HARRISON -- For the second consecutive year, the top seed from the 5A-West was ousted on the first day of the Class 5A state baseball tournament.
This year, it was the Pulaski Academy Bruins, the No. 4 seed from the 5A-Central, doing the honors by scoring three times in the top of the eighth Thursday to knock off Little Rock Christian, the overall top seed, 7-4 on Pippin Field at Community First Sports Complex.
Last year, it was Vilonia who came into the state tournament as the top seed from the 5A-West but fell 4-1 to White Hall, the No. 4 seed from the 5A-South, in the opening round. White Hall ended up making it all the way to the championship game where it lost 2-1 to Harrison, which was the No. 3 seed from the West.
"We struggled at the start of the season and began to get on a run there in the middle of the year," Pulaski Academy Coach Billy Adams said. "We're a young team, so it took us a little while to get going, but we were pretty competitive down the stretch."
Little Rock Christian, which also was ousted in the opening round last year as a No. 2 seed, had to score two runs in the bottom of the seventh just to force the extra inning. Adam Wright was hit bit a pitch to start the rally, and Brock Ferguson followed up with a walk. Both base runners scored when Bennett Shoptaw reached on an error to tie the score at 4-4. The Warriors left two runners on base when the game entered the eighth.
Luke Haws began the eighth with a solo home run to left field, then Jackson Ward followed with another solo home run to right field. Layne Hatcher walked with one out and then scored on a single by Jacob Anderson to make it 7-4. The Warriors went down in order in the bottom of the seventh to end the game.
Greenbrier 7, Jacksonville 4 (12)
The Panthers outlasted the Red Devils in a five-plus hour marathon by scoring three times in the top of the 12th.
Greenbrier had a 3-1 edge going into the bottom of the seventh, but Jacksonville's Mike Harvard singled to score two runs. The teams then traded runs in ninth.
In the top of the 12th, Ryan Flake and Paxton Wallace each walked and scored on a single by Kane Thornton, who then scored on a single by Wesley Waters.
Watson Chapel 5, Batesville 3
The Wildcats jumped out to a 4-0 lead on the Pioneers and held on to advance to today's quarterfinal round.
Ja'Kobi Jackson began the game with a double to right and scored on a single by Braelin Hence, who scored on a double by Blake Phillips. Aaron Frazier's double then scored Phillips.
A bases-loaded walk to Hence in the top of the second scored the fourth run for Watson Chapel.
White Hall 4, Wynne 1
The Bulldogs scored three runs in the first two innings and held the Yellowjackets to two base hits over the first five innings.
Caleb Carr had an RBI double and Blake Bradshaw had an RBI single to put White Hall on the board in the bottom of the first. Cade Canada singled and scored on a Bailey Smith double in the second for a 3-0 White Hall lead. The Bulldogs made it 4-0 in the top of the fifth when Smith walked and scored on a double by Brewer Owen.
Wynne scored its only run in the top of the sixth when Luke Lovell walked and scored on a double by Brady Taylor.
Magnolia 7,
Greene Co. Tech 1
For the third time over the past four seasons, the Panthers eliminated the Eagles from the state tournament.
Matt Goodheart and Jay French each reached on an error to start the game and scored on a double by Parker Ribble, who was the winning pitcher. Ribble later scored on a single by Tyler Metcalf.
Goodheart scored again in the top of the second when he singled and scored on a singe by Caleb Ward for a 4-0 lead.
Magnolia added three more runs to its lead when three consecutive walks loaded the bases and the runners scored on a double by French.
CLASS 2A
JUNCTION CITY 10, HACKETT 0
Will Smith struck out 12 batters en route to a one-hit shutout to lead Junction City (26-8) over Hackett in the opening round of the Class 2A State Baseball Tournament at Robert McKinnon Park in El Dorado. Smith, who walked two, helped his own cause by going 3-for-4 at the plate.
RIVERSIDE 2, PAL.-WHEATLEY 1 (11)
After Palestine-Wheatley broke a scoreless tie with a run in the top of the 11th, Riverside won it in the bottom of the 11th on Dillon Turner’s two-run single. Gavin Stone, who allowed just one hit in eight shutout innings, scored the game-winning run for Riverside. Will Nash matched Stone by allowing five hits over eight shutout innings for the Patriots.
MOUNT IDA 10, RECTOR 3
Colton Yates hit a two-run home run and Jesse Lowry drove in a pair of runs in the sixth for Mount Ida. Cody Robertson allowed six hits and one earned run to pick up the victory.
Sports on 05/13/2016