Southside softball/baseball on-air: Southerners vs. Trumann Wildcats

Southerners fall in conference baseball opener

A historic night would take place as Southside baseball and softball debuted on the White River Now airwaves for the first time as the Southside Southerners opened conference play. The game was broadcast on Wednesday live on CBS Sports Radio KBTA 1340 AM and streamed on the CBS Sports Radio Facebook page. 

Held a day later than originally scheduled thanks to inclement weather, the Southerners played host to the Trumann Wildcats for a 4A-3 doubleheader. 

In the first game, the Southerner bats would struggle to get going, despite five solid innings of work from starter Jace Hatfield. The Southerners would fall by a final of 12-to-1. 

Hatfield would pick up the loss on the five innings of work, giving up two earned runs and striking out five. Andrew Plummer and Jaden Passmore would each come in for relief and work to close the game — which was cut to just six innings because of the run rule. The Southerners would struggle offensively only seeing five base runners in the game on just one hit from catcher Tyson Trucks.

In the nightcap of the doubleheader, the Southerner bats would come alive as they would now be the away team, tacking on the first run after loading the bases in the top of the first with no outs on a leadoff error, walk, and a bunt single before a runner would be walked home. 

The Wildcats would answer back, taking the lead with two runs in the bottom half of the inning. 

The Southerners would come alive on the scoreboard in the second as Hatfield would draw a walk, Trucks would reach base on an HBP, and Passmore would garner a bunt single to set up bases loaded for Junior Pierce Duncan. Duncan would take a 2-1 count deep to left centerfield for a grand slam and give the Southerners the lead 5 to 2 heading into the bottom half of the inning. 

The Southerners would add to their lead in the third with a Plummer double that would be followed by four walks, and three runs getting across to give the Southerners an eight to three lead. 

From there, the Wildcats would hold the Southerners to no runs the rest of the ballgame as they would tack on four in the fourth, two in the second, and an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth two complete the sweep by a final of 10 to 8. 

Starter Pierce Duncan would go two innings with one unearned run, Colby Harris would add in three innings of relief with just one earned run, and Cameron Foree would add the last inning of relief, giving up one. 

The Southerners’ next conference matchup is Tuesday as they travel to Pocahontas.

Article by Wes Gwaltney, White River Now Sports

Lady Southerners sweep Trumann in two games

Explosive offense and dominant pitching led the Southside Lady Southerners to a two-game sweep of Trumann, 14-1 and 17-1, Wednesday afternoon in games brought to you live on CBS Sports Radio KBTA 1340 AM.

In the opener Carlee Duncan gave up one run, striking out 10 in 5 innings limiting the Wildcats to only three hits. Grace Lawellin had a home run in the bottom of the first to start a six-run inning and the Southerners never looked back, tacking on five more in the fourth to end the game early under sportsmanship rules. Freshman Chaney McCance had three hits while Lundyn Foree, Chloe McCance, and Breanna Rae had 2 hits each.

Article by Chris Vines, White River Now Sports