FARMINGTON -- Thursday night Farmington's focus was razor sharp in a 2-1 win over Shiloh Christian, but they fell off a bit dropping Friday's game 7-4 to Springdale.
The Cardinals only commited one error, but the miscue came at an inopportune time during a 2-run sixth inning by Springdale that enabled the Bulldogs to add a pair of insurance runs. Farmington coach Jay Harper was frustrated with mental miscues he attributed to the loss. Farmington batters struck out five times with three batters going down without swinging including the last man up in the bottom of the seventh, who had a runner on.
Cardinal pitchers twice hit Springdale's nine-hole hitter and gave up 7 bases-on-balls.
"To be honest, we didn't pitch it very well tonight," Harper said. "When we walk too many it's hard to win. Last night against Shiloh Christian we pitched well and won. Tonight, against a Springdale team I think we're better than we didn't do that."
Farmington 2, Shiloh Christian 1
Senior Derek Perona earned the win against Shiloh Christian. The Saints were limited to 5 hits in 27 at-bats. Sophomore Walker Williams (2-for-3) was the only Saint, who could muster more than one hit. Despite twice smacking doubles, he couldn't drive in any runs. Neither could Jake Nelson (1-for-3) or Sawyer Duddleston (1-for-3), who had Shiloh's only other hits both singles. It took a solo home run by Shiloh senior Connor Clark to get the Saints on the scoreboard, but that was not enough as Farmington won 2-1.
Farmington 17, Siloam Springs 3
Farmington also looked sharp in defeating Siloam Springs, 17-3, on Tuesday, March 6. The Cardinals turned an early lead into a run-rule victory. The Cardinals went up 2-1 in the first, then poured on multiple runs in each of the next four innings. Farmington scored 6 runs in the second, 4 in the third and tacked on 5 more in the fifth inning.
Six Cardinals produced multiple hits and the team combined for 6 extra-base hits. Eric Hill went 4-for-4 with 2 doubles and 3 RBIs. Kyle Gates was 3-for-4 with 2 doubles and 4 RBIs. Drew Sturgeon, Tate Sutton, Hayden VanLaningham and Evan Shoffit were among those in the Cardinal lineup with multiple hits.
Logan Bobak pitched 3 hitless innings with 4 strikeouts.
The Panthers' Barron Meek hit a triple and Taylor Pool had a double.
"These guys are new players in a year after we graduate 10 seniors," Harper said. "Right now we're 3-3, we're six games in -- the inexperience ought to be gone. We're settling in on our positions. The seniors we're counting on have to make plays and pitch otherwise it's going to be a long season."
Sports on 03/14/2018