FARMINGTON -- Siloam Springs ran into a buzz saw in the form of Farmington pitcher Myles Harvey, who thew a 2-hitter through six innings leading the Cardinals to an 8-0 win Monday, April 1.
"He stayed in the zone," said Siloam Springs coach Alan Hardcastle suitably impressed with the freshman's outing that helped the Cardinals break a 3-game losing streak.
Farmington coach Jay Harper liked what he saw crediting longtime assistant coach Clint Scrivner, who has recently taken over calling pitches.
"Myles did a great job. He gave us six innings and didn't allow a run and then (Trenton) Austin came in and closed it out. We're happy about that," Harper said. "We didn't lose an inning today which is a positive for us. That's what we're trying to do is win innings."
The Panthers didn't help themselves when Harvey faced a bases loaded situation in the second inning with one out.
Panther starting catcher Taylor Pool led off by reaching on an error when his fly ball into shallow left field was dropped. Pool made it all the way to second, but the Panthers couldn't bring him home. Harvey struck out Colin Evers, then gave up a single to L.T. Ellis which moved Pool to third. A second Cardinal error allowed Christian Ledeker to get aboard although runners were held at second and third on another dropped fly this one in shallow right.
"Our timing wasn't very good," Hardcastle said. "We had the bases loaded with one out."
Harvey had a lot to do with that, fanning Gavin Henson on three straight pitches for the second out and easing out of the inning by inducing Reed Willbanks into grounding out to third.
"We made a couple of mistakes out there that we can't make, but to our credit we made some plays that we had to so they couldn't score," Harper said. "We kept putting pressure on them and they never really put pressure on us and that's a tribute to our pitching staff, it's a tribute to our defense."
Siloam Springs never had another such opportunity. Harvey made certain of that, retiring the Panthers in order in the third and fourth innings before yielding a single to Willbanks with two outs in the fifth.
Harvey threw three straight balls to the next batter, Elijah Coffey, but skillfully bounced back. After a called strike, Coffey hit a grounder to second and Panther hopes were vanquished.
Meanwhile Farmington built an 8-0 lead giving Harvey plenty of run support.
Ellison Stephens singled to drive in a run in the first inning and a 4-run outburst in the second put Farmington in command, leading 5-0. A pair of Farmington walks, sandwiched around a dropped throw at second, loaded the bases and Farmington capitalized.
Evers, who started for the Panthers, was called for a balk which scored a run. He rebounded to strike out Brandon Hodge, but surrendered a 2-run double to Farmington leadoff hitter Drew Sturgeon. A fifth Farmington run scored as Eric Hill reached on an error.
Evan Shoffit tripled for Farmington in the third and scored on Harvey's RBI single. Sturgeon added a solo home run off Panther reliever Brayden Fain to lead off the fourth, upping the Cardinal advantage to 7-0.
"Drew's been hitting the ball really well," Harper said. "He hit really well against Shiloh (Christian) last week. He hit it really well today. He had a double and a home run so we go when he goes. He's kind of the leader of this deal, kind of sparks us and when he performs well we play well."
The Cardinals' last run came on a Siloam Springs miscue when a cutoff throw went beyond second in the fifth.
The Panthers' last chance came when a Farmington error allowed J.P. Wills to get on in the sixth. Harvey quickly snuffed that out by getting Evers to hit a line drive into the glove of Farmington shortstop Caden Elsik.
Trenton Austin came on in relief for Farmington in the seventh and struck out the side to earn the save.
"We left too many on (base), we left six, but overall I think we're doing a better job. Our kids are coming around and doing what we need to do and people are contributing," Harper said.
Sports on 04/17/2019