FARMINGTON -- Greenbrier put together big back-to-back innings at the plate Tuesday and rallied past Farmington, 13-6, in the opening game of a 5A-West Conference baseball doubleheader.
The Panthers (4-0, 3-0 5A-West) looked like a team out of rhythm in the early innings. Starting pitcher Hunter Milligan battled through a tough bottom of the second, allowing two runs and four hits -- including a solo home run to Farmington catcher Flint Oxford. Greenbrier then committed two errors in the third, which led to two more unearned runs and a 4-1 Farmington lead.
5A-West Conference Baseball
Game 1
Greenbrier 13, Farmington 6
Greenbrier^010^840^0^—^13^7^3
Farmington^022^000^2^—^6^8^5
Milligan, Stevens (5) and Byrum; Fenton, Putnam (4), Petrie (5) and Oxford. W - Milligan, 2-0. L - Fenton, 1-1. Sv — None. HR - Farmington, Oxford.
But the Panthers remained patient, and busted out in a big way in the top of the fourth as 13 batters came to the plate in an eight-run rally.
"We had a bad inning in the field and when we came in the dugout after that I told the guys, it looks like we've only played three ball games and that's all we've played," Greenbrier coach Terry May said. "That seemed to relax them and the pitcher got back on track and then we got some timely hits."
Farmington starting pitcher Cade Fenton was sharp through the first three innings, allowing just one hit. But the top of the fourth changed the game as Greenbrier took advantage of two walks, two errors and flurry of hits to force Fenton from the game.
"He's just a sophomore," Cardinals coach Jay Harper said. "We've got a young team this year and he's going to get better. They're all going to get better.
"We're still sorting some things out trying to adjust to this 5A baseball, but we'll keep getting better."
Greenbrier would add four more runs in the fifth off reliever Blake Putnam, who was a victim of two more Farmington errors.
The Cardinals (5-7, 1-2) finished the game with five errors and 10 walks issued to Panthers' batters.
"We've got to cut down on the walks," Harper said. "We had too many walks and errors."
Farmington added two more runs in the bottom of the seventh, getting an RBI single from Hayden Sutton and another RBI hit off the bat of Kelton Price.
Oxford led the Cardinals at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a home run. T.J. Askegard also added two hits.
Sports on 04/01/2015