached on an error by JHS shortstop Kinley Burrows to start the second inning. Doma’Nique Hunt then pushed a bunt past pitcher Kym House for an infield single.
Jacksonville (12-2, 6-0) almost got out of the jam without allowing a run. Lynlee Broadway hit a line drive back to House for one out, and Franco was stranded too far off the bag for the 1-4 double play.
But two more JHS errors allowed Hunt to score.
Madison Shelton’s ground ball to third was mishandled by Lovercheck, who still tried to make a late throw to first. That was on target, but was missed anyway by Brianna Loyd. Hunt moved to third on Lovercheck’s throw, and scored on Loyd’s miss to tie the game.
Broadway hit House with a pitch to start Jacksonville’s three-run second inning. Madeline Smith moved House’s courtesy runner, Megan Davis, to second with a sacrifice bunt. Loyd singled to put runners on the corners and Burrows singled to score Davis. Three batters later and with two outs, Holt ripped a line drive to right-center field for two RBIs.
Sylvan Hills’ first two batters got on base via two more Jacksonville errors in the third, one by Burrows and one by House. Storm Ellis scored Pozza with a sacrifice grounder and Franco drove in Tristen Goodson with a base hit to left field that pulled the Lady Bears to within 4-3.
Sylvan Hills took its first lead of the game in the top of the fifth. Pozza hit a leadoff single and Goodson reached base on a sacrifice bunt when House made an ill-advised and unsuccessful attempt to get the lead runner at second.
Ellis then sacrificed the runners into scoring position and Franco got two more RBIs with a base hit down the third-base line.
But in the seventh, Jacksonville began hitting the ball hard and it was Sylvan Hills’ defense that fell apart. After a fly out by Mackenzie Rodgers, House was hit for the second time and Smith singled. Sylvan Hills coach Mark Anderson then shifted his fielders around, swapping fielders in right field, center field and third base.
On the very next pitch, Loyd reached on an error at third and House scored on the play. With runners on the corners, Burrows put down a perfect squeeze bunt that scored Smith and left everyone safe and still one out. Zylah Richardson then slapped a running base hit to right field to load the bases. Seats then doubled to the wall in left field for an 8-5 Jacksonville lead.
Holt singled to drive in another run and Seats scored on another error by Sylvan Hills, this one at second base off Lovercheck’s bat. Rodgers then doubled to left on her second at-bat of the inning to drive in JHS’s final two runs.
Sylvan Hills set the final margin in the sixth when Madison Shelton hit a two-run home run after a Broadway single.
Holt led Jacksonville in game one, going 3 for 4 with two RBIs.
There were no earned runs in game two. Jacksonville’s defense improved and Loyd pitched a gem in the circle for the Lady Devils.
The game was scoreless until Jacksonville scored three runs in the top of the third on two walks, two Sylvan Hills errors and a hit batter. Another unearned run scored for Jacksonville in the top of the fourth after Seats reached on an E6 and Lovercheck singled to drive her home.
Sylvan Hills scored its only run in the bottom of the fifth. Broadway reached on an error by Richardson in left field, and scored two batters later on a base hit by Shelton.
Loyd gave up four hits in seven innings and no earned runs. She struck out three, walked three and hit one batter.
Shelton led the Lady Bears offensively on the night. She went 3 for 6 with a home run and three RBIs.
Seats went 3 for 6 with a double, three RBIs and four runs scored in the two games combined.
Leader sports editor
Before this season, the last time the Jacksonville softball Lady Red Devils beat Sylvan Hills was 2008. They did it twice on Tuesday 11-7 and 4-1, and in so doing, staked an early claim to an outright 5A-Central Conference championship, and a number one seed in the state tournament next month in Harrison.
If the Lady Red Devils hold serve and win out in conference, which they should do since only the bottom tier teams in the league are left on the schedule, it will be Jacksonville’s first conference championship in softball since 2004.
“I’m just proud of them,” said Jacksonville coach Hank Hawk. “They have had this one (Sylvan Hills) circled since day one. They didn’t play their best in that first game, but they played hard and they bounced back from the mistakes, just like they always seem to do. But I like the games like the second a lot more. It’sa lot less stressful without all the errors.”
The two teams combined for a whopping 11 errors in game one, including seven by Jacksonville. Five of those came in the second and third innings and led to three unearned runs for Sylvan Hills (7-6, 4-2).
Jacksonville scored first in the bottom of the first inning on an error by Sylvan Hills. Allison Seats singled to start the game, stole second and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Bailey Holt.
Seats was still at third after Emily Lovercheck drove a pitch into the ground right in front of home plate for a 2-3 putout, but scored when catcher Cara Pozza’s pickoff throw from home to third missed by Joy Franco.
Franco reached on an error by JHS shortstop Kinley Burrows to start the second inning. Doma’Nique Hunt then pushed a bunt past pitcher Kym House for an infield single.
Jacksonville (12-2, 6-0) almost got out of the jam without allowing a run. Lynlee Broadway hit a line drive back to House for one out, and Franco was stranded too far off the bag for the 1-4 double play.
But two more JHS errors allowed Hunt to score.
Madison Shelton’s ground ball to third was mishandled by Lovercheck, who still tried to make a late throw to first. That was on target, but was missed anyway by Brianna Loyd. Hunt moved to third on Lovercheck’s throw, and scored on Loyd’s miss to tie the game.
Broadway hit House with a pitch to start Jacksonville’s three-run second inning. Madeline Smith moved House’s courtesy runner, Megan Davis, to second with a sacrifice bunt. Loyd singled to put runners on the corners and Burrows singled to score Davis. Three batters later and with two outs, Holt ripped a line drive to right-center field for two RBIs.
