For young ladies from the ages of 6 to 18, who are members of their respective Diamond Youth District 4 Softball All-Star teams from across north Louisiana, the road to the state tournaments that will be held on July 2-5 began in Jackson Parish on Thursday as the Jackson Parish Recreation Department Sports Complex played host to 6U, 8U, 10U, 12U, 14U, 16U and 18U District 4 tournaments.
Fans of the local youth softball All-Star teams have enjoyed witnessing the Jackson Parish representatives in the 6U, 8U, 10U, and 12U divisions. With play continuing through Sunday, the best performance to date has been by the Jackson Parish 10U All-Stars, who have won their first three games to advance to the championship game on Sunday. Jackson Parish 12U has won two and lost two, while the Jackson Parish 6U team lost all three of its games. No information was provided on the Jackson Parish 8U team’s fortunes.
District 4 Tournament Results
Jackson Parish 10U All Stars
The Jackson Parish 10U All-Stars were thought to be District 4 Tournament favorites after winning six straight games in a pre-district tournament performance in West Monroe earlier this month. They have more than lived up to that prediction, taking all three games to date, with only the championship game left on Sunday. Regardless of the outcome, JP10U has qualified for the state tournament.
Under the guidance of manager Cheyenne Allen and coaches Kristen Allen and Bethany Greer, the team members are Kylee-Ayn Allen, Malia Gunter, Lyla Hall, Kaylee Hammons, Caylee Mauthe, Ryleigh Puffer, Kadence Sampey, Natalie Sullivan, Mercedes Taylor, River Waggoner, Mez’Meri Walker, and Benleigh Whitman.
JP10U 5 Sabine Parish 1 (Game One): Kylee-Ayn Allen fired a complete game two-hitter and allowed only a meaningless last-inning run while adding a two-run double to propel JP10U to the opening game victory. Natalie Sullivan also got a hit and knocked in a run, while Caylee Mauthe reached base twice via walks and scored a run. Malia Gunter and Kaylee Hammons also scored after drawing walks.
JP10U 7 Minden 0 (Game Two): Natalie Sullivan was utterly dominant in the circle, ringing up 10 strikeouts while allowing only one hit and no run in a complete game five inning performance. It was also Sullivan who got Jackson Parish off to an early three-run lead in the top of the first inning when she reached on an error to open the game, stole second and third, and then scored the first run on a wild pitch. Caylee Mauthe and Malia Gunter earned walks, and both scored after stealing bases and a Kylee-Ayn single. The locals added a run in the third inning when Caylee Mauthe singled and then scored on a wild pitch with two outs. Jackson Parish added three runs in the top of the fifth inning when River Waggoner smashed a triple to collect the first extra base hit of the tournament for JP10U and later scored on a wild pitch. Kadence Sampey followed with a single and then with two outs, Sullivan singled, and Mauthe doubled to plate the final runs.
JP10U 1 West Monroe 0 (Game Three): In a rare pitchers’ duel at this age, neither team was able to push a run across until Mez’Meri Taylor scored a run in the top of the sixth inning after getting hit by a pitch, stealing second and third bases, and then scoring on a passed ball. Natalie Sullivan and Kylee-Ayn Alled combined to strike out 8 batters and hold West Monroe to just three singles. JP10U also collected three hits in the game with Sullivan, Allen, and Malia Gunter, who threw three base runners out at second attempting to steal, all getting base knocks.
Jackson Parish 12U All-Stars
By winning two games for the four games played at the District 4 Tournament, the Jackson Parish 12U All-Stars have qualified for the state tournament, which will be played July 2-5. Led by Manager Kirsten Savage and coaches Ronny Savage and Dustin Siddon, team members are Ava Cutright, Emma Gray, Brelaina Hall, Delilah Hudson, Autumn Kohler, Charley Linton, Breezy Marker, Aubrie Maxwell, Ryleigh McCormick, Elliot Savage, Ella Siddon, and Lizzie Sullivan.
