FARMINGTON -- Farmington handed Pea Ridge its first 4A-1 Conference loss by an 8-4 margin during Monday's showdown for first place in the softball standings.
High winds were a factor Monday, and the home team took advantage, said Farmington coach Randy Osnes.
"We've been playing in this ballpark for 15 years now so we know," Osnes said. "With the wind coming out of the south coming across left field it makes it a pitcher's park so you better be able to hit line drives." Osnes said.
While Osnes credited Pea Ridge starting pitcher Aidan Dayberry with keeping the Lady Cardinals off-balance, he also described the contest as Farmington's worst game of the season, especially over the first three innings which saw the lead change hands twice.
"The errors prove that," Osnes said.
Farmington (16-2, 6-0 4A-1 Conference) opened with a 1-0 lead when Kally Stout blasted her 1oth home run of the season in the bottom of the first inning.
Pea Ridge (10-5, 5-1) answered when sophomore Alevia Reyna reached on an error to begin the second as a diving attempt failed to field the ball in shallow center field. Reyna moved to second on Josie Taylor's sacrifice bunt and scored when Raven Cawthon made contact when a throw to the plate came in high.
Pea Ridge first baseman Haylee Fox singled into left field.
Blakee Winn bunted with runners at the corners, but Farmington catcher Alyssa Reed scooped up the ball and tagged out a runner at the plate.
Senior Halley Laster gave the Lady Blackhawks their only lead of the game of 2-1 when she drilled an RBI single into left field. A baserunning error cost Pea Ridge an opportunity for more when the throw beat a runner to third allowing Farmington to get out of the inning.
The Lady Cardinals retook the lead at 3-2 in the bottom half of the inning with Stout and Reed driving in runs.
Farmington added a pair of runs to stretch its advantage to 5-2 in the third then tacked on two more in the fourth jump-started by the same two bats. Stout led off with a double and was plated by Reed's double off the wall. Maddison Parish drove in a run upping Farmington's lead to 7-2.
A solo home run by Grace Boatright in the bottom of the sixth capped Farmington's eight-run performance.
Pea Ridge attempted to rally in the seventh. Winn scored on a triple with an error on the throw to third going into Farmington's dugout.
Hollyn Davis hit a single over first base that she turned into a double with hustle scoring on Laster's single. A Pea Ridge runner was called out for interference on a grounder hit between first and second leaving the Lady Blackhawks with just one out left.
Farmington starter McKenzie Bogan, who threw all seven innings, induced a short grounder that she easily fielded and threw to first to end the game.
Sports on 04/16/2019