Sylvan Hills’ first two batters got on base via two more Jacksonville errors in the third, one by Burrows and one by House. Storm Ellis scored Pozza with a sacrifice grounder and Franco drove in Tristen Goodson with a base hit to left field that pulled the Lady Bears to within 4-3.
Sylvan Hills took its first lead of the game in the top of the fifth. Pozza hit a leadoff single and Goodson reached base on a sacrifice bunt when House made an ill-advised and unsuccessful attempt to get the lead runner at second.
Ellis then sacrificed the runners into scoring position and Franco got two more RBIs with a base hit down the third-base line.
But in the seventh, Jacksonville began hitting the ball hard and it was Sylvan Hills’ defense that fell apart. After a fly out by Mackenzie Rodgers, House was hit for the second time and Smith singled. Sylvan Hills coach Mark Anderson then shifted his fielders around, swapping fielders in right field, center field and third base.
On the very next pitch, Loyd reached on an error at third and House scored on the play. With runners on the corners, Burrows put down a perfect squeeze bunt that scored Smith and left everyone safe and still one out. Zylah Richardson then slapped a running base hit to right field to load the bases. Seats then doubled to the wall in left field for an 8-5 Jacksonville lead.
Holt singled to drive in another run and Seats scored on another error by Sylvan Hills, this one at second base off Lovercheck’s bat. Rodgers then doubled to left on her second at-bat of the inning to drive in JHS’s final two runs.
Sylvan Hills set the final margin in the sixth when Madison Shelton hit a two-run home run after a Broadway single.
Holt led Jacksonville in game one, going 3 for 4 with two RBIs.
There were no earned runs in game two. Jacksonville’s defense improved and Loyd pitched a gem in the circle for the Lady Devils.
The game was scoreless until Jacksonville scored three runs in the top of the third on two walks, two Sylvan Hills errors and a hit batter. Another unearned run scored for Jacksonville in the top of the fourth after Seats reached on an E6 and Lovercheck singled to drive her home.
Sylvan Hills scored its only run in the bottom of the fifth. Broadway reached on an error by Richardson in left field, and scored two batters later on a base hit by Shelton.
Loyd gave up four hits in seven innings and no earned runs. She struck out three, walked three and hit one batter.
Shelton led the Lady Bears offensively on the night. She went 3 for 6 with a home run and three RBIs.
Seats went 3 for 6 with a double, three RBIs and four runs scored in the two games combined.
SPORTS STORY >> Hillside Bears win twice in crazy twinbill
By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
On a night when coaching meltdowns and drama outside the field of play almost overshadowed the game itself, the Sylvan Hills baseball team pulled off an important sweep of Jacksonville at Dupree Park on Tuesday. In doing so, the Bears staked their claim to sole possession of first place in the 5A-Central Conference. They entered Tuesday’s varsity doubleheader, which they won by scores of 6-4 and 4-2, tied with Pulaski Academy for first place, but the Bruins split their doubleheader at Beebe on Tuesday.
Jacksonville coach Larry Burrows, already somewhat perturbed by what he felt was bad officiating in game one, lost it in the early goings of game two, and was ejected for his over-the-top objection to balls and strikes, which included kicking dirt on the umpire.
Play was stopped on several occasions after the ejection as umpires had fans removed from behind the outfield fence and from the grandstand.
“It didn’t even feel like a baseball game there for a while,” said Sylvan Hills coach Denny Tipton. “I was just proud of my guys because they never seemed to get too distracted by it. I think, at one point, we had what I would call a lull. But we never got too caught up in all that other stuff that was going on.”
Jacksonville scored first in game one and had momentum when a delayed interference call took a run off the board and abruptly ended the inning.
Kameron Whitmore hit a leadoff single and was standing at third base with two outs when Brandon Hickingbotham hit the first of three-straight singles off Sylvan Hills pitcher Nick Fakouri. Hickingbotham was on second when Javan Wakefield singled to left field. The ball came close to hitting Hickingbotham, but the field umpire made no call. Hickingbotham came around to score to put Jacksonville ahead 2-0. Tipton protested that the ball did hit Hickingbotham, and after a conference between umpires, Hickingbotham was ruled out, the run was taken off the board and the inning was over.
The scored stayed 1-0 until the top of the fourth inning when Sylvan Hills posted three runs. Fakouri hit a leadoff single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Zack Douglas. Carson Sanders then singled and Ryan Lumpkin nailed a two-run home run over the fence in left field for a 3-1 Bears’ lead.
Jacksonville answered right back in the bottom of the fourth. Caden Sample walked and Wakefield singled to put two on with no outs. After a groundout by Cody Savage moved the runners into scoring position, Trent Toney hit a two-RBI single to tie the game.
Jacksonville then committed three errors in the top of the fifth to give up two runs on no hits.
The Red Devils (5-11, 3-3) were able to get one back in the bottom of the sixth when Wakefield and Toney walked and Wakefield scored on a base hit by Caleb Smith. Sylvan Hills set the final margin with a run in the top of the seventh. Mackenzie Seats scored on an RBI base hit by Carson Sanders, and Seats then closed the game in the seventh.
Fakouri threw six innings for Sylvan Hills. He allowed four earned runs on eight hits with no strikeouts and four walks. Sylvan Hills (12-3, 6-0) committed one error. Seats walked one and fanned one in his inning of work.
Brandon Hawkins went the distance on the mound for Jacksonville. He also gave up eight hits and four earned runs and walked four, with five strikeouts.
In game two, tensions started running high in the top of the first inning when Hickingbotham was called out on a borderline high strike-three call to end the half-inning. They got worse in the bottom of the first when catcher Wakefield tossed what he thought was a clear two-out strike three back to the mound and started running to the dugout, only to have the umpire signal ball and call the players back onto the field. Fakouri, the batter at the plate, then hit an RBI single to center field for a 1-0 SH lead.
