Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Babe Ruth 14-Year-Old All Stars Are Runners Up At District Tourney

The Clark County 14-year-old Babe Ruth All-Stars are runners-up in the District 4 Tournament. They received a plaque for their efforts.

The tournament began in the Arkansas District 4 Tournament with a game against Hot Springs County East in Bryant Saturday, July 11.

Kevin Tomas was the starting pitcher for Clark County.

Clark County was held scoreless until the bottom of the fourth, when Jake Plyler hit a solo home run to get them on the board. Zack Gaither led off the fifth with a single and back to back doubles by Derrick Currey and Shea Stone gave Clark County two more runs. In the bottom of the seventh, Clark County scored three runs on a walk, an error, doubles by Plyler and Thomas, and a single by Josh Ellison.

Despite all that Hot Spring County East won by a score of 17-6.

In the second game, Salem Haskell scored two runs in the first inning, but Clark County pitcher Jake Raines held them scoreless after that.

At the plate Clark County took advantage of 10 walks, a double by Hoye Lynn Gober Jr. and a pair of doubles by Kevin Thomas to post a 13-2 victory over Salem Haskell.

In their third game the Clark County team played Benton on July 14.

Heath Griffin and Jake Raines combined for a double play to get Clark County out of a jam in the first inning.

Benton was ahead 4-0, going into the bottom of the sixth when Clark County used two walks, a single by Ellison, and a double by Gober to cut Benton's lead down to 4-3. Plyler doubled with two outs in the bottom of the seventh and scored on a single by Thomas.

With the score tied at 4-4, the game went into extra innings where Benton scored one in the top of the eighth and Clark County answered in the bottom half to tie it at 5-5.

Raines held Benton in the top of the ninth, and with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Shawn Stone scored the winning run on a base hit by Tanner Lea.

The 6-5 win advanced Clark County to the finals to play undefeated Hot Spring County East.

In the bottom of the second, Thomas was walked and reached third base on an error. Finally, Thomas stole home for Clark County's only run in the 7-1 loss.

Hot Spring County pitcher Laten Hardin struck out 13 batters in seven innings to earn the win. Raines was the losing pitcher for Clark County.

Coaches for the Clark County team were Gary Plyler and Billy Joe Arnold.