Washington County Enterprise-Leader
The Buddy System
CARDINAL TEAMMATES SIGN TOGETHER
FARMINGTON — Three outs in the top of the order had Farmington baseball coach Jay Harper looking back wistfully.
These weren’t bad outs with a trio of Cardinals, Spencer Boudrey, Taylor Burba, and Levi Strope, coming back to the high school they just graduated from on May 16 to sign letters of intent to play college baseball.
“It’s a happy day and it’s a sad day to be honest,” Harper said. “You want these guys to go on and be successful in life but I’m going to miss them tremendously.”
Burba signed with Ecclesia College, of Springdale; while Boudrey and Strope accepted scholarship offers from Crowder College, of Nevada, Mo.
Derrion Hardie, Ecclesia baseball coach, said Burba fit what the program was looking for.
“There are a couple of different attributes that are important. The biggest is character,” Hardie said. “He’s a blue-collar kid. He works hard, that comes from his family.”
Hardie said the second aspect was Burba’s play this season, in which he batted .425 and drove in 34 runs with two homers.
“I think he struck out only one time all season,” Harper said.
“Being a first- team All- State catcher in 4A speaks for itself,” Hardie said.
Hardie said a third factor was being part of a successful program, noting Ecclesia went 2722 in their first year of baseball and were one game away from the world series.
“That kind of set the standard, it’s important to bring guys into our program that know how to win.”
Travis Lallemand, Crowder baseball coach, likes the value he sees in Boudrey as a ‘middle of the order presence’ in the batting lineup and corner infielder.
“That’s one of our big needs as far as what we are graduating. Since the change in bats, guys that can pop it and guys that can run are at a premium.”
The Roughriders are coming off a 47-13 season and according to Lallemand, were at one point, ranked number one in the country, eventually losing out in the championship game of their Regional tournament.
Lallemand described Strope as a right- handed pitcher, who possesses three quality pitches and has a chance to come in and fit into a starting role.
“That’s what we look for in our pitchers. He’ll have a chance to do that throughout the fall.”
Boudrey played short stop for the Cardinals with a .470 average, 33 RBIs and four home runs.
Levi Strope compiled a 7- 1 record as a starting pitcher with two saves, 59 strikeouts and a 2.46 ERA.
The 2013 Cardinals won the 1- 4A Conference championship with runner- up finishes in the district and regional tournaments before a 9-3 loss to Central Arkansas Christian eliminated Farmington from the State 4A baseball tournament at Harrison.
Harper was named Coach of the Year for small schools by NWA Media and is head coach for the West in the All-Star baseball game in June.
Burba expressed thanks to all of his coaches and to Coach Blew (Brad Blew, Farmington athletic director). His plans include pursuing a major in sports management and recalled staying in a hotel as a sophomore at Jonesboro during the state baseball tournament as a favorite memory at Farmington.
“We had a lot of fun. It was the only time we got to stay in a motel in my high school career.”
Strope, who throws with his right hand but bats left-handed, said he leaves with a lot of good memories. A daughter, Ava Marie Strope, was born to him and Hilda Salazar, on April 19, weighing 6 pounds and 14 ounces. The couple are thinking about their future together and plan on getting married.
Strope, who has been plenty handy with a bat as a Cardinal, said his favorite memory also came during his sophomore year when he hit a home run off Jalen Beeks, of Prairie Grove, who went on to pitch for the University of Arkansas baseball team.
In college, Strope said he will go after a degree in Criminal Justice and wants to become a police officer and may consider becoming a state trooper if he can work his way up to it.
Boudrey plans to major in education and wants to become a baseball or football coach.
Burba enjoyed the get together as he shared the signing table with high school teammates to commemorate the occasion.
“It’s pretty special knowing they’re going off to college and will play ball, too. It’s a big deal.”
“It’s always good to be here with my teammates,” Boudrey said. “I want to thank my parents and family for their support and all my coaches. It’s good to be here one last time, it feels like home.”