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RUFF NEKS TAKE 2ND AT COLLEGE EXPOSURE TOURNEY
The Ruff Neks showed dramatic improvement in their second outing of the season, taking second place in the tournament at Benton June 15 and 16. The girls played well to beat the Belles 5-4, Lady Hawks of Texarkana 4-2 and the Prairie Grove Rebels 4-3. In the winners' bracket final, the 'Neks dropped a 3-1 decision to the Screamers at 10:30 Sunday morning. They then turned around and beat Greg Frazier's Shreveport Stars 2-1 to bring up a re-match with the Screamers in the finals. The Ruff Neks gave up a run in the bottom of the 7th to lose 3-2 and finish 2nd for the weekend. Not a bad performance for their second outing of the year!
RUFF NEKS SECOND AT ASA STATE IN CABOT
The Ruff Neks were either hot or cold defensively this weekend, but played pretty well overall. The defense was solid as they whipped the Lady Cardinals (coached by former Lady Razorback assistant, Jason Shirey) 4-0 and the Screamers 4-1. The "evil twins" kidnapped the players and showed up in the Ruff Neks uniforms to commit multiple errors allowing 6 un-earned runs in a 6-0 loss to Express from Ft. Smith. The good twins got their uniforms back and shut out the Lady Cardinals again 9-0 and then sent the Screamers home 6-1, to earn the right to continue play on Sunday. In the losers' bracket final, the Ruff Neks got a return match with the Express and turned the tables on them 3-1 to move into the championship game against Thunder. The evil twins took over again and committed seven errors to allow all 7 runs in the 7-3 loss. But, finishing second in the ASA State Tournament ain't bad!!
ANOTHER 2ND PLACE FINISH AT A STATE TOURNAMENT
The Ruff Neks have become painfully familiar with second place finishes at state tournaments over the past several years. In 2000 they were second to the Screamers in ASA State and second to Flash in the USSSA State Tournament. Now, in 2002, they are again second to Thunder in both the ASA and the USSSA State Tournaments. Second place is far better than third, fourth, etc., but a first place with a championship title sure would feel good!! Being the bride's maid has become all too familiar! On the positive side though, after the two second place finishes in 2000, the Ruff Neks went on to win the ASA Regional Tournament in Tulsa. Perhaps they will duplicate that success again this year. After that, it's on to Shawnee, Kansas for the USSSA World Series and who knows...?
RUFF NEKS SIGN TO PLAY COLLEGE BALL
Several Ruff Neks in the high school Class of 2002 signed letters of intent to play softball in college in 2002/2003. Bailey Baker is playing at North Arkansas Community College, Dana Marvin at Arkansas Tech, Balencia Young at Mississippi Valley State and Nicole Henderson at U.A. Montecello. With Shannon Rainbolt and Julia Covington already at Univ. of the Ozarks and Center College respectively, this totals six former Ruff Neks who are playing at the collegiate level. I know everyone involved with the Ruff Neks' program is proud of what these players and the program has accomplished in the relatively short time it has been in existance. Congratulations girls and Go Ruff Neks ! ! !
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