Patriots win

LEPANTO — Palestine-Wheatley edged Conway Christian 2-1 Friday to advance to the semifinals of the Class 2A state tournament.

Palestine Wheatley (25-5) plays Spring Hill (23-9) at noon today, weather permitting, with the winner advancing to Fayetteville next weekend to play for the 2A title.

Palestine Wheatley senior Lane Teal worked into the seventh inning to get the win, but was not on the mound for the final out after reaching his pitch count with two outs after beginning the seventh inning with just six pitches left.

He used those six pitches to retire Conway Christian’s Jackson Quick on a routine flyl to center field for the first out and Jacob Wood on a groundout back to the mound.

Catcher Jarrod Ferguson was called on to close out the game by Palestine Wheatley Coach Andrew Loe.

Ferguson struck out junior Winston Strawn looking on a called third strike to end the game.

Teal, who could not get out of the first inning on Thursday against Poyen, yielded 1 Conway Christian run on 4 hits and 4 walks while striking out 3.

Conway Christian (25-4), one of three teams earning a first-round bye, took a 1-0 lead in the first on a two-out RBI double by Seth Smith, scoring Strawn, who had singled past Palestine Wheatley shortstop Nick Murphy.

Palestine-Wheatley went ahead in the sixth after singles by Drake Fowler and Will Nash with no outs, and a groundout by Collin Hill advanced the runners to second and third.

Peyton Fogg’s sacrifice fly to right tied the game at 1-1. with Nash advancing to third base.

Freshman Colton Burt, pinch-hitting for Mitchusson, lined a first pitch RBI single to score Nash to put the Patriots in front 2-1 before Chase Worley grounded out to end the inning.

In other quarterfinal games played Friday, St. Joseph held off Sloan-Hendrix 4-3 and Harmony Grove edged Magazine 1-0.