Cardinals claim control late, cut down Fouke on road

FOUKE – In a 1-run game through five innings, the Harmony Grove Cardinals put up a 5-spot in the top of the sixth to claim an 8-2 win over the Fouke Panthers Thursday in 7-3A Conference play in Fouke. The win improves the Cardinals to 11-4 overall, picking up their first win in league play in which they stand 1-1.

The Cardinals struck first in this one as senior Cameron Palmer reached on a leadoff single to right field, stole second and scored on senior Chase Chilton’s double to left for the 1-0 lead.

Fouke responded in the bottom of the inning on a two-out RBI single, but Harmony Grove reclaimed the lead in the top of the second when junior Hayden Lumpkins reached on an oneout error and later scored on an error. Senior Jared Palmer, who reached via single, scored two batters later on Chilton’s RBI ground out for the 3-1 stake after one and a half.

A leadoff error in the bottom of the inning allowed the Panthers to get a two-out unearned run on an RBI single to center to make it a 3-2 HG advantage after two, which remained until the sixth.

It was the top of the sixth when the Cardinals blew it open. Lumpkins, who reached on a leadoff single, scored on junior Troy Potter’s ground out before Chilton doubled in another run for the 5-2 lead. Junior West Lock put an exclamation point on the win with a 2-run home run before senior Cooper White tripled and scored on junior Lucas Seely’s single for the 8-2 final.

The Cardinals got good pitching performances from all three of their throwers with senior starter Trey Miller picking up the win giving up two runs (one earned) on four hits and two walks, striking out five in three innings. Lock struck out two in three shutout innings, giving up just two hits, with

Chilton walking three and striking out three in a scoreless inning.

Harmony Grove pounded out 13 hits in the win with five Cardinals getting the multi-hit variety. Chilton went 2 for 4 with two doubles and three RBIS, Lock was 2 for 3 with a double, homer and two RBIS, Cameron Palmer was 2 for 4 with two runs, Seely 2 for 4 with an RBI and White 2 for 3 with a triple. Potter (RBI), Lumpkins (two runs) and Jared Palmer all added a hit.

The Cardinals are back in conference play Monday hosting the Genoa Central Dragons.