Staff writer
Three Lincoln Parish pitchers were dealing Thursday.
Complete game shutouts by Ruston’s J.R. Tollett and Choudrant’s Brandon Carter, who struck out a combined 23 hitters, headlined a busy Thursday of prep sports action on the diamond involving parish ballclubs.
Simsboro softball standout Carlei Wheeler recorded her second no-hitter of the week, albeit in a three-inning rout.
RUSTON BASEBALL: Tollett dominated Alexandria Senior High in a 3-0 victory, striking out 11 in his two-hit shutout and walking none.
The Bearcats (17-8, 3-2) posted all three runs in the bottom of the fourth, getting a bases-loaded walk by Jack Whitaker and an RBI grounder by Jacob Martin to plate a pair. Issac White had two of Ruston’s four hits, including a double.
The teams are slated to play at Alexandria at 3 p.m. today.
CHOUDRANT BASEBALL: After a blowout District 2-B win at Quitman (13-1) Tuesday evening, Choudrant notched a 3-1 decision at home Thursday evening as Carter scattered five hits while fanning 12 and issuing no walks.
The Aggies (23-3, 2-0), winning their 20th straight, got a pair of hits from Eli Watson as they scored single runs in the third, fifth and sixth innings, then curtailed the Wolverines’ push in the top of the seventh and limited the damage to a run on a pair of singles and a sacrifice fly.
Watson’s two-out RBI single put Choudrant on the board in the third. His base hit in the fifth bore fruit when Stone Weaver drove him in with a single to left. Braden Jones doubled in another run in the sixth.
CEDAR CREEK BASEBALL: North Webster escaped with a 2-1 victory in its visit to Ruston, scoring both runs in the top of the sixth and limiting the Cougars (11-10) to only four hits.
Creek got its first two batters on base in the seventh, on an error and a single by Cal Conroy, but couldn’t get past second.
Ladd Thompson’s second-inning RBI single put the Cougars ahead.
Cedar Creek stays home Saturday afternoon to meet Oak Grove at 2 o’clock.
SIMSBORO SOFTBALL: Two run-rule romps over Ringgold, 16-0 and 11-2, made for a terrific Thursday for the Lady Tigers (16-11).
Wheeler notched her second straight no-hitter, striking out eight in three innings in the first game. She walked just one and 31 of her 49 pitches were strikes. Tuesday, she kept Haynesville hitless in a four-inning 7-1 win.
Simsboro piled up 15 first-inning runs. Three Ringgold pitchers issued 19 walks but only allowed three hits.
The second game was also a three-inning knockout, as Ringgold’s five errors contributed to its demise while Simsboro rapped seven hits. The Lady Tigers led 11-1 after two innings, Wheeler and Kayla Mitchell each had three RBIs.
Simsboro is scheduled to host Arcadia at 4:30 p.m. today.
SIMSBORO BASEBALL: As fun as Thursday was for the SHS softball team, it wasn’t for the baseball squad, no-hit in a five-inning, 17-0 loss at District 2-B foe Weston. The Wolves scored 12 in the bottom of the first and lashed 18 hits.
The bright spot for the Tigers (3-15) was an error-free defense.