Then in the top of the second, Smith was called out on a breaking ball chin high and Burrows came unglued, resulting in his ejection.
The Bears added a run to their lead in the bottom of the second after Ty Flowers flubbed a routine grounder by Sanders, and pitcher River Hunt hit an RBI single with two outs.
Sylvan Hills made it 3-0 in the top of the third on back-to-back doubles by Seats and Fakouri. Whitmore then saved a run and ended the inning when he threw out Fakouri’s courtesy runner, Kyle Clayton, at home after a single to right field by Lumpkin.
Wakefield kept his monster night going in the top of the fourth with a leadoff home run, making him 4 for 4 with a walk, two RBIs and three runs scored on the night. He was later called out on another controversial strike three for the only at-bat in both games combined he failed to get on base.
Savage replaced Hickingbotham on the mound with one out in the fourth after a double by Bryce Allen and an error in left field by Smith. Savage got leadoff hitter Michael Coven to pop up to second base, and Mike Havard made a running catch at the wall in center field to get JoJo Craft for the final out and get the Red Devils out of another jam.
Sylvan Hills then scored its final run in the bottom of the fifth. Seats singled before going all the way to third base on consecutive wild pitches by Savage. Fakouri hit a hard grounder to third where Caleb McMunn made a nice play to freeze the lead runner and get the out at first. Savage then fanned Douglas, and was almost out of the jam when Lumpkin got the run in with a single to left field.
Jacksonville scored the final run in the top of the seventh inning on a walk by Smith and an RBI double down the right-field line by Sample.
Burrows didn’t want to talk much about the umpires, but said his team will bounce back.
“I just told them sooner or later something is going to break our way, and we’re going to start getting these breaks instead of them all going against us,” said Burrows. “We’re going to keep working like that’s what’s going to happen. That’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to keep working like that’s what’s going to happen.”
Leader sports editor
On a night when coaching meltdowns and drama outside the field of play almost overshadowed the game itself, the Sylvan Hills baseball team pulled off an important sweep of Jacksonville at Dupree Park on Tuesday. In doing so, the Bears staked their claim to sole possession of first place in the 5A-Central Conference. They entered Tuesday’s varsity doubleheader, which they won by scores of 6-4 and 4-2, tied with Pulaski Academy for first place, but the Bruins split their doubleheader at Beebe on Tuesday.
Jacksonville coach Larry Burrows, already somewhat perturbed by what he felt was bad officiating in game one, lost it in the early goings of game two, and was ejected for his over-the-top objection to balls and strikes, which included kicking dirt on the umpire.
Play was stopped on several occasions after the ejection as umpires had fans removed from behind the outfield fence and from the grandstand.
“It didn’t even feel like a baseball game there for a while,” said Sylvan Hills coach Denny Tipton. “I was just proud of my guys because they never seemed to get too distracted by it. I think, at one point, we had what I would call a lull. But we never got too caught up in all that other stuff that was going on.”
Jacksonville scored first in game one and had momentum when a delayed interference call took a run off the board and abruptly ended the inning.
Kameron Whitmore hit a leadoff single and was standing at third base with two outs when Brandon Hickingbotham hit the first of three-straight singles off Sylvan Hills pitcher Nick Fakouri. Hickingbotham was on second when Javan Wakefield singled to left field. The ball came close to hitting Hickingbotham, but the field umpire made no call. Hickingbotham came around to score to put Jacksonville ahead 2-0. Tipton protested that the ball did hit Hickingbotham, and after a conference between umpires, Hickingbotham was ruled out, the run was taken off the board and the inning was over.
The scored stayed 1-0 until the top of the fourth inning when Sylvan Hills posted three runs. Fakouri hit a leadoff single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Zack Douglas. Carson Sanders then singled and Ryan Lumpkin nailed a two-run home run over the fence in left field for a 3-1 Bears’ lead.
Jacksonville answered right back in the bottom of the fourth. Caden Sample walked and Wakefield singled to put two on with no outs. After a groundout by Cody Savage moved the runners into scoring position, Trent Toney hit a two-RBI single to tie the game.
Jacksonville then committed three errors in the top of the fifth to give up two runs on no hits.
The Red Devils (5-11, 3-3) were able to get one back in the bottom of the sixth when Wakefield and Toney walked and Wakefield scored on a base hit by Caleb Smith. Sylvan Hills set the final margin with a run in the top of the seventh. Mackenzie Seats scored on an RBI base hit by Carson Sanders, and Seats then closed the game in the seventh.
Fakouri threw six innings for Sylvan Hills. He allowed four earned runs on eight hits with no strikeouts and four walks. Sylvan Hills (12-3, 6-0) committed one error. Seats walked one and fanned one in his inning of work.
Brandon Hawkins went the distance on the mound for Jacksonville. He also gave up eight hits and four earned runs and walked four, with five strikeouts.
In game two, tensions started running high in the top of the first inning when Hickingbotham was called out on a borderline high strike-three call to end the half-inning. They got worse in the bottom of the first when catcher Wakefield tossed what he thought was a clear two-out strike three back to the mound and started running to the dugout, only to have the umpire signal ball and call the players back onto the field. Fakouri, the batter at the plate, then hit an RBI single to center field for a 1-0 SH lead.
Then in the top of the second, Smith was called out on a breaking ball chin high and Burrows came unglued, resulting in his ejection.
The Bears added a run to their lead in the bottom of the second after Ty Flowers flubbed a routine grounder by Sanders, and pitcher River Hunt hit an RBI single with two outs.
Sylvan Hills made it 3-0 in the top of the third on back-to-back doubles by Seats and Fakouri. Whitmore then saved a run and ended the inning when he threw out Fakouri’s courtesy runner, Kyle Clayton, at home after a single to right field by Lumpkin.
