Majestic Park, UCA to host American Legion State AAA baseball tournament

by Troy Mitchell

Fifteen teams will be vying for the American Legion State AAA (Seniors) State Baseball title beginning this Thursday at Majestic Park in Hot Springs and at UCA in Conway.

Play starts with pool play with two pools at each location. Majestic Park will have two pools of four teams, while UCA has a pool consisting of four teams and another with three teams.

The top two teams from each pool will advance to the 8-team double-elimination bracket at UCA which begins on Sunday.

Admission for the tournament is $10 per day for those 16 and older. Those 15 and under are admitted free of charge.

The eight teams competing at Majestic Park include Arkadelphia, Lake Hamilton, Greenwood and Bryant in one pool, with the second pool consisting of Texarkana, Fort Smith, North Little Rock and Russellville.

Arkadelphia and Bryant will face each other on Thursday at Noon to begin things in Hot Springs, followed by Greenwood playing Lake Hamilton at 2:30 p.m., Texarkana against Russellville at 5 p.m. and Fort Smith taking on North Little Rock finishing day one at 7:30 p.m.

Friday’s docket includes Texarkana against Fort Smith at Noon, followed by North Little Rock versus Russellville at 2:30 p.m. At 5 p.m. Lake Hamilton will face Arkadelphia with Bryant taking on Greenwood to wrap up the day at 7:30 p.m.

The final day of pool play on Saturday in Hot Springs begins with Russellville and Fort Smith at Noon, followed by Arkadelphia against Greenwood at 2:30 p.m. The final two games of pool play will be Texarkana facing North Little Rock at 5 p.m. with Bryant matching up against Lake Hamilton in the final game at 7:30 p.m.

Pool A in Conway includes Cabot, Clinton, Mountain Home and Sheridan, while Conway, North Central Arkansas (NCA) and Paragould will be competing in Pool B.

Four games are set for Thursday at UCA, with Conway taking on North Central Arkansas to begin things at Noon. Game two will match-up Cabot versus Clinton at 2:30 p.m., followed by Mountain Home against Sheridan at 5 p.m. Conway will play a second game on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. battling Paragould.

Three games are set for both Friday and Saturday. Clinton begins the second day of pool play against Sheridan at 2:30 p.m., with NCA playing Paragould at 5 p.m. and Cabot taking on Mountain Home at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday’s schedule includes Clinton against Mountain Home at 2:30 p.m. The second game of the day will match up the first and second place teams of Pool B (Conway, NCA, or Paragould) at 5 p.m. Cabot and Sheridan will finish pool play at UCA with the first pitch set for 7:30 p.m.

The double-elimination bracket will be set at the conclusion of pool play. All eight teams advancing will play on Sunday with the first game set for Noon at UCA.