Published: May 08, 2008 02:08 pm            

Bullard, Alto teams still in playoff hunt

By Don Wallace

sports@jacksonvilleprogress.com

The race is on for area baseball and softball teams as they chase state titles in upcoming playoff games.



Bullard Lady Panthers

The Bullard Lady Panthers are 25-3-1 after a hard-fought 5-4 win over Sabine in the Class 3A area playoff game at Lindale held Saturday night.

The Lady Panthers were supposed to play Friday, but the game was postponed until Saturday due to the marathon contest by Hallsville and Rockwall-Heath which went 24 innings over six and-a-half hours.

Bullard wasn’t fazed by the layoff. The Lady Panthers responded with a big win, highlighted by a walk-off homer by Valarie Roberts in the seventh inning.

Now the Lady Panthers, with the Sabine Lady Cardinals defeated, will advance to the next round to face Liberty-Eylau in a best-of-three Class 3A Region II quarterfinal series.

The games will all be played at East Texas Baptist University in Marshall. Game 1 is set for 7 p.m. Friday with the second game at noon Saturday, followed by the third game, if needed at the same location 30 minutes after the conclusion of the second contest.



Bullard Panthers

The Bullard Panthers, also a district championship team, will face Spring Hill in the Class 3A Region II playoffs, also a best-of-three series. Game 1 is set for 7 p.m. today at Mike Carter Field; the second game is at noon Saturday at Hallsville High School and the third game, if needed, will be played at the same location 30 minutes after the conclusion of the second game.

“I like to play a best two-of-three series. We have several good pitchers — we could go four or five deep. We feel like this type series gives us a good chance,” said Bullard head baseball coach Ronnie Dent.

Bullard has made the playoffs five times in the last eight years under Dent. The Panthers are 17-7 on the year.



Alto Yellowjackets

The Alto Yellowjackets are 18-2 on the year, earning the district title in 21-A play with a 10-0 mark.

Alto faces old rival Lovelady in a best-of-three series in Lufkin at Morris Frank Park. Game 1 is Friday at 7 p.m. with the second game at 2 p.m. Saturday at the same location. The third game, if needed, will be played 30 minutes after the conclusion of the second game.

The Yellowjackets were booted from the playoffs last year by Lovelady. That memory is still fresh on the minds of the Alto players, who have a goal of finishing as state champions, just like the football team did the last two years.

Alto, led by coach John Paul Dixon, is paced by the hitting of Tarlandus Mitchell at .567 and Clint Dover with a .463 average. Freshman Rhett Greshman has been a steady addition at third on defense. He is also hitting .491 for the year.

Mitchell is 6-0 on the mound with an earned run average of 1.61; Dover has a 1.58 ERA with a 5-0 mark.

Coach Dixon said that this Alto team has a good mix of speed on defense, power at the plate and steady pitching.

“We lost to Lovelady last year and they went to state. We remember that and we want to keep on winning,” Dixon said. “Last year against them we ran out of pitching, we don’t think that will happen this time around. We’re a deeper staff.”



Alto Lady Jackets

The Alto Lady Jackets took a 7-1 win over Lovelady in the area round. The team then advanced to the regional quarterfinals where they rolled over Mount Enterprise 8-1.

Both wins were credited to pitcher Heaven Liles. Liles struck out nine and allowed just one hit in the win over Mount Enterprise.

In the last win, Alto had 11 hits with Liles knocking in four runs from three hits. Lexi Sessions and LaQuendel Tyler had two hits each with Logan Smith, Abbey Scott and Holley Huddleston also getting hits.

The Lady Jackets will play the winner of the Bowie/Detroit game in the Class A regional semi-finals at a time and location to be determined.

        

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