JP12U 10 Benton 6 (Game One): Scoring 7 runs in the top of the sixth inning, JP12U broke open the game that was tied at 3 apiece to take the opening game victory. The game-winning rally began with Elliot Savage, who pitched all six innings to earn the win, and Emma Gray hitting one-out singles and scoring on Lizzie Sullivan’s double. Singles by Brelaina Hall and Ave Cutright were followed by a walk to Delilah Hudson as Jackson Parish had six consecutive batters reach base. Breezy Marker knocked in a run with a groundout, leading to Ella Siddon and Ryleigh McCormick earning walks to load the bases and Aubrie Maxwell knocking in a run with a single. JP12U pounded out 10 hits in the contest with Hall (2B, 2 RS, 2 RBI) and Cutright (Rs, RBI) leading the way with two hits each. Autumn Kohler, Savage (2 RS), Gray (2 RS), Sullivan (2B, RS, 2 RBI), Siddon ( RS), and Maxwell (RBI) all got hits, with additional offensive contributors being Hudson (RS, RBI) and Marker with 2 RBI’s.
Sabine 14 JP12U 7 (Game Two): By scoring 5 runs in both the first and second innings and adding four more in the third, Sabine Parish sent JP12U to the losers’ bracket. Autumn Kohler led the locals offensively with two hits, while also scoring a run and knocking one. Breezy Marker smashed a run-scoring double, and Emma Gray knocked in two and scored a run after hitting the first triple of the tourney for the locals. Elliot Savage and Charley Linton also collected hits while Ava Cutright, Brelaina Hall, Delilah Hudson, Ryleigh McCormick, and Aubrie Maxwell all scored runs.
JP12U 9 Benton 8 (Game Three). Down 8-1, JP12U rallied for 7 runs in the bottom of the third and then won it “walk-off” style the next inning when Ella Siddon coaxed a walk, Delilah Hudson hit a single, and both Ryleigh McCormick and Aubrie Maxwell got hit by a pitch to complete the thrilling comeback victory. The big rally began with McCormick walking and scoring on a double by Aubrie Maxwell. Walks to Charley Linton and Autumn Kohler, who was the winning pitcher in relief after getting the final four outs without allowing a run, set up a run-scoring bunt by Elliot Savage to narrow the deficit to 8-4. Brelaina Hall kept things going with a one-out single, followed by Emma Gray getting hit by a pitch that loaded the bases. After Savage scored on a wild pitch, Lizzie Sullivan tied the game with a clutch double.
Sabine 11 JP12U 8 (Game Four): The locals seemed primed for revenge for their earlier loss by scoring 7 runs in the bottom of the first inning, but Sabine rallied to score 4 in the second and 7 more in the third to eliminate JP12U from the district tournament. Atumn Kohler got the big first inning started with a single, followed by Elliot Savage getting hit by a pitch and Ava Cutright drawing a walk to load the bases. Emma Gray and Lizzie Sullivan singled to put JP12U up 3-0, and Ella Siddon drew another walk to put runners on every base once again. A pitcher’s change made no difference as Breezy Marker, Delilah Hudson, and Ryleigh McCormick all drew walks, and Aubrie Maxwell hit a sacrifice grounder to put the locals up 7-0 before the inning was called due to time.
Jackson Parish 6U All-Stars
The bad news was that Jackson Parish lost all three games in the District 4 tournament. The good news is that the locals will continue to get to play anyway, as every team in the district competition is an automatic qualifier for the state tournament, which will be played July 2-5. The team members, led by Manager Allison Johnson and coaches Odie Bradley, Jacob Johnson, and Zach Roberson, are Landry Atkins, Peyton Barnett, Skye Bradley, Avery Dodson, Lylah Johnston, Lucy Reed, Mellie Roberson, Josie Thrower, Emerysn Walker, StellaRae Whitman, Cienna Williams, and Amara Wilson.
Sabine 16 JP6U 6 (Game One): The locals scored in each of the three innings played but couldn’t overcome the 24 hits posted by Sabine Parish in “coach pitch” play. Mellie Roberson hit a double and a triple, Amara Wilson smashed a pair of doubles, and Lylah Johnson collected two base hits to lead the 10-hit offensive attack by the locals. Cienna Williams, Peyton Barnett, Josie Thrower, and Lucy Reed also contributed with a hit apiece.
West Monroe 21 JP6U 0 (Game Two): Peyton Barnett hit a double and both Amara Wilson and Skye Bradly got a hit, but that was all the offense that JP6U could muster as West Monroe scored 7 runs in all three innings to win the “run rule’ shortened game.
Minden 15 JP6U 0 (Game Three): The run-scoring drought continued for JP6U in game three, as Minden scored five runs across all three innings to win going away. Jackson Parish collected 8 hits in the game with Avery Dodson, Lylah Johnston, Amara Wilson, Mellie Roberson, StellaRae Whitman, Lucy Reed, Emersyn Walker, and Skye Bradley all hitting singles.