Jonesboro artist Ray Kelly joined Arkansas Soul Sessions, bringing his talents to the show.

In this episode, Ray Kelly talked with host Miriam B. about his beginnings as a child. From having local performances to performing on a national singing competition show, he remains humble.

Ray Kelly brought his world to the show with a game of acoustic singing. With two projects released this year, he has more live performances planned as the summer nears.

Arkansas Soul Sessions is a digital platform dedicated to highlighting R&B artists from Arkansas. New episodes are available at 7:30 p.m. every first Friday of the month on the free KARKFOX16+ Smart TV app and YouTube.

To find the latest episodes of Arkansas Soul Sessions, visit KARK.com/ArkansasSoulSessions.

This is inning-by-inning live updates as the University of Arkansas-Little Rock baseball team faces Troy in Game 1 of the NCAA Troy (Ala.) Super Regional at Riddle-Pace Field. The winner of the best-of-three series will advance to the College World Series at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Neb.

FIFTH INNING

UALR

Nothing doing for UALR in the fifth as Jerdy Lopez lined out to third, Kade Smith fouled out to the first baseman and Nolan Freund grounded out to shortstop. Troy leads 6-2.

FOURTH INNING

TROY

Troy had chance to add to its lead in the bottom of the fourth but came up empty. With one out, Houston Markham doubled to left. UALR then elected to bring in reliever Gage Haley, who got Aaron Piasecki and Josh Pyne to ground out. Troy leads 6-2.

UALR

UALR threatened in the fourth but could not score. After Angel Cano grounded out to third and Ty Rhoades struck out, Trey Hill ripped a double to deep right field. But Cooper Chaplain then flied out to center. Troy leads 6-2.

THIRD INNING

TROY

Troy pushed its lead back to four runs in the bottom of the third. With one out, Steven Meier picked up his second hit, a single to center. He then stole second base, advanced to third on UALR catcher Trey Hill’s throwing error and scored on Drew Nelson’s groundout to first. Sean Darnell grounded out to the mound to end the inning. Troy leads 6-2.

UALR

UALR cut into its deficit with a run in the third inning. Jerdy Lopez led off with a double and Kade Smith followed with a single to put runners at first and third. After Nolan Freund struck out, Blake Simpson grounded into a fielder’s choice, scoring Lopez. Nico Baumbach then grounded out. Troy leads 5-2.

SECOND INNING

TROY

Troy took the lead with five runs in the bottom of the second. Steven Meier led off with a single and scored on Drew Nelson’s triple to right. Nelson scored on Sean Darnell’s sacrifice fly to left. After Houston Markham’s two-out single, Aaron Piasecki and Josh Pyne hit back-to-back home runs. Blake Cavill then flied out to left to end the rally. Troy leads 5-1.

UALR

Angel Cano leads off the second for UALR with a single to right. But the threat ended there as Ty Roades and Trey Hill each struck out and Cooper Chaplain grounded out to the pitcher. UALR leads 1-0.

FIRST INNING

TROY

After UALR starting pitcher Brannon Westmoreland struck out the first two batters he faced, Troy’s Blake Cavill drew a two-out walk. But Jimmy Janicki grounded into a fielder’s choice to end the inning. UALR leads 1-0.

UALR

UALR took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Kade Smith laced a one-out double down the left-field line and moved to third on Nolan Freund’s groundout. Smith then scored on a two-out infield single by Blake Simpson. Nico Baumbauch grounded out to shortstop to end the top of the first.

– Steve Rogers

SCHEDULED GAME TIME

The first game in the best-of-three series between the University of Arkansas-Little Rock and Troy University begins at 4 p.m. Central Friday at Riddle-Pace Field in Troy, Ala. The winner of the series advances to the College World Series in Omaha, Neb.

RECORDS

UALR: 39-26

Troy: 36-30

STREAKS

UALR: Won 8

Troy: Won 4

LAST MEETING

UALR defeated Troy 10-6 in their last meeting on April 3, 2022.

TELEVISION

The game will be televised by the ESPNU cable network. The ESPNU broadcast will feature announcer Clay Matvick and Lance Cormier on the call.

RADIO

The game will be broadcast on 106.7 The Buz2.

— Jesse Cain

Check back for live updates, scores. 

A judge tossed a murder charge against an Arkansas sheriff nominee who was about to go on trial for killing his 14-year-old daughter’s rapist.

The case against Aaron Spencer was dismissed by a judge on Thursday afternoon after law enforcement lost a dash camera memory card that may have captured the fatal October 2024 shooting of 67-year-old Michael Fosler.

“The court finds that conduct by law enforcement was so egregious that dismissal of this case is warranted,” wrote Special Circuit Court Judge Ralph Wilson Jr.

The development comes just a few weeks before Spencer was slated to go to trial on a second-degree murder charge for allegedly gunning down Fosler on Oct. 8, 2024 after catching him driving off with his daughter — whom the sicko had already been charged with grooming and abusing.

Spencer woke up around 1 a.m. to find his then-13-year-old daughter had vanished. He soon found her in the passenger seat of the car Fosler was driving.

He then forced the truck off the road and allegedly shot the accused sexual abuser, according to court documents.

Prosecutors argued that Spencer planned the murder and could have called the cops during the car chase instead of taking matters into his own hands.

He pleaded not guilty to the crime, maintaining he acted accordingly to protect his child from a predator.

Spencer’s attorneys have not denied that he shot and killed Fosler — and the protective dad said the incident spurred him to run for sheriff in Lonoke County, Arkansas.

“I’m the father who acted to protect his daughter when the system failed,” Spencer said in the video statement to launch his campaign.

He won the Republican primary for Lonoke County sheriff in March and is expected to win the general election in the overwhelmingly conservative area east of Little Rock, the New York Times reported.

“No member of this family should ever again be forced to walk into a courtroom and relive this horror,” Spencer’s attorney, Erin Cassinelli, said in a statement to the Associated Press.

“This father should have never been charged for protecting his child.”

With Post wires