HARRISON -- Farmington completed a season sweep of Huntsville on May 7 with a 4-1 victory in the 4A North Regional baseball tournament at Harrison.
Cardinal starter Ethan Hodge dealt the Eagles a tough outing. He scattered four hits over 6.2 innings and other than Slayter Watkins' solo homer didn't allow any runs while striking out six. Hodge departed after reaching a 92-pitch count. Caden Elsik took over allowing one hit before finishing off the Eagles with a strike out. He was on-target putting each of his 8 pitches in the strike zone.
"Our kids did really good. Ethan Hodge is a senior that just gets people out. He did a great job. He gave up a home run, but other than that he never got in very much trouble. [He stayed] very calm and collected. I can't say enough about him," said Farmington coach Jay Harper.
Farmington scored four runs on six hits with three runs batted in to advance to the Regional finals. Trey Hill went 2-for-4, doubled, and drove in a run. Leadoff hitter Tate Sutton went 1-for-3 with a double, RBI and a base on balls. Weston Sills (0-for-2) got credit for an RBI without a hit. Harvey went 1-for-3 with a double.
Huntsville senior third baseman Watkins solo homer gave the Eagles a 1-0 edge in the top of the third, but Farmington answered. Myles Harvey's leadoff double into center field led to a run when Tate Sutton followed with a double into the left corner to tie the game.
Farmington scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth. Chase Brown walked and went to third on Trey Hill's double into left center. Huntsville starter Luke Eaton (4.2 innings, 3 runs, 5 hits, 3 strikeouts, 3 BB) left after hitting Michael White to load the bases.
Eaton was charged with the loss. He threw 55 strikes while reaching an 80-pitch count. Kolton Reynolds briefly made an appearance walking in a run. Watkins closed out the contest for the Eagles, pitching the final 1.1 innings surrendering one run on one hit and three bases on balls.
Farmington left 10 runners on base, but walked in two runs in the fifth.
"We didn't hit it all that well, but we produced runs. We did enough to get the job done and that's a quality baseball team," Harper said. "We were very fortunate to get the win and we're happy with it."
Watkins went 2-for-4 and accounted for Huntsville's only run with a single shot in the third inning. Davidson was 2-for-4 while Bradley (1-for-3) had the Eagles' only other base hit. Huntsville left eight runners stranded.
4A North Regional Baseball
May 7, 2021
At Harrison
Farmington 4, Huntsville 1
Huntsville (17-7)^001^000^0^--^1^5^1
Farmington (21-6)^001^021^x^--^4^6^0
W -- Ethan Hodge, L -- Luke Eaton.