Gravette knocks Farmington into tie for second place

FARMINGTON — Gravette left a Farmington base runner marooned at second in the fifth while holding the Lady Cardinals scoreless over the last three innings to pull off a 10-6 win.

A Friday, April 7, 4A-1 Conference softball game showcased surges by both teams.

Kelsey Pembleton’s 2-run dinger on the heels of Keeley Elsea’s two-out double put the Lady Lions up 2-0 in the first inning. Pembleton went 2-for-4 and finished with 2 RBIs.

“We had some chances, but we dug a little bit too big of a hole to get out of it,” said Farmington coach Jason Shirey.

Gravette (9-2, 3-0 4A-1) scored four more runs in the top of the second set up by Drew Madison and Brooke Handle’s consecutive singles. Trinity Burnett’s sacrifice bunt placed runners at second and third. Paige Greer reached on a bunt single, then Brynn Romine singled to drive in two runs.

Farmington changed pitchers, but Laney Chilton (1 for 3, double, 2 RBIs) crushed a two-run double for a 6-0 Lady Lions’ lead.

“We came out and jumped on them early; that set the tone for us,” said Gravette coach Samantha Luther. “It was a good back and forth game. We jumped on them in the first inning. They came out and responded. I felt we responded to them. We fought hard and didn’t give up.”

Farmington (10-1, 2-1 4A-1) answered with three runs in the bottom of the second, slicing Gravette’s lead in half at 6-3. Justine Davidson doubled to get on base. The Lady Cardinal rally was forged by seven hole hitter Kennedy Griggs (1-for-3, RBI, 1 run scored) and leadoff hitter Morgan Uher (2 for 4, double, 4 RBIs, 1 run scored), who each drove in runs.

Katie Fleming (2-for-3, home run, RBI) homered in the third inning to get Farmington within 6-4.

Gravette scored a pair of runs in the fourth on RBI singles by Elsea and Sydney Kildow, increasing its lead to 8-4.

The Lady Cardinals countered with Morgan Uher belting a homer in the fourth inning, bringing Farmington within two runs for the second time in the game.

Trailing 8-6 Farmington got a runner in scoring position with two outs in the bottom of the fifth when Amia Carr was hit by a throw while diving back to first base when Isabella Hulsey hit a fly ball into right field.

The umpire signalled her to advance one base. Luther argued the contact with the throw was inadvertent. The umpires conferred but upheld the ruling.

Gravette didn’t allow Farmington to capitalize because Handle got Davidson to fly out to left center on a 2-2 pitch to end the inning.

“We hit some balls right on the nose and they were able to catch it. Those are momentum-killers,” Jason Shirey said.

The Lady Lions tacked on two insurance runs in the top of the sixth. Chilton walked and Elsea (3 for 4, double, home run, 3 RBIs) homered on a 0-1 pitch over the right center field wall to make the score 10-6.

Neither team scored in the seventh inning.

“It was a team win. We all came together and played good defense behind our pitcher. We got runners in scoring position and moved them in. We had some good bunts as well to move some runners,” Luther said.

Gravette’s win prevented the Lady Cardinals from remaining tied for first place in the league. That distinction now belongs to the Lady Lions (3-0) and Pea Ridge (2-0) going into the second week of April. Farmington (2-1) fell a half game behind Prairie Grove (3-1) for second place.

Kildow pounded out two hits in four at-bats with an RBI for the Lady Lions.

Handle earned the win for Gravette, allowing six runs on seven hits over seven innings, while striking out three with three walks.

Griggs (7-1) took the loss for Farmington. She surrendered six runs on four hits before the Lady Lions chased her in the second inning.

Kamryn Uher came on in relief, yielding four runs while scattering seven hits through 5.2 innings with one strikeout and two walks.

“We have three league games left; we have to play well,” Jason Shirey said.

The Lady Cardinals played Pea Ridge in a rescheduled contest April 13, then concluded 4A-1 play against Gentry on Friday, April 14, and at Huntsville on Tuesday, April 18. They remained in contention for a league title.

Mark Humphrey/Enterprise-Leader The ball bounces off Farmington’s Amia Carr as she dives back to first base when a fly ball was caught in right field. The relay to first base struck Carr and she was awarded a base, advancing to second on the play. Farmington couldn’t capitalize and lost 10-6 to Gravette in 4A-1 Conference action at Randy Osnes Field on Friday, April 7.