Wakefield kept his monster night going in the top of the fourth with a leadoff home run, making him 4 for 4 with a walk, two RBIs and three runs scored on the night. He was later called out on another controversial strike three for the only at-bat in both games combined he failed to get on base.
Savage replaced Hickingbotham on the mound with one out in the fourth after a double by Bryce Allen and an error in left field by Smith. Savage got leadoff hitter Michael Coven to pop up to second base, and Mike Havard made a running catch at the wall in center field to get JoJo Craft for the final out and get the Red Devils out of another jam.
Sylvan Hills then scored its final run in the bottom of the fifth. Seats singled before going all the way to third base on consecutive wild pitches by Savage. Fakouri hit a hard grounder to third where Caleb McMunn made a nice play to freeze the lead runner and get the out at first. Savage then fanned Douglas, and was almost out of the jam when Lumpkin got the run in with a single to left field.
Jacksonville scored the final run in the top of the seventh inning on a walk by Smith and an RBI double down the right-field line by Sample.
Burrows didn’t want to talk much about the umpires, but said his team will bounce back.
“I just told them sooner or later something is going to break our way, and we’re going to start getting these breaks instead of them all going against us,” said Burrows. “We’re going to keep working like that’s what’s going to happen. That’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to keep working like that’s what’s going to happen.”
Wednesday, April 06, 2016
SPORTS STORY >> Cabot gets easy sweep of Patriots
By GRAHAM POWELL
Leader sportswriter
The Cabot baseball team got a 7A/6A-East sweep at Marion on Friday. In the first game of the conference doubleheader, Cabot, led by ace pitcher Chase Kyzer, held the Patriots scoreless en route to a 5-0 win, and in game two, the Panthers’ bats lit up the hosts on their way to a dominant 24-4 win.
The first two innings of game one were scoreless. Cabot (10-5, 3-1)
scored three of its five runs in the top of the third. Brett Brockinton led off that inning with a double to right field and Logan Gilbertson advanced him to second base with a sacrifice bunt.
Bobby Joe Duncan drove in the game’s first run with a two-out single to center field, and Duncan scored the next at-bat on a triple to right field by catcher Denver Mullins. Eric Larsen drove in the third run the next at-bat with a single, giving the Panthers a 3-0 cushion.
The game remained 3-0 until the top of the seventh, when Cabot added its final two runs – again, with two outs. Gilbertson went to first after being hit by a pitch. He stole second base with Blake McCutchen at the plate, and McCutchen drove him in with a single to left field.
Duncan walked the following at-bat, and Mullins reached on an error at second base. McCutchen scored on the play, giving Cabot its 5-0 lead. Michael Shepherd came in to relieve Kyzer in the seventh, and he retired the side, striking out the first and third Marion batters looking to earn the save and give the Panthers the game-one win.
“Kyzer threw the first six innings and then Michael Shepherd came in and just did a fantastic job against the heart of their order to close that game out in the seventh,” said Cabot coach Ronnie Goodwin.
Kyzer didn’t necessarily have his best game on the mound Friday, but found a way to get it done and the defense played well behind him, giving up just one error in the seven innings played.
“This week he didn’t have his best stuff,” Goodwin said of Kyzer. “He was really, really fighting some things, but at the same time, pitched kind of like a high school pitcher should pitch – win without your best stuff.
“For us to grind out six innings when he was kind of fighting some things a little bit, which is going to happen as a pitcher; that was huge for us. And then Shepherd coming in, boom, boom, boom – throwing strikes – that was big for us.”
Cabot’s bat’s boomed throughout game two. The Panthers racked up 19 hits in the second game and scored at least four runs every inning.
Cabot scored four runs in the first inning to lead 4-0. Marion scored two of its runs in the top of the second before the Panthers added six more to their side of the board in the bottom half of the inning to lead 10-2.
The Patriots went scoreless over the next two innings, and Cabot scored 14 in that two-inning stretch – eight in the third and six in the fourth. Marion’s final two runs came in the top of the fifth, and once the top of the fifth ended, so did the game because of the sportsmanship rule.
“I don’t like seeing that score,” Goodwin said, “because I don’t want people to think we were trying to run the score up. That’s just not what we do. We’re not about that. So we did clear the bench in that game.
“It was one of those games where pitchers just had a hard time finding the strike zone, really on both sides. We walked six and they (Marion) walked 10 – a little smaller strike zone than we were used to seeing.”
Gilbertson started and earned the win on the mound for Cabot in game two, and the head Panther liked what he saw from the junior hurler, who threw the first four innings of that game.
“Really our pitcher (Gilbertson) was throwing fantastic,” Goodwin said. “He really, really pitched well. He pitched better than his (stat) line shows. He threw four innings for us and really competed on a tough night to pitch, if you will.”
Duncan led Cabot at the plate in game two, going 4 for 4 with three runs scored. McCutchen and Larsen each had three hits in that game. Mullins was 2 for 2. Jake Slunder also had two hits and Rail Gillam, Davis Wofford, Braden Jarnigan, Brockinton and Logan Kirkendoll had one hit each.
In game one, McCutchen, Duncan, Mullins, Larsen, Slunder and Brockinton accounted for Cabot’s six hits. On the mound, Kyzer struck out four batters and gave up just three hits and two walks in his six innings of work. In the second game, Gilbertson struck out seven batters and gave up just two hits and four walks in four innings.
Leader sportswriter
The Cabot baseball team got a 7A/6A-East sweep at Marion on Friday. In the first game of the conference doubleheader, Cabot, led by ace pitcher Chase Kyzer, held the Patriots scoreless en route to a 5-0 win, and in game two, the Panthers’ bats lit up the hosts on their way to a dominant 24-4 win.
