Foster: Cardinal For Clutch Hit

FARMINGTON — With two out and one on Jessica Foster belted a clutch hit, notching an RBI double and lifting the Lady Cardinals to a 5-4 win over visiting Booneville in their season-opener on March 4.

“We executed some things well offensively,” said Farmington coach Randy Osnes. “We’ve just got to get better defensively.”

Booneville tied the game on Brittany Ward’s RBI single in the top of the sixth, then nipped a Farmington threat in the bottom of the inning when Lauren Blackburn was caught in a rundown between third and home.

Starting pitcher Jordin Smith went the distance retiring the Bearcats in order at the top of the seventh to give the Cardinals a chance to win. Smith had a strikeout, then induced a grounder to short stop but the toss to second was dropped. Smith then came back to catch a short pop up by Morgan Osborn and got out of the inning despite advancing runners with a wild pitch.

In the bottom of the seventh, Brooke Larkin took two called strikes, then fouled off a 2-2 pitch before reaching a full count on a low throw. Larkin swung hard but missed for the first out.

Next up was Smith, looking to give herself the win at the plate but she popped up to second for the second out. Farmington finally got a runner on board when Sara Beth Jones batted left-handed and hustled to earn an infield single.

Foster then came up and on a 1-1 pitch blasted a double down the right field line that eluded a desperation dive by Booneville’s outfielder. The shot rolled all the way to the corner and by the time the Lady Bearcats tracked the ball down, Farmington had the winning run come across.

Farmington led 2-1 after the first inning. Larkin’s bat brought in a run with a single in the third but Booneville tied the game at, 3-3, before Smith helped her cause with an RBI single. The Lady Cardinals loaded the bases but Booneville starter Ashton Ross got out of the jam with a pair of strikeouts.

In the sixth Booneville’s Lily Dobbs singled to centerfield and Jackie Hall took a strike then had a ball called. Osnes appealed the call and the second base umpire agreed leaving Hall facing an 0-2 count. Smith struck her out on the next pitch. The next batter, Ross, hit a double, moving runners to second and third.

Ross then drove in the tying run. Further damage was avoided when Lindsey Blackburn got a foot on the bag just in time for the third out.

Osnes moved the lineup around late in the game to get a look at different players in the infield. In the top of the seventh, the Blackburn twins teamed up to hold a runner with Lauren playing catcher and Lindsey at first. Lauren twice threw to her sister after pitches — freezing the runner. The ploy worked and the Bearcats were scoreless in the inning.