Farmington gets going, outlasts Gravette

GRAVETTE — Farmington started fast and finished fast at Gravette on Tuesday.

Farmington grabbed a lead, lost the lead, then reclaimed the lead to post a 9-6 victory over Gravette in Class 4A-1 Conference softball at Lady Lions field.

Reese Shirey went 4 for 4 for Farmington, which outhit Gravette 11-7. Bella Hulsey had two doubles and three RBI, while Justine Davidson got Farmington off to a good start with a two-run double in the first inning.

Gravette countered with five consecutive runs after Farmington jumped ahead 3-0 in the top of the first. The Cardinals (9-2, 2-1) then scored six consecutive runs to take a 9-5 lead.

Pitcher Kennedy Griggs settled into a rhythm with four consecutive shutout innings before Gravette scored a final run in the bottom of the seventh.

“It probably wasn’t her sharpest [performance], but we’re standing out here in 40-degree weather, shaking and shivering,” Farmington Coach Jason Shirey said of Griggs. “But I’m proud of the way she came back and competed.”

Laney Chilton slammed a two-run double, while Keeley Elsea had a single and double for Gravette (7-5, 1-2). Drew Madison drove in Gravette’s final run with a double in the seventh inning.

Gravette left the bases loaded in the sixth inning when Shirey made a running catch in the right-center field gap with two outs to retire Chilton.

“We kept fighting even down to the last inning,” Gravette Coach Samantha Luther said. “That’s big but, against good teams, we can’t keep going back-and-forth and leaving runners on. We’ve got to find a way to get them in, keep scoring and keep adding onto it.”

Farmington went ahead of Gravette 7-5 with four runs in the fourth inning. Shirey had an RBI single and Hulsey an RBI double in the inning.

Davidson lined a two-run double to left field in the first inning after Morgan Uhler and Shirey each singled to begin the game. Amia Carr hit a sacrifice fly to score Mallory Sills, who drew a walk.

“Reese had a good day, obviously,” Shirey said. “She’s always a threat and Morgan did a great job of getting on base in front of her. Up and down the lineup, our kids competed all day long.”