FARMINGTON -- The Class 4A State softball bracket structure designated Pea Ridge, which entered the tournament as the No. 2 North seed, as the home team -- meaning they got to bat last.
That factored heavily into deciding the outcome with the Lady Blackhawks (21-7) winning, 5-4, ending Farmington's season one game short of playing for a third straight state championship in the Class 4A semifinals Saturday afternoon at Morrilton.
Farmington (27-4) scored a run in top of the seventh to tie the game, at 4-4, after trailing from the first inning on, but the Lady Cardinals could not bring a go-ahead run around the bases.
The Lady Blackhawk top-of-the-order came up to bat in the bottom of seventh, and loaded the bases with two outs. Pea Ridge leadoff hitter Blakely Winn (2-for-3, 1 BB, 1 RS) scored a run every time she got on base, but the decisive play came down to sophomore Ashley Earley, the six-hole hitter who was 0-for-3 in the contest. She drew a walk, bringing in the winning run, and a 5-4 loss for Farmington.
Carson Griggs (24-3) took the loss for Farmington. She finished one out away from a complete game, yielding 9 hits and 5 runs while striking out eight.
In contrast, Pea Ridge pitcher Aidan Dayberry had no walks while allowing 4 runs on 7 hits through seven innings. She recorded 6 strike outs. Dayberry helped her cause at the plate going 2-for-3, with a base on balls, and scoring a run.
In the first inning, Pea Ridge scored a run when Dallice White (2-of-4, 1 RBI) singled on a 1-2 count. The Lady Blackhawks added a pair of runs in the third inning stretching their lead to 3-0 when the Lady Blackhawks' freshman catcher Callie Cooper smacked a 2-run homer.
The Lady Cardinals scored a run in the top of the fourth trimming their deficit to 3-1, but Pea Ridge got that run back in the bottom of the fifth. Farmington senior catcher Grace Boatright (2-for-4, 3 RBIs, 1 RS) went yard in the sixth inning, one of seven hits the Lady Cardinals managed in the game. Boatright's run scored pulled Farmington within 4-2.
Farmington leadoff hitter, senior shortstop Shayley Treat (2-for-4, 1 RS), was the only other Lady Cardinal with multiple hits, and yet they were able to score two runs and tie the game in their last at-bat in the top of the seventh.
In the previous two meetings, Farmington defeated Pea Ridge twice, winning 10-1 on April 19 during league play on the Lady Blackhawks' home field; and 4-0 in the District 4A-1 championship at Farmington on May 1.
Pea Ridge made its first final four appearance in more than a decade while Farmington was playing in its third consecutive state semifinals including an 8-3 win over De Queen in Class 5A at Harrison in 2018 and a 2019 win by a 5-4 score over Brookland in Class 4A.
For the third consecutive season Farmington earned the right to play in the semifinals of the State softball tournament with a 15-0 thrashing of Malvern Friday in the Class 4A quarterfinals.
The Lady Blackhawks reached the 2021 Class 4A State semifinals by beating Camden Fairview, 3-0, Thursday and blanked Stuttgart, 10-0, in Friday's quarterfinals.
State Class 4A Softball
May 15, 2021
At Morrilton
Pea Ridge 5, Farmington 4
Farmington (27-4)^000^101^2^--^4^7^3
Pea Ridge (21-7)^102^010^1^--^5^9^3
W -- Dayberry, L -- Griggs.