The first two innings of game one were scoreless. Cabot (10-5, 3-1)
scored three of its five runs in the top of the third. Brett Brockinton led off that inning with a double to right field and Logan Gilbertson advanced him to second base with a sacrifice bunt.
Bobby Joe Duncan drove in the game’s first run with a two-out single to center field, and Duncan scored the next at-bat on a triple to right field by catcher Denver Mullins. Eric Larsen drove in the third run the next at-bat with a single, giving the Panthers a 3-0 cushion.
The game remained 3-0 until the top of the seventh, when Cabot added its final two runs – again, with two outs. Gilbertson went to first after being hit by a pitch. He stole second base with Blake McCutchen at the plate, and McCutchen drove him in with a single to left field.
Duncan walked the following at-bat, and Mullins reached on an error at second base. McCutchen scored on the play, giving Cabot its 5-0 lead. Michael Shepherd came in to relieve Kyzer in the seventh, and he retired the side, striking out the first and third Marion batters looking to earn the save and give the Panthers the game-one win.
“Kyzer threw the first six innings and then Michael Shepherd came in and just did a fantastic job against the heart of their order to close that game out in the seventh,” said Cabot coach Ronnie Goodwin.
Kyzer didn’t necessarily have his best game on the mound Friday, but found a way to get it done and the defense played well behind him, giving up just one error in the seven innings played.
“This week he didn’t have his best stuff,” Goodwin said of Kyzer. “He was really, really fighting some things, but at the same time, pitched kind of like a high school pitcher should pitch – win without your best stuff.
“For us to grind out six innings when he was kind of fighting some things a little bit, which is going to happen as a pitcher; that was huge for us. And then Shepherd coming in, boom, boom, boom – throwing strikes – that was big for us.”
Cabot’s bat’s boomed throughout game two. The Panthers racked up 19 hits in the second game and scored at least four runs every inning.
Cabot scored four runs in the first inning to lead 4-0. Marion scored two of its runs in the top of the second before the Panthers added six more to their side of the board in the bottom half of the inning to lead 10-2.
The Patriots went scoreless over the next two innings, and Cabot scored 14 in that two-inning stretch – eight in the third and six in the fourth. Marion’s final two runs came in the top of the fifth, and once the top of the fifth ended, so did the game because of the sportsmanship rule.
“I don’t like seeing that score,” Goodwin said, “because I don’t want people to think we were trying to run the score up. That’s just not what we do. We’re not about that. So we did clear the bench in that game.
“It was one of those games where pitchers just had a hard time finding the strike zone, really on both sides. We walked six and they (Marion) walked 10 – a little smaller strike zone than we were used to seeing.”
Gilbertson started and earned the win on the mound for Cabot in game two, and the head Panther liked what he saw from the junior hurler, who threw the first four innings of that game.
“Really our pitcher (Gilbertson) was throwing fantastic,” Goodwin said. “He really, really pitched well. He pitched better than his (stat) line shows. He threw four innings for us and really competed on a tough night to pitch, if you will.”
Duncan led Cabot at the plate in game two, going 4 for 4 with three runs scored. McCutchen and Larsen each had three hits in that game. Mullins was 2 for 2. Jake Slunder also had two hits and Rail Gillam, Davis Wofford, Braden Jarnigan, Brockinton and Logan Kirkendoll had one hit each.
In game one, McCutchen, Duncan, Mullins, Larsen, Slunder and Brockinton accounted for Cabot’s six hits. On the mound, Kyzer struck out four batters and gave up just three hits and two walks in his six innings of work. In the second game, Gilbertson struck out seven batters and gave up just two hits and four walks in four innings.
SPORTS STORY >> Panthers, Lady Bears place well at RHS
By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
The Cabot boys weren’t at full strength, but managed a third-place finish out of 26 teams in the Cyclone Relays last Friday in Russellville. On the girls’ side, the Sylvan Hills Lady Bears took eighth out of 25 teams for the highest placement of local schools. Conway and Bryant finished first and second respectively in boys’ and girls’ meets.
The only Cabot athlete to win an even was junior Britton Alley, who won the 400-meter dash with a personal best 51.23. Beebe’s Keishun Davis finished sixth at 53.01.
Sylvan Hills’ Anthony Duncan won the 300-meter intermediate hurdles with a time of 40.66. Cabot’s Mark Odom finished fourth in that event and Beebe’s Logan Archer was seventh.
Odom ran a personal best 11.14 to take second place behind Van Buren’s Caleb Christensen in the 100-meter dash. Duncan took seventh in that event and finished eighth in the long jump with a leap of 19-9.
Odom won the 110-meter high hurdles at Cabot last Tuesday, but did not participate in that event at Russellville.
Three days after winning the shot put in the Walmart Invitational, Cabot’s Brandon Jones took second in Russellville after Conway’s Austin Norris beat his previous best by almost 10 feet, with a winning throw of 152-feet, 6-inches. Jones threw 142-5.
The Panthers’ 4x800-meter relay team of Jack Moore, Greyson Kaufman, Landon Vaught and Gardner Howze took second behind Conway. Howze also ran a personal best 10:31.57 to finish sixth in the 3,200.
Cabot’s 4x400 team finished a close second behind Bryant. Alley, Vaught, Rocky Burke and Conley Hillegas finished with a time of 3:32.21.
Beebe’s John Paul Savage took sixth and Sylvan Hills’ Nathan Burd seventh in the 1,600. Savage also finished eighth in the 800-meter race.
Burke took third in the pole vault with a jump of 12-6. Cabot’s 4x100-meter relay team of Alex Roberts, Brandon Whitley, Connor Daigle and Hillegas took fourth.
Cabot coach Leon White thinks the boys’ team may end up being a bit stronger than he anticipated at the beginning of the season.
