FARMINGTON -- Farmington claimed its first 5A-West Conference softball tournament championship with an 8-0 whitewashing of Morrilton on Friday.
The Lady Cardinals rolled to three wins in the tournament and will carry the conference's No. 1 seed into next week's Class 5A state softball tournament.
"Three years in a row we've been the third seed, we definitely wanted to improve our seeding going into state,"said Farmington coach Randy Osnes.
Farmington (26-4) will open state tournament play on Thursday against Magnolia at Harrison Parks & Recreation sports complex in Harrison.
Senior Paige Devecsery pitched a three-hit shutout, dominating the Lady Devil Dogs and there was plenty of support to go around. Junior catcher Alyssa Reed (3-for-4, five RBIs) hit a pair of home runs. Sophomore McKenzi Bogan blasted a two-run homer to give Farmington the lead in the bottom of the second and the Lady Cardinals never looked back.
Farmington added three more runs in the third and padded the lead from there. Kally Stout connected with an 0-2 pitch to drive in a run on a triple and Reed led off the fifth with a solo home run, her second long-ball of the contest. Reed singled into left field to drive in the Lady Cardinals' eighth run in the sixth.
Devecsery retired the Lady Devil Dogs in order in both the sixth and seventh innings and the defense played solid behind her.
Morrilton sophomore Gracie Bane had one of the Lady Devil Dogs' two hits by hitting a single into right field with one out in the top of the fifth. Farmington quickly negated that by turning a double play. Devecsery induced Alyssa Sparks into hitting a grounder to second. Freshman shortstop Shayley Treat fielded the ball, stepped on the bag for a force out and threw to first to keep Sparks off base.
"Paige pitched a great game all night and the defense was good behind her," Osnes said. "There was no base-on-balls. She didn't hit anybody. Alyssa Reed was on fire tonight."
BASEBALL
Farmington 7, Vilonia 6
Farmington's young baseball team continues to marvel opponents as the Cardinals knocked off defending state champion Vilonia to win the 5A West Conference baseball tournament consolation game.
Reliever Ben Silvis held off Vilonia by inducing a ground out to shortstop with bases loaded to end the sixth inning with the Cardinals nursing a one-run lead. Despite issuing a walk and giving up a single in the seventh, sandwiched around a pair of outs, Silvis hung tough and got Vilonia's Josh Albat to fly out over second base to wrap up the victory.
The Cardinals take on Watson's Chapel at 5:30 p.m. Thursday in the first-round of the Class 5A state tournament in Harrison.
Sports on 05/05/2018