Despite heavy rain, area softball and baseball teams returned to the diamond last week. Riverside remained unbeaten on the young season, defeating Buffalo Island Central 6-3 Monday afternoon in high school baseball action at Monette before pounding out a 14-6 victory Friday at Pocahontas.
Riverside (4-0, 1-0 2A-3) scored four first inning runs and went on to defeat BIC, earning their first conference victory of the season. Dillon Turner and Cannon Smith both laced three hits apiece to lead the Rebels. Turner had one RBI while Smith drove in a pair of runs. Matthew Fraser had a pair of singles, an RBI with a run scored. Gavin Stone doubled and scored a run, Luke Baker had an RBI single while Dylan Austin drove in a run. Larry Tilley earned the win, working seven full innings, scattering eight hits while giving up three earned runs. Tilley fanned five Mustangs.
Evan Sanders went 3-3 with a double and an RBI to lead the Mustangs at the plate. Canon Walling and Chayse Carmichael both doubled. Walling's two-bagger drove in a pair of runs. Brandon Towery, Logan Harrison and Gavin Gathright all singled with Towery and Harrison scoring runs. Towery worked one third of an inning and took the loss, giving up four earned runs on three hits. Andrew McFarlin hurled 6 2/3 innings in relief, allowing seven hits and two earned runs while striking out five and issuing two walks.
The Rebels pounded out 10 hits in Friday's nonconference win at Pocahontas. Izzy Garcia rapped a pair of RBI singles and scored a run while Smith and Stone also slammed two hits apiece. Smith scored twice and drove in a run while Stone crossed the plate once. Turner went 1-4 with two RBI and two runs scored. Fraser was 1-1 with one RBI and two runs scored. Baker singled and scored twice while Charlie McClure had a single and Austin scored three times. Tilley pitched the final three innings to pick up the victory in relief of starter Gavin Stone. Tilley pitched three innings, allowing one earned run, no hits and a pair of strikeouts. Stone hurled the first four frames, allowing five earned runs and 11 hits. Stone fanned five and walked two.
The Rebels return to action Monday afternoon with a 2A-3 conference game against Marmaduke at Lake City. Riverside continues conference play Thursday afternoon against Marked Tree at home before traveling to Manila for a nonconference matchup Friday afternoon.
BIC travels to East Poinsett County Tuesday afternoon before hosting Marmaduke Thursday afternoon in a pair of conference matchups.
Manila split a pair of nonconference games, shutting out Marked Tree 10-0 Monday afternoon before dropping a 12-1 decision to Wynne on Tuesday. The Lions scored seven runs in the third inning in their victory over the Indians. Brett Sweatman picked up the win in the run-shortened four and a half inning game. The big right hander pitched five shutout innings, striking out 11 batters while issuing four walks. Brock Birmingham went 2-3 at the plate with an RBI. Lane Sims went 1-2 and drove in three runs. Brady Clark was 1-2 with two RBI, Jeremiah Perez was 1-2 with an RBI and two runs scored while Abraham Lopez singled.
In Tuesday's loss to Wynne, Birmingham suffered the defeat, going 1 2/3 innings, allowing six runs and five hits. Joel Burrow pitched an inning and two-thirds, giving up five runs on three hits. Lopez worked 3 1/3 innings, allowing one run and four hits while striking out six. Erik Navarro pitched one shutout inning. Birmingham, Perez, Navarro and Lopez all had singles for the Lions.
Manila travels to Walnut Ridge Monday afternoon before opening conference play Thursday at Hoxie. The Lions play host to Riverside Friday afternoon before traveling to Rison Saturday where the Lions will face England and Woodlawn.
Softball
In softball action, Manila drubbed Senath-Hornersville 11-1 Monday afternoon before losing a 6-2 decision Tuesday afternoon at Nettleton. Jordyn Wheeler got the victory in Manila's win against Senath-Hornervsille, working five innings while allowing just one earned run on only one hit. Wheeler struck out 10 and walked just one batter. Wheeler helped herself at the plate, going 2-3 with an RBI, two runs scored and three stolen bases. Ashley Rothwell had a pair of doubles, three RBI and scored twice. Sasha Pannells singled, tripled, scored three runs and stole three bases. Caitlin Holt doubled, tripled, drove in a run and scored once. Tessa Pannells had a two run triple, scored once and stole a base while Lauren Woody had an RBI single, scored once and stole two bases. Taylor Hampton added a run.
Wheeler suffered the loss against Nettleton, working six innings, allowing six runs, four earned, on 10 hits. The junior right hander fanned four and walked two. Wheeler went 2-3 at the plate with a run scored. Rothwell had an RBI single. Hannah McQueen drove in a run while Holt scored once.
Emerald Crum picked up the win for the Lady Raiders. Gabby Sherman led Nettleton offensively, going 3-3 with two RBI, while McKenzie Thomas added a pair of hits, an RBI and a run scored.
Manila returns to the diamond with a 3A-3 road trip Monday afternoon to Piggott. The Lady Lions will face Riverside in nonconference play Tuesday afternoon at Lake City. Manila will host Osceola Thursday afternoon in a conference doubleheader before closing the week participating in the Brookland Bearcat Blast Saturday at Brookland.
BIC dropped a pair of contests, losing 9-0 Monday to Armorel before being defeated 15-3 by Westside Tuesday at Monette. Lexie Ray took the loss against the Lady Warriors, pitching seven innings, giving up 13 hits while striking out seven and walking four. Heather Sipes had a pair of hits while Casslyn Walls, Makayla Rogers and Kayla Griffin all had RBI singles. Ray, Lexi Walls, and Molly Hart all singled and scored once while Madison Nowlin added a base hit.
The Lady Mustangs will begin conference play Monday afternoon at Marked Tree. The Lady Mustangs travel to East Poinsett County for another league game Tuesday afternoon and will face league favorite Marmaduke Thursday afternoon at Monette. BIC will participate in the Brookland Bearcat Blast this weekend.
Riverside's Lady Rebels will open their season Tuesday afternoon with a nonconference game against Manila. The Lady Rebels will begin conference play Thursday at Lake City against Marked Tree.