Lady Cardinals Win Big

FARMINGTON POSTS 14-2 VICTORY

SILOAM SPRINGS — The Lady Panthers softball team found themselves in a deep hole early, and never could quite dig themselves out of it, as they lost to Farmington 14-2 in five innings at home at the La-Z-Boy Softball Complex.

Farmington continued their strong season, moving their record to 15- 6, 8- 0. Siloam Springs falls to 3-9, 2-4 with the 5A/6A conference loss.

“Well, obviously Farmington played well, and I didn’t think we did,” said Siloam Springs coach Scott Wright. “When you don’t play well against a good team, that’s what happens.”

The Lady Cardinals stormed out to a 5-1 lead in the first inning, chasing starting pitcher Rachel Mann from the mound after two outs. Mann gave up seven hits and five runs in nine at-bats.

Farmington infielder Brandy Wallace started off the game with a single, and the next three batters got on base as well, including Alyssa Reed, who hit a double that scored a pair of runners. The remaining runners were cleaned up two batters later when pitcher Paige Devecsery hit a three-run homer over the right centerfield wall.

Mann gave up another double and walked one before being relieved by Crissa Spry, who got the final out of the inning.

Kenlie Noel got the home team on the board when she scored on a double from Hannah Evans, but it would be the final Panther point until the fifth inning.

“We never found a rhythm in the game and partly credit them for that,” Wright said. “And partly that was us too. Give them all the credit in the world, they’re a very good softball team.

The Lady Panthers kept the visitors off the board in the second inning, but failed to make up any ground, falling victim to a pair of strikeouts and a throw out in three consecutive batters. The Lady Cardinals got back to work in the third, recording three doubles in a row and back to back home runs from Carley Antwine and Reed, yielding five runs.

Siloam Springs was held to four batters in the third before going three up, three down in the fourth inning. Farmington scored a pair of runs in each of the final two innings and gave up one run in the fifth to close the scoring.

Mann took the loss for the Lady Panthers. Spry gave up nine runs on 13 hits against 27 batters. Spry struck out two and walked one. The loss follows a loss earlier this season to Farmington. Siloam Springs lost in Farmington 0-13 almost exactly one month ago, on March 6.

Devecsery took the win for the Lady Cardinals, giving up five hits, three of which were singles to Noel, two runs and two walks. Devecsery faced 22 batters in five innings.

“Bottom line is you gotta compete through the whole game and we got some work to do,” said Wright.

“We have got to be mentally sharp, and we’re going to be addressing that. And then we’ll work on some defense and cleaning up the defensive issues we need to take care of.”