Harper Named To All-Star Staff

FARMINGTON -- Jay Harper went to his second All-Star game in two years on Tuesday, this time as an assistant coach for the West baseball team with head coach John King, of Pea Ridge.

In 2013, Harper, Farmington head baseball coach, was head coach for the West and led his squad to a two-game sweep over the East including a game in which Spencer Boudrey, a 2013 Farmington graduate, blasted a solo home run to account for the only scoring in a 1-0 West victory. This year Harper was again coaching one of his players with Keaton Austin, a 2015 Farmington graduate, on the West roster.

"When I found out I got a chance to play another baseball game I was pretty excited about it," Austin said.

Austin said having Coach Harper on the team makes the experience even better.

"That really puts the icing on the cake," Austin said. "He's a great coach. Me and him developed a really good relationship over the years. I'm glad he gets to coach me one more time."

Harper recognized Austin's ability early on and showed confidence by inserting him into the lineup as a freshman pitcher facing eventual 2012 state MVP David Petrino, who batted .500 and hit 9 home runs as a high school senior. That occasion is what Austin calls his greatest memory of playing high school baseball at Farmington.

"I struck out David Petrino at Shiloh Christian twice in my freshman debut," Austin said. "He [Petrino] ended up playing JUCO in Arizona and he's at Oklahoma State now."

Farmington assistant baseball coach Clint Scrivner has compiled a highlight video of Austin pitching which can be viewed on the Internet at https://youtu.be/D1QeDcmGiDg.

Harper said he has enjoyed not only his but also Austin's selection to the All-Star baseball squad.

"It's my second opportunity to be on the All-Star staff. It's a great opportunity for me again to go and experience the best baseball players in the state for two or three days. We were lucky to get Keaton on the team to let him go down to UCA at Conway and show his skills to college scouts," Harper said, adding, "I'm happy to be part of that staff again."