“It’s still kind of hard to say, but we’ve got some guys out we weren’t sure would be coming,” White said. “Today we didn’t have our high jumper Matt Stanley, and Mark Odom didn’t run his best event. And I didn’t think we necessarily had a great day. Gardner Howze is making the biggest improvements right now. No one that scored for us really came all that close to the best they could do. Stuart Nickell had a PR in the 3,200, so he’s getting closer to the points for us.”
On the girls’ side, Sylvan Hills’ Sa’Maya Farmer set a new school record and finished second in the shot put with a toss of 34-6, 20-inches short of the winning throw by Tylee Sysavanh of Springdale, but more than three feet further than her nearest 5A competitor.
In an odd turn of events, Lady Bear Makayla Smith triple jumped the exact same distance as Farmer’s throw to tie the SHHS record and finish second. Her teammate, Erykah Sanders, finished seventh with a jump of 32-6.
“They’re all starting to buy in to what we’re selling,” said Sylvan Hills girls’ coach Grover Garrison. “You’re going to see a lot of growth from our freshmen real soon. They’re all sleepers.”
Smith also finished sixth in the 100-meter hurdles, and ran the second leg of the Lady Bears’ second-place 4x100-meter relay team that included Aliya Hatton, Sanders and O’Shayla Muldrow.
Casey Gore ran a personal best for the Lady Panthers and finished second in the 800 with a time of 2:23.47. Sylvan Hills’ Chloe George took sixth in that event and Gore also finished fifth in the 1,600 with a time of 5:40.30
Cabot’s Samantha Nickell took fourth in the 3,200 with a time of 12:24.47, just three days after running a 13:11.20 in that event at Cabot.
Sylvan Hills will compete Thursday in the Conway Invitational. Cabot is splitting its team on Thursday, with some competing at Conway and some at the Vilonia Relays.
Leader sports editor
The Cabot boys weren’t at full strength, but managed a third-place finish out of 26 teams in the Cyclone Relays last Friday in Russellville. On the girls’ side, the Sylvan Hills Lady Bears took eighth out of 25 teams for the highest placement of local schools. Conway and Bryant finished first and second respectively in boys’ and girls’ meets.
The only Cabot athlete to win an even was junior Britton Alley, who won the 400-meter dash with a personal best 51.23. Beebe’s Keishun Davis finished sixth at 53.01.
Sylvan Hills’ Anthony Duncan won the 300-meter intermediate hurdles with a time of 40.66. Cabot’s Mark Odom finished fourth in that event and Beebe’s Logan Archer was seventh.
Odom ran a personal best 11.14 to take second place behind Van Buren’s Caleb Christensen in the 100-meter dash. Duncan took seventh in that event and finished eighth in the long jump with a leap of 19-9.
Odom won the 110-meter high hurdles at Cabot last Tuesday, but did not participate in that event at Russellville.
Three days after winning the shot put in the Walmart Invitational, Cabot’s Brandon Jones took second in Russellville after Conway’s Austin Norris beat his previous best by almost 10 feet, with a winning throw of 152-feet, 6-inches. Jones threw 142-5.
The Panthers’ 4x800-meter relay team of Jack Moore, Greyson Kaufman, Landon Vaught and Gardner Howze took second behind Conway. Howze also ran a personal best 10:31.57 to finish sixth in the 3,200.
Cabot’s 4x400 team finished a close second behind Bryant. Alley, Vaught, Rocky Burke and Conley Hillegas finished with a time of 3:32.21.
Beebe’s John Paul Savage took sixth and Sylvan Hills’ Nathan Burd seventh in the 1,600. Savage also finished eighth in the 800-meter race.
Burke took third in the pole vault with a jump of 12-6. Cabot’s 4x100-meter relay team of Alex Roberts, Brandon Whitley, Connor Daigle and Hillegas took fourth.
Cabot coach Leon White thinks the boys’ team may end up being a bit stronger than he anticipated at the beginning of the season.
“It’s still kind of hard to say, but we’ve got some guys out we weren’t sure would be coming,” White said. “Today we didn’t have our high jumper Matt Stanley, and Mark Odom didn’t run his best event. And I didn’t think we necessarily had a great day. Gardner Howze is making the biggest improvements right now. No one that scored for us really came all that close to the best they could do. Stuart Nickell had a PR in the 3,200, so he’s getting closer to the points for us.”
On the girls’ side, Sylvan Hills’ Sa’Maya Farmer set a new school record and finished second in the shot put with a toss of 34-6, 20-inches short of the winning throw by Tylee Sysavanh of Springdale, but more than three feet further than her nearest 5A competitor.
In an odd turn of events, Lady Bear Makayla Smith triple jumped the exact same distance as Farmer’s throw to tie the SHHS record and finish second. Her teammate, Erykah Sanders, finished seventh with a jump of 32-6.
“They’re all starting to buy in to what we’re selling,” said Sylvan Hills girls’ coach Grover Garrison. “You’re going to see a lot of growth from our freshmen real soon. They’re all sleepers.”
Smith also finished sixth in the 100-meter hurdles, and ran the second leg of the Lady Bears’ second-place 4x100-meter relay team that included Aliya Hatton, Sanders and O’Shayla Muldrow.
Casey Gore ran a personal best for the Lady Panthers and finished second in the 800 with a time of 2:23.47. Sylvan Hills’ Chloe George took sixth in that event and Gore also finished fifth in the 1,600 with a time of 5:40.30
Cabot’s Samantha Nickell took fourth in the 3,200 with a time of 12:24.47, just three days after running a 13:11.20 in that event at Cabot.
Sylvan Hills will compete Thursday in the Conway Invitational. Cabot is splitting its team on Thursday, with some competing at Conway and some at the Vilonia Relays.
