Despite fielding a team from the smallest population among the six competitors that are participating in the Little League 8U District 5 Softball Tournament in Bossier City, Jackson Parish is making a big impression.

In the field of teams from Bossier City, Shreveport, Sterlington, Vivian and DeSoto Parish, the local girls won two of their first three games to stay alive in the double elimination tourney. 

JP8U got the tourney started on a good note on Friday by beating DeSoto Parish 11-7 then fell to Shreveport 10-9 on Saturday morning dropping the locals into the losers bracket. Undaunted Jackson Parish began their climb to the championship game by crushing host Bossier by a 24-0 margin. 

The locals will now play an elimination contest at 10:00 am on Sunday on Field 6 of the Bossier City Recreation Complex located at 4800 Shed Road between the winner of Sterlington and DeSoto Parish.  A victory there sets up a matchup against the loser of Vivian and Shreveport with the winner of that one guaranteed a trip to the state tournament. 

JP8U 11 Desoto Parish 7: After spotting DeSoto Parish a three run lead after their first at bat, JP8U came storming back to score 8 runs over the next three innings to take a commanding lead that held up. It was the proverbial collective team effort as Jackson Parish pounded out 27 hits and every one of the 12 batters got at least one hit. Cadie Conn, whose triple was the only extra base hit and who led the team with 3 runs scored, was one of five who went 3/3 in the contest including Caylee Mauthe, Malia Gunter, Natalie Sullivan and Aria Dodson. Matilyn Otwell, Marlee Bates, Kylee-Ann Allen, Landrie Watson and Kaylee Hammons all got two hits each with Ellie Shultz and Ryleigh Puffer chipping in with a single apiece. 

Shreveport 10 Jackson Parish 9: In a contest that had more swings than a school yard playground, Shreveport got the last blow to take the narrow victory in the high scoring affair that saw both teams collect 24 hits. Despite the high volume of hits each team only scored in two innings. JP8U got off to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning when Malia Gunter scored on a steal of home and Natalie Sullivan was driven in by Aria Dodson after the the scoring pair opened the frame with a single and a double. Shreveport then rallied to score 8 in the top of the third only to see JP8U tally seven in their half of the inning to take a 9-8 lead. Singles by Kaylee Hammons, Landrie Watson, and Matilyn Otwell followed by a double by Caylee Mauthee narrowed the deficit to 8-5 with one out. Two more singles by Marlee Bates and Ellie Shultz and a double by Cadie Conn closed the gap to 8-7 followed by base hits from Gunter and Sullivan to give JP8U the 9-8 lead. The game stayed that way until the top of the fifth inning when Shreveport plated two to take the winning margin. Bates, Gunter and Allen led the hit parade with three base knocks each. Mauthe, Conn, Sullivan, Dodson, Watson and  Puffer had two hits apiece with Otwell, Shultz and Hammons contributing a single each.

Jackson Parish 24 Bossier 0: A tremendous offense outburst led to 17 runs in the second inning to lift JP8U to the 2 1/2 inning victory and keep the locals alive to fight another day. Once again virtually the entire team played a role in the onslaught with Malia Gunter, Caylee Mauthe, Marlee Bates Matilyn Otwell  getting thee hits and scoring three time each. Cadie Conn and Aria Dodson also got three hit while scoring two and one run respectively. Ellie Shultz, Kylee-Ann Allen, Natalie Sullivan and Ryleigh Puffer all got two hits and scored twice and Landrie Watson added a a hit and a run. Of the 27 hits, 10 went for extra bases with Sullivan hitting the first home run of the tourney for the locals. Conn gathered her second triple and Bates added three doubles. Mauthe added a pair of two baggers and Gunter, Otwell and Puffer also hit a double.