FARMINGTON -- On senior night Farmington took care of business in short order, sweeping visiting Harrison, 10-0 and 13-2, to run their 5A West record to 10-4 wrapping up third place.
Farmington coach Randy Osnes expressed a sense of satisfaction with the state tournament berth secured on May 3 at home against Maumelle in the Lady Cardinals' first season competing in 5A.
"Last year was the first year in the program's history that we didn't make state," Osnes said, referring to a first-round 2014 Regional loss that eliminated Farmington one game short of qualifying for state.
"It's nice to see this bunch as hard as they have worked make it to state," Osnes said.
After game two in the sweep over Harrison on May 7, Farmington honored their seven seniors: outfielder Courtney Bodine, shortstop Bethany Doty, infielder Brianna Center, outfielder Sara Beth Jones, catcher Brooklyn Keeling, second baseman/pitcher Brooke Larkin, and pitcher/infielder Mackenzie Sill.
Osnes said all of his seniors are special and annually honors each one with a framed jersey through fundraising team efforts.
In game one, Farmington put the kibosh on Harrison in the bottom of the third inning with a 7-run surge to break away from a scoreless tie in the first two innings and top of the third. With one out Center reached on an error, then Jones' bunt died at the plate and was fair barely. By the time Harrison got ahold of the ball, Jones was safe at first and Center safe at second. Doty promptly sent a single into left field loading the bases for Larkin, who hit a high single over first bringing in one run.
With the bases still loaded, Brandy Wallace smacked a run single into deep center field. An error again allowed Farmington to load the bases and first baseman Callie Harper made them pay with a 2 RBI single pushing the Farmington lead to 5-0. Keeling's sacrifice brought up the second out but a run scored on a bad throw taking the catcher away from the plate. Bethany McKnight drove in the seventh run blasting a single past a diving Goblin shortstop.
Farmington added three runs in the fourth inning when Doty and Larkin hit back-to-back RBI doubles and the Lady Cardinals held Harrison scoreless in the top of the fifth to capture the run-rule five inning victory. Farmington completed the sweep with a 13-2 win in game two behind the combined pitching efforts of Larkin, who started and went the first three innings only yielding a single run. She experienced muscle soreness in the top of the fourth and gave up three singles before being replaced by Sill, game one winner, allowing only 5 hits with 5 strikeouts.
Sill worked out of a bases-loaded jam by inducing a double play and a ground out. Osnes had high praise for both pitchers.
"Mackenzie Sill and Brooke Larkin are team leaders. They both have a great work ethic. Those two are very special," Osnes said.
As the No. 3 seed from the West, Farmington faced defending State 5A champion White Hall, No. 2 from the South, in the first-round of the 2015 state tournament at Hot Springs on Thursday. Going into the tourney, Osnes recognized the challenge but said he liked the Lady Cardinals' chances.
"I probably have too much information on White Hall right now. It's probably an information overload," Osnes said. "They are the defending state champions but our kids are hitting the ball well. I'd much rather be in our dugout."
Sports on 05/20/2015