Austin Gross walks Royals off twice on Friday

March 15, 2021

by Dustin Semore, Sports Information Director

LONOKE, Ark. - The threat of rain in northeast Arkansas moved Crowley's Ridge's four-game weekend series against Ecclesia (Ark.) College to the Lonoke Municipal Ball Park where Austin Gross drove in the game-winner in both contests on Friday, March 12. In the first contest, the Pioneers won the high scoring affair 10-9 followed by a 4-3 victory in eight innings.

GAME ONE

Ecclesia - 9

Crowley's Ridge - 10

Crowley's Ridge (8-3) got off to a good start when reigning A.I.I. Player of the Week Nate Finney led off the Pioneer first inning with a single up the middle. The Pioneers lit up the "runs" box in a big way when Bobby Wright sent a payoff pitch over the left-field fence for his 13th career bomb (second of the season) to put the Pioneers ahead 2-0

The Royals (8-5) quickly answered with a leadoff single of their own followed by the next best thing to a round-tripper: an RBI triple from Tyrus Wells. Two batters later, Wells would tie the game 2-2 on a groundout.

Starting pitcher Jack Roney would then get into the zone by getting seven of the next eight Royal batsmen out, three of which were strikeouts.

In the home half of the third inning, Corbett Seib would send a 1-1 fastball out of the park for his first homer of the season to put the 'Neers back on top 3-2.

The Pioneers plated four runs in the fifth innings, sparked by the Pioneers' third dinger of the contest - this one off of the bat of Austin Gross (1) for a two-run jack. Zorey Chipman would double home Garett Wilson, on base running for Phoenix Beal who drew a walk. Finney drove in the first of his two RBIs with a single to extend CRC's lead to 7-2.

Not going down without a fight, Ecclesia tied the game in the top of the fifth with a five-run, five-hit outing led by Wells' two-run double.

Crowley's Ridge took the lead once more in the sixth inning with two runs, including Phoenix Beal's RBI single; which was followed by a two-run seventh from Ecclesia.

Tied 9-9 in the bottom of the seventh inning, Wright drew a leadoff walk. After Trey Gossett was hit by a pitch, a double-steal put the winning run 90 feet away for Austin Gross. Wasting no time, Gross's eyes lit up on the first pitch, which he sent into left field to walk off the game, scoring Wright for the 10-9 victory

Roney tossed 6.2 innings in the no-decision, striking out five Royals. Nick Garrett earned his second win of the season with seven pitches walking one and getting a groundout in the only two batters he faced.

CRC had 14 hits in the opener, with six Pioneers having a multi-hit game. Finney collected three base knocks, with Beal, Chipman, Gossett, Gross, Seib, and Wright each earning two. Gross ended the first game by driving in three runs, with Finney and Wright driving in two of their own.

GAME TWO

Ecclesia - 3

Crowley's Ridge - 4

While not as high-scoring as the first game, the nightcap was filled with just as much excitement. The Ecclesia Royals (8-4) drew a bases-loaded walk in the first inning to take a 1-0 lead with just one out. CRC starter Zorey Chipman settled down to coax flyouts out of the next two Royal batters to escape the jam only allowing the one run.

The Pioneers (9-5) led the third inning off with Nate Finney collecting a hit in his sixth consecutive game. After stealing third, Finney tied the game 1-1 off of Corbett Seib's fielder's choice. Phoenix Beal then continued his prowess at the plate, connecting for his team-best 17th hit of the season to score Bobby Wright and Seib for a two-run single to give Crowley's Ridge a 3-1 advantage after three complete innings.

With runs in the fourth and sixth innings, the Royals would force extra innings to decide an outcome.

In the Crowley's Ridge half of the eighth inning, Trey Gossett would lead off the inning with a single, followed by Corbett Seib drawing a walk. Austin Gross would then drive in the winning run in his second consecutive game with a single to center, driving in Gossett for the 4-3 victory.

Chipman tossed seven innings in the start, earning two runs while fanning four Royals. Jackson Imler got the victory in relief, striking out two of the three batters he faced in the top of the eight.

UP NEXT

Crowley's Ridge will head back to Lonoke for a second doubleheader against Ecclesia on Saturday, March 13th with the first game scheduled for noon.