SPORTS STORY >> Searcy rallies past Sylvan Hills
By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
The Sylvan Hills Lady Bears gave up an early 4-2 lead and three runs in the bottom of the sixth to drop an 8-5 decision at Searcy on Friday.
The Lady Bears (7-4, 4-0) scored in the top of the first before giving up two runs in the bottom of the second. They then posted three runs in the third, but that lead evaporated in the bottom of the same inning when the Lady Lions scored two runs.
The game’s first run came after a leadoff single by Cara Pozza. Tristen Goodson sacrificed her to second and a drop moved her to third on the same play. Storm Ellis then singled to drive in the go-ahead run.
Searcy took the lead on a single by Katelyn Thomason, a triple by Jordyn Dawkins and a sacrifice fly by Sara Grace Weaver.
Pozza drew a leadoff walk in the fourth and Goodson singled with no outs to put runners on the corners and start the Lady Bears’ three-run rally. Ellis grounded out to second, but Pozza scored on the play. Taylor Yeoman then singled to score Goodson and give Sylvan Hills a 3-2 lead.
After a Joy Franco strikeout, Doma’Nique Hunt reached on an error that also allowed Yeoman to score for a 4-2 Lady Bear lead.
Searcy tied it on a single by Reagan Feltrop, a triple by Maegan Pistokache and a sac fly by Gabby Tipton. The Lady Lions took the lead in the bottom of the fifth with back-to-back no-out singles, followed by a sacrifice bunt and then a base hit by Pistokache that made it 5-4 Searcy.
Hunt hit a leadoff double for Sylvan Hills in the top of the sixth and Madalyn Hogue took her place on the base paths. She moved to second on a groundout to shortstop by Lynlee Broadway, and moved to third on a sacrifice by Anna Sigler. Madison Shelton then hit a routine pop up to second base, but it was mishandled and Hogue scored to tie the game.
The Lady Lions then scored three runs off three hits, an error and a walk in the bottom of the sixth. Sylvan Hills went down in order in the top of the seventh to end the game.
Searcy out-hit Sylvan Hills 12-7 with Pistokache going 4 for 4 with a triple and four RBIs. No one for Sylvan Hills had more than one base hit, and Ellis led in production with two RBIs.
Broadway threw five innings for the Lady Bears. She gave up nine hits with three strikeouts and no walks. Ellis threw the sixth, giving up three hits with no strikeouts and a walk. Pistokache threw all seven innings for the Lady Lions, giving up three earned runs with six strikeouts.
Leader sports editor
The Sylvan Hills Lady Bears gave up an early 4-2 lead and three runs in the bottom of the sixth to drop an 8-5 decision at Searcy on Friday.
The Lady Bears (7-4, 4-0) scored in the top of the first before giving up two runs in the bottom of the second. They then posted three runs in the third, but that lead evaporated in the bottom of the same inning when the Lady Lions scored two runs.
The game’s first run came after a leadoff single by Cara Pozza. Tristen Goodson sacrificed her to second and a drop moved her to third on the same play. Storm Ellis then singled to drive in the go-ahead run.
Searcy took the lead on a single by Katelyn Thomason, a triple by Jordyn Dawkins and a sacrifice fly by Sara Grace Weaver.
Pozza drew a leadoff walk in the fourth and Goodson singled with no outs to put runners on the corners and start the Lady Bears’ three-run rally. Ellis grounded out to second, but Pozza scored on the play. Taylor Yeoman then singled to score Goodson and give Sylvan Hills a 3-2 lead.
After a Joy Franco strikeout, Doma’Nique Hunt reached on an error that also allowed Yeoman to score for a 4-2 Lady Bear lead.
Searcy tied it on a single by Reagan Feltrop, a triple by Maegan Pistokache and a sac fly by Gabby Tipton. The Lady Lions took the lead in the bottom of the fifth with back-to-back no-out singles, followed by a sacrifice bunt and then a base hit by Pistokache that made it 5-4 Searcy.
Hunt hit a leadoff double for Sylvan Hills in the top of the sixth and Madalyn Hogue took her place on the base paths. She moved to second on a groundout to shortstop by Lynlee Broadway, and moved to third on a sacrifice by Anna Sigler. Madison Shelton then hit a routine pop up to second base, but it was mishandled and Hogue scored to tie the game.
The Lady Lions then scored three runs off three hits, an error and a walk in the bottom of the sixth. Sylvan Hills went down in order in the top of the seventh to end the game.
Searcy out-hit Sylvan Hills 12-7 with Pistokache going 4 for 4 with a triple and four RBIs. No one for Sylvan Hills had more than one base hit, and Ellis led in production with two RBIs.
Broadway threw five innings for the Lady Bears. She gave up nine hits with three strikeouts and no walks. Ellis threw the sixth, giving up three hits with no strikeouts and a walk. Pistokache threw all seven innings for the Lady Lions, giving up three earned runs with six strikeouts.
SPORTS STORY >> Walk-off LHS slam ends rout of Devils
By GRAHAM POWELL
Leader sportswriter
The Lonoke baseball team jumped out to an early three-run lead in Friday’s nonconference game against Jacksonville, and the Jackrabbits reeled off eight runs in the bottom of the fifth to end the game early with an 11-1 win over the Red Devils at the Lonoke Ballpark.
Lonoke (7-5, 3-0) scored the game’s first three runs in the bottom of the first inning to lead 3-0. The game remained 3-0 until Jacksonville (5-9, 3-1) scored its only run in the top of the fourth to make it a two-run game.
Lonoke, though, put it away in the bottom of the fifth with eight runs scored, the last four coming on a two-out, walk-off grand slam to left center by Jackrabbit junior shortstop and University of Arkansas commit Casey Martin.
