Eagles Fly Away In Extra Innings

FARMINGTON SUSTAINS 10-8 LOSS TO OPEN CONFERENCE PLAY

FARMINGTON — Farmington couldn’t hold on to a 1-run lead and lost 10-8 in eight innings to Huntsville in the 4A-1 Conference opener Thursday.

The game was not without controversy.

In the top of the sixth Farmington’s Brandon Hodge was ruled out at the plate. Hodge led off the inning with an infield single which Huntsville coach Greg Harris protested and appealed to the home plate umpire. Hodge advanced to second when Drew Sturgeon walked with one out.

There were other points of dispute throughout the contest, but the two most damaging rulings went against the home team in the eighth inning.

Huntsville scored 4 runs in the top of the eighth to take a 10-6 lead.

With the bases loaded a run walked in when Clint Eaton drew ball-four. Farmington dropped a pop-up by Sean McCone which they paid for dearly. McCone smacked a 2-run double into right field upping the Eagle advantage to 9-6. With Tad Jones batting a passed ball took the catcher away from the plate. Eric Hill, who was on the mound, covered and made a tag at home, but the runner was ruled safe and Huntsville led 10-6. Cold became a factor. Huntsville dropped Sturgeon’s fly ball into right center and he turned that miscue into a triple. Eric Hill drove another fly into deep center, which was also dropped allowing Sturgeon to score. Ellison Stephens followed with a single and Eathan Hodge doubled into left center bringing in a run to narrow Huntsville’s lead to 10-8 with one out.

However, the field umpire ruled Stephens did not touch second base. The call took a potential tying run off base and brought up a second out — changing the complexion of the game.

Farmington coach Jay Harper tried to get the ruling reversed to no avail and the next batter struck out ending the game.

Huntsville led 5-1 midway through the third inning scoring 2 runs in the third on Tate Pickens’ RBI double and a Cardinal error.

Farmington fought back in the bottom of the third. Sturgeon led off with a walk. He stole second, then third diving in headfirst to avoid a tag with Tate Sutton batting.

Harris came out of the dugout to argue the call, which was upheld. Sutton plated Sturgeon with a single.

With two outs, Trey Hill walked putting runners at the corners for Evan Shoffit, who drove a home run over the right field wall evening the score at 5-5.

“That’s your fault,” Harris told his pitcher, Kaden Vanover. “You don’t even pitch to that guy.”

Eric Hill scored from third on a passed ball to put the Cardinals up, 6-5, with one out in the fifth. The score remained that way until Huntsville got a runner on board to start the seventh.

The next batter popped up for one away. Eaton then came up for Huntsville. He made contact with a 2-1 pitch trying to stretch it into a double. Slayter Watkins took advantage of the throw going to second to score the tying run.

Farmington is now 2-5 on the season. The Cardinals compete at the Sylvan Hills Invitational during spring break week.

MARK HUMPHREY ENTERPRISE-LEADER Farmington junior Colton Kilgore digs in trying for first but couldn’t avoid a double play during the Cardinals 10-8 loss to Huntsville that went eight innings Thursday.