Wildcats Surprise Warriors, 7-3; Late Runs Cost Rison at Fordyce

RISON - The Rison Wildcats beat the Ouachita Warriors, 7-3, in an 8-2A conference game Tuesday afternoon at Wildcat Field. Game details were not available at press time. Rison improved to 3-5 in conference play and 8-7 overall. The Wildcats are a 1.5 games out of third place in the conference standings and 2 games back for second place. Fordyce 8, Rison 6 FORDYCE - Fordyce scored two runs off an error in the bottom of the eighth inning as the Redbugs edged the Rison Wildcats, 8-6, in a battle of the Saline River rivals Monday afternoon at Fordyce. The ‘Bugs were leading 6-5 heading into the top of the seventh when the Wildcats’ Blaine Dixon scored off Lawson Kidd’s line drive to first, tying the game and sending it into extra innings. A walk and a single by Jud Terry put a runner in scoring position with one out in the eighth but a fielder’s choice and ground out ended the threat. Fordyce had two singles to lead off the bottom of the eighth to set up the winning runs. The game swung back-and-forth as Fordyce took a 1-0 in the bottom of the first before Rison’s Andrew Couture scored on a passed ball in the top of the second to tie it 1-1. The Wildcats took the lead in the third when Dixon’s ground out scored Terry and Owen Morrison raced home on a wild pitch, making it 3-1 Rison. Fordyce tied it, 3-3 with two runs in the third and took the lead, 4-3, with an RBI double in the fourth. Dixon’s single combined with two Redbug errors gave the ‘Cats a 5-4 lead in the top of fifth but Fordyce drew even again with a run in the bottom of the frame before taking a 6-5 lead off back-to-back doubles in the sixth. Rison used three pitchers in the game. Southerland went the first four innings giving up six hits and four walks with two strikeouts. Dixon went 1-2/3rds innings allowing three hits and one walk. Terry threw the final two frames, allowing two hi...