“I was really proud of our guys,” said Lonoke coach Darrick Lowery. “The last couple of games we just kind of made a lot of mental mistakes and had some things that we’ve had to overcome. We played a good White Hall team (last) Monday that kind of gave us a good thumping.
“We made a lot of mistakes. We made them work early in that game and then they had one huge inning on us like this, and we kind of let things snowball on us. We were battling against Riverview (last) Tuesday – same thing. We jumped on them a little bit and then we kind of just had a couple of mistakes that let them back in the game.
“So I was proud of our guys today for coming ready, getting a good three runs up on the board and playing some good defense behind it.”
Lonoke loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the first on an error at third base, a walk and a hit batter. The first run was scored on a Kade Stuart sacrifice fly to right field, giving the Jackrabbits a 1-0 lead.
Stuart’s sac fly was the second out of the inning, but catcher Gabe Rooney and designated hitter Tallon Swint hit back-to-back singles to drive in Lonoke’s next two runs.
In the top of the fourth, Jacksonville catcher Javan Wakefield started things off with a single to left center, but Wakefield went to second base on the same play as the ball got by the Lonoke left fielder.
Kameron Whitmore walked the next at-bat and Tyson Flowers walked two batters later to load the bases with two outs. Leadoff hitter Caleb Smith was then hit by a pitch to send Whitmore home and cut the Lonoke lead to 3-1.
Jacksonville threatened the next two innings, but couldn’t score, and Lonoke put it away in the bottom of the fifth. Martin hit a leadoff double to start the inning, and he advanced to third on a 5-3 groundout by Savonte Rountree.
Stuart hit an infield single to third base the following at-bat, and Rooney followed with a sac bunt that left everyone safe and scored Martin because of an errant throw to first. Stuart scored Lonoke’s fifth run on a wild pitch, and Kameron Cole drove in runs six and seven for the Jackrabbits with a two-out single to left center.
Caleb Horton and winning pitcher Haven Hunter reached base the next two at-bats to load the bases, which brought Martin back to the plate, and with a 2-2 count, Martin sent the next pitch over the fence in left center, which ended the game because of the sportsmanship rule.
Lonoke outhit Jacksonville 8-3. Martin and Cole led the Jackrabbits at the plate. Each went 2 for 3, with Martin adding four RBIs and three runs scored. Hunter, Stuart, Rooney and Swint accounted for Lonoke’s other four hits.
Wakefield, Caleb McMunn and Mike Havard had the Red Devils’ three hits.
Hunter pitched all five innings for Lonoke, finishing with three strikeouts.
Leader sportswriter
The Lonoke baseball team jumped out to an early three-run lead in Friday’s nonconference game against Jacksonville, and the Jackrabbits reeled off eight runs in the bottom of the fifth to end the game early with an 11-1 win over the Red Devils at the Lonoke Ballpark.
Lonoke (7-5, 3-0) scored the game’s first three runs in the bottom of the first inning to lead 3-0. The game remained 3-0 until Jacksonville (5-9, 3-1) scored its only run in the top of the fourth to make it a two-run game.
Lonoke, though, put it away in the bottom of the fifth with eight runs scored, the last four coming on a two-out, walk-off grand slam to left center by Jackrabbit junior shortstop and University of Arkansas commit Casey Martin.
“I was really proud of our guys,” said Lonoke coach Darrick Lowery. “The last couple of games we just kind of made a lot of mental mistakes and had some things that we’ve had to overcome. We played a good White Hall team (last) Monday that kind of gave us a good thumping.
“We made a lot of mistakes. We made them work early in that game and then they had one huge inning on us like this, and we kind of let things snowball on us. We were battling against Riverview (last) Tuesday – same thing. We jumped on them a little bit and then we kind of just had a couple of mistakes that let them back in the game.
“So I was proud of our guys today for coming ready, getting a good three runs up on the board and playing some good defense behind it.”
Lonoke loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the first on an error at third base, a walk and a hit batter. The first run was scored on a Kade Stuart sacrifice fly to right field, giving the Jackrabbits a 1-0 lead.
Stuart’s sac fly was the second out of the inning, but catcher Gabe Rooney and designated hitter Tallon Swint hit back-to-back singles to drive in Lonoke’s next two runs.
In the top of the fourth, Jacksonville catcher Javan Wakefield started things off with a single to left center, but Wakefield went to second base on the same play as the ball got by the Lonoke left fielder.
Kameron Whitmore walked the next at-bat and Tyson Flowers walked two batters later to load the bases with two outs. Leadoff hitter Caleb Smith was then hit by a pitch to send Whitmore home and cut the Lonoke lead to 3-1.
Jacksonville threatened the next two innings, but couldn’t score, and Lonoke put it away in the bottom of the fifth. Martin hit a leadoff double to start the inning, and he advanced to third on a 5-3 groundout by Savonte Rountree.
Stuart hit an infield single to third base the following at-bat, and Rooney followed with a sac bunt that left everyone safe and scored Martin because of an errant throw to first. Stuart scored Lonoke’s fifth run on a wild pitch, and Kameron Cole drove in runs six and seven for the Jackrabbits with a two-out single to left center.
Caleb Horton and winning pitcher Haven Hunter reached base the next two at-bats to load the bases, which brought Martin back to the plate, and with a 2-2 count, Martin sent the next pitch over the fence in left center, which ended the game because of the sportsmanship rule.
Lonoke outhit Jacksonville 8-3. Martin and Cole led the Jackrabbits at the plate. Each went 2 for 3, with Martin adding four RBIs and three runs scored. Hunter, Stuart, Rooney and Swint accounted for Lonoke’s other four hits.
Wakefield, Caleb McMunn and Mike Havard had the Red Devils’ three hits.
Hunter pitched all five innings for Lonoke, finishing with three strikeouts.
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