Barnes Unravels Lady Tigers

SPORTS EDITOR’S NOTE: This story is part of an ongoing series highlighting top sports stories for the 2010-19 decade at Farmington High School and its alumni.

FARMINGTON — Farmington overwhelmed its neighbor and rival, Prairie Grove, by a 7-0 score in the District 4A-1 softball semifinal played April 30, 2011, at Farmington.

Base runners and hits were few and far between for Prairie Grove against Farmington ace Madison Barnes, who struck out 14 Lady Tigers while allowing only 3 hits and 4 runners on- base through seven innings.

The Lady Cardinals pushed a run across in the second inning when Samantha Combs belted a triple into left field and was plated by catcher Kelsie Stewart.

Prairie Grove dropped a pop-up to start the fourth inning which allowed Combs to get aboard. Raring to go from first base she stole second and then went to third on Stewart’s bunt. Payton Wiedner also bunted with a Lady Tiger error leaving the door open for Combs to cross home plate. Stewart raced home on a wild pitch stretching Farmington’s advantage to 3-0 .

Wiedner made her way around the bases, scoring on bunt from Kylee Lewis.

In the sixth Wiedner clocked a stand-up double into center field. She moved to third on Kendra Center’s line drive to right. Pinch hitter Andi McDaniel did the job with a sacrifice bunt to score Wiedner.

Seniors Michaela Larabee and Kala Crisp each added RBI hits to finish off the scoring and blank the Lady Tigers 7-0.

Prairie Grove ( 7- 18) entered the tournament as the No. 5 seed and reached the semifinal with its 17-7 victory over No. 4 Pea Ridge.

The victory sent Farmington into the District 4A-1 championship game against No. 3 seed Gravette (17-6) which needed a 4-run rally in the sixth inning to upset No. 2 seed Ozark (16-12).

FILE PHOTO Farmington senior left-fielder Jayme (Doss) Kutter receives joyful congratulations from teammate, Kelsie Stewart, as she crosses the plate scoring in the 2011 Class 4A State Championship game won by Farmington, 7-5, over Ashdown. The Lady Cardinals had to come back a second day after a weather delay to record the final out on May 21, 2011 at Bogle Park on the campus of the University of Arkansas.