Cardinals win league opener over Blackhawks 10-2

PEA RIDGE — Coming out of spring break Farmington (4-1, 1-0) put together a solid seven innings on the way to defeating Pea Ridge 10-2 in 4A-1 baseball on Tuesday, March 26.

Starting pitcher Zane Schmitt (4 innings, 3 hits, 0 runs, 3 strikeout, 3 walks) and reliever Sam Kirkman (3 innings, 2 hits, 2 runs, 6 strikeouts, 2 walks) stymied the Blackhawks (7-5, 0-1) for five scoreless innings while the Cardinals built a 7-0 lead.

Landon Hughes-Roach went 2 for 4, drove in a run, drew a walk and scored twice while Cole Cantrell (2 for 3, double, 2 RBIs) also had multiple hit day. Cantrell was hit by a pitch and got on base that way as did Schmitt (0 for 3, RBI) and Kooper Beach (1 for 3, 2 RBIs, run scored).

At the bottom of the order, Brayden Penne came up big by driving in 2 runs and scoring 2 runs.

The Cardinals broke a scoreless tie by pushing a pair of runs across in the top of the second, then added one in the third and four in the fourth to construct a 7-0 advantage, which increased to 10-0 with runs in the top of the sixth.

Pea Ridge got a run in the sixth and one in its last at-bat in the bottom of the seventh, but couldn’t get anything consistently going. The Blackhawks were limited to 5 hits, 1 RBI and struck out 9 times.

“Farmington we came out and we weren’t ready for that game and Farmington was. They put it to us pretty good,” said Pea Ridge coach Matt Easterling.

Blackhawk shortstop Jaxon Stewart (1 for 4, double) drove in a run while third baseman Landan Long (1 for 3) and center fielder Brayden Wright each scored a run.

Gavin Dixon (5 innings, 7 hits, 8 runs, 7 strikeouts, 2 walks) took the loss while Kole Kasischke and Bryce Snoderly each pitched an inning in relief. Kasischke yielded 3 runs on 2 hits.

The Cardinals left 7 runners on base while Pea Ridge stranded 8.

Annette Beard/Pea Ridge Times Farmington junior Zane Schmitt bats during Farmington’s 10-2 win at Pea Ridge on Tuesday, March 26, 2024, in Pea Ridge. Schmitt drove in a run and pitched 4 innings, allowing no runs on 3 hits with 3 strikeouts and 3 walks.

Annette Beard/Pea Ridge Times Farmington senior Cameron Crisman slides into home plate as the Cardinals defeated Pea Ridge, 10-2, in 4A-1 Conference baseball on Tuesday, March 26 in Pea Ridge.