Before And After Spring Break

LADY CARDINALS SEEK CONTINUITY

MARK HUMPHREY/ENTERPRISE-LEADER/Farmington senior Brandy Wallace is safely on while the Clarksville first baseman eyes her to see if she will come off the bag. The Lady Cardinals defeated Clarksville, 13-4, in March and won four games while losing twice during the Conway tournament held last weekend.
MARK HUMPHREY/ENTERPRISE-LEADER/Farmington senior Brandy Wallace is safely on while the Clarksville first baseman eyes her to see if she will come off the bag. The Lady Cardinals defeated Clarksville, 13-4, in March and won four games while losing twice during the Conway tournament held last weekend.

FARMINGTON -- Injuries affected Farmington's starting pitching before spring break with the Lady Cardinals playing resurgent softball when they returned to action last week.

Farmington 13, Clarksville 4

The Lady Cardinals picked up an important 5A West Conference victory over Clarksville on March 16.

Farmington coach Randy Osnes was pleased with the hitting performance. Farmington had 7 runs in the second inning and put the game away with 4 in the sixth.

"They're making good progress, we're hitting the ball pretty well right now," Osnes said. "We're playing sound defense behind Shyanna Holmes. The first week-and-a-half we did a good job of playing behind Paige Devecsery. She should be back after spring break. In her absence, Shyanna Holmes and Addy Cassell have done a good job."

Osnes said Devecsery was hurt against Fayetteville, but the young kids on the team stepped up and did what they are supposed to do.

"We put a lot of hits together in several innings, and we had a lot of line drives," Osnes said. "In high school ball that's what you got to do."

Farmington poured on the heat during the sixth inning. Carley Antwine singled on a 3-1 pitch, then was plated by Callie Harper's RBI double. Alyssa Reed doubled off the center field wall and the Lady Cardinals enjoyed an 11-4 lead. Anna Bennett's single placed runners at the corners and Madison Parrish slugged an RBI single past third base. Farmington orchestrated a double steal and one more run came in during a passed ball to make the margin, 13-4, in favor of Farmington.

Freshman Addy Cassell got a strike-out and ground-out before giving up a double in the top of the seventh. She then induced a fly-out to end the game.

Farmington jumped out to an early lead over Clarksville. The Lady Cardinals (5-2) scored on a double by Antwine and a single by Reed in the first inning. More runs came via a single by Callie Harper, a double by Bennett, an error, and a fielder's choice by Eliana Marano in the second inning.

Holmes (3-1) earned the win for the Lady Cardinals. In six innings, she allowed 4 runs and 8 hits, and striking out 5 batters. Hayley Massengale took the loss for Clarksville. She pitched two innings, surrendering 9 runs, and 6 hits. Clarksville scored 3 runs in the fifth inning, keyed by a single from Lauren Buss, a stolen base by Abby Kimbriel, and a single by Josie Arbaugh. Farmington had 11 hits in the game. Wallace, Harper, Antwine, and Reed each had multiple hits for the Lady Cardinals.

Devescery's Return

Devecsery missed several games, but returned, as Osnes predicted, after spring break. On March 28, Devecsery earned a 10-5 win at Alma. She pitched eight innings, allowing 5 runs, 7 hits, and striking out 7 Airdalettes. Taylor Coulson took the loss for Alma.

The Lady Cardinals provided adequate run support with 13 hits. Reed, Harper, Wallace, and Parrish each drove in two runs to lead the Lady Cardinals. The game was tied at 5-5 with Farmington batting in the top of the eighth when Camryn Journagan singled off of Coulson, to drive in the winning run.

On Thursday, Devecsery (4-1) earned another win in relief of Holmes as Farmington won convincingly, 16-2, at Russellville. Harper vexed Russellville as she collected 4 hits. Harper singled in the second, doubled in the fourth, singled in the fifth, and singled in the sixth to lead an 18-hit attack.

Sports on 04/05/2017