League-leading Patriots rally for win over CAC.
Trailing Central Arkansas Christian (CAC) 6-5 in the fourth inning of Monday's home conference baseball game, Palestine-Wheatley turned the corner in the fifth inning taking an 8-7 lead which led to a 15-7 win for the Patriots.
Monday's win over CAC keeps the Patriots in first place in the 3A=6 conference at 7-4 overall and 4-1 in the league. DeWitt continues to hold down second place at 3-1, one game behind the Patriots. With the loss, CAC falls to 2-2 in the standings.
P-W plated five runs in the first inning for a quick 5-0 lead led by Aviean Smith's run scoring single with starting pitcher, lefty Jackson Wilson on the mound.
CAC battled back to take a 6-5 lead plating one run in the third inning and five in the fourth.
Tied at 7-7 with Palestine-Wheatley batting in the bottom of the fifth, Conner Teal worked CAC pitching for a walk, and came around to score one run. That opened the door for a six-run inning and an 11-7 Patriot lead. PW added four additional runs in the bottom of the sixth to set the final.
Palestine-Wheatley Patriots Varsity got things moving in the first inning. Palestine-Wheatley Patriots Varsity scored one run when AV Smith singled.
Hunter Hill, pitching in relief of Wilson, earned the win for the Patriots, allowing two runs on seven hits over four innings, striking out five and walking one. Hill helped his own cause in the fifth with a home run.
Central Arkansas Christian pitching gave up seven P-W runs on eight hits over four innings, striking out five.
Wilson, through the first three innings, held CAC to the one run over three innings with four strikeouts.
Palestine-Wheatley finished with 12 hits in the game with Hill leading the way with three hits in four plate appearances, while Ke'Von Medley and Smith had two hits each.
The Patriots stole eight bases during the game as two players stole more than one. Ty Myers led the way with three.
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In a game played Friday, Palestine-Wheatley asserted their will over Helena-West Helena Central on their way to an easy 20-1 victory
Palestine-Wheatley Patriots Varsity opened the scoring in the first inning, when Aviean Smith singled on a 2-0 count, scoring one run.
Palestine-Wheatley plated eight runs in the fourth inning led by singles by James Parson, Conner Teal, and Smith, doubles by Brent Moffett, Parson, Jared Cook Hunter Hill.
Hill picked up the win on the mound, giving up the one run Helena-West Helena run, scattering five hits over four innings, striking out seven and walking one.
Palestine-Wheatley finished with 21 base hits in the game with Wilson, Parson, Smith, Moffett, Cook, Teal, and Hill all collecting multiple hits.
The Patriots will back in action today hosting Hazen in a nonconference outing at the Palestine Sports Complex.
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While the Patriots were rallying in their game against CAC, the Palestine Wheatley Lady Patriots were struggling against the CAC girls, losing 10-2 in the conference outing played Monday at the Palestine Sports Complex.
CAC used a seven-run fourth inning to secure the 10-2 victory lws by Brooklyn White, Elizabeth Colclasure, Chase Sellers, Aniya Quattlebaum, and Ashton Wilbanks, all driving in runs in the inning.
White was credited with the pitching win for CAC, holding the Lady Patriots to the two runs on four hits over seven innings, striking out 18.
Palestine-Wheatley used three different pitchers in the game.
CAC led 3-0 in the top of the fourth inning and pushed it to 7-1 in the sixth before putting the game away with four additional runs.
"We are just a very young team," P-W coach Heather Hawk said. "We are hurting oursleves by making too many mistakes. It's a growing and learning process."
The Lady Patriots, 3-8 overall and 1-1 in the conference behind DeWitt and CAC, are scheduled to host McCrory today.
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Forrest City is scheduled to host Little Rock Mills today in 4A-5 baseball and softball doubleheaders at the Sports Complex.