Washington County Enterprise-Leader
Regional Troubles
FARMINGTON STRUGGLES IN TWO LOSSES
FARMINGTON — The Lady Cardinal softball team hosted the 4A North Regional and started strong with a 6-3 win over Waldron before faltering against Booneville (7-3) and Mena (8-7).
Consecutive losses in the semifinal and consolation games both played on May 7 pushed Farmington into the state tournament as a No. 4 seed.
“We played 14 innings on the day we played Booneville and Mena. In all honesty our kids are used to doing that,” said Farmington coach Randy Osnes. “The 8-7 loss to Mena was a good game, it went back and forth. There were plenty of runs scored and plenty of hits.”
After falling behind early, 2-0, Farmington scored two runs in the second inning to tie the contest against Mena, at 2-2. The Lady Cardinals then found themselves down 5-4 at the top of the third inning and loaded the bases against Mena pitcher, Ariel Hartin, when Oakley Sisemore walked.
Payton Wiedner hit into a double play but two runners were left on for Lindsey Blackburn, who brought them both home with a double. Brooke Larkin singled and Sara Beth Jones drove in a run with a bunt single but this time the two base runners were left stranded and Farmington settled for a 7-5 edge.
Mena evened the score at 7-7 and mistakes proved to be Farmington’s undoing in the sixth. Autumn Bircher made contact and turned a single into a double when a throw to first was dropped. Bircher stole third on a 1-0 pitch and the go-ahead run was in position for Mena to regain the lead on a fielder’s choice.
In their last at-bat at home this season, Farmington got a double from Jordin Smith and Lauren Blackburn reached on a fielder’s choice with Smith thrown out at third. A bunt single from Maria McPherson produced another base runner but Farmington could not bring them home and lost, 8-7.
On May 7, Farmington dropped a 7- 3 4A North Regional semifinal game against Booneville.
A series of calls went against them early in the second inning that seemed to have a devastating effect on their spirits. Booneville’s Morgan Osborn hit a fly ball to right field which was caught but after the play concluded, the umpires called Farmington starter, Jordin Smith, for an illegal pitch and sent the batter back to the plate.
Osnes appealed the late call to no avail. Later in the at- bat, the plate umpire requested assistance on a 2-1 pitch, “Did she go?” and was told “No.”
Both rulings would have an impact as Osborn eventually reached a full count and drew a walk. The end result was after hitting into an out, she wound up with a free pass with a second chance and would go on to score.
The next batter up for Booneville was Taylor Nichols, who hit a bunt the Farmington infield thought was a foul ball. With no throw on the play, she easily reached first. Again Osnes came out to ask the umpire for clarification. “Was it a fair ball?” The ruling was upheld giving Booneville runners at first and second. Hannah McClung tried to bunt but this time Farmington got her out at first with the runners moving up. Farmington held both runners and got a second out at first when Marissa O’Neal hit into a fielder’s choice.
At this point, the inning would have been over had the initial fly out not been reversed but as the situation was Katelyn Davis came up and walked to position runners at every base.
Down 4- 0, Farmington finally pushed across two runs in the fourth set up by bunt singles from Oakley Sisemore and Sara Beth Jones and Payton Wiedner’s single. An error allowed a run but after Booneville starter, Taylor Nichols, walked in a run she was replaced by Ashton Ross, who got the final two outs and left three Cardinals stranded.