P-W baseball, softball teams begin regional play Thursday

Coming off a one-sided 11-0 loss to Des Arc last week, the Palestine-Wheatley Lady Patriot softball team will open firstround play in the 2A-North Regional tournament Thursday at BIC.

The Lady Patriots, wearing the four seed into the bracket will face top-seeded Riverside in the first-round game, scheduled for Thursday, May 2, weather permitting.

All first-round regional winners automatically qualify for the upcoming Class 2A state tournament, scheduled to be played and hosted by PalestineWheatley beginning May 9.

The Lady Patriots will more than likely have to shift some practice times between now and Thursday, with the impending forecasts calling for rain.

"We will do what we can to get some time in before regionals begin," PW head coach Steve Sherland said. "We also have photos scheduled for this coming week and hopefully on

Wednesday we will be able to work on some fielding."

About the loss to Des Arc, Sherland said they faced the best pitcher they have seen this year.

"I would bet that she was throwing at least 65," Sherland said and we couldn't get around quick enough to get a hit. Riverside definitely has the best pitcher in their conference. EPC has a solid pitcher, and she is good, but not as good as the Riverside pitcher."

Riverside pitcher Klaire Womack fanned 16 hitters allowing only two hits through six innings of work last Friday for a 10-0 win over Rector in the 2A3 district semifinals.

Riverside, 19-1 overall, played EPC in the district championship game and ousted BIC 7-3.

On the baseball side of the 2A North Regional tournament, the Palestine-Wheatley Patriots will go into postseason as a two seed, winning their last three games to improve to 13-7 for the year.

The Patriots remain in second place in the 2A-6 conference, behind top seeded McCrory, while BIC remains in third place.

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The 4A-3 district softball tournament wrapped up Friday evening with the Wynne Lady Yellowjackets taking a 6-0 win over Westside.

Lady Yellowjacket pitcher Ally Glover retired the final 11 Lady Warriors to complete a four-hit shutout.

Scoring all of its runs in the fourth through sixth innings, top-seeded Wynne (15-5) earned the district’s top position on the bracket for the 4A East Region tournament which will be played at Pulaski Robinson.

The No. 1 seeded Lady Yellowjackets will play the No. 4 seed from 4A-5 Thursday.

Third-seeded Westside (11-5) advances to the East Region tournament as the district’s No. 2 seed, giving the Lady Warriors a first-round game against the No. 3 seed from 4A-5 on Thursday at 5:30 p.m.

Wynne’s lone 4A-3 conference loss came at Westside in early April.