Pioneers downed by Mustangs on rainy Tuesday

March 30, 2021

by Dustin Semore, Sports Information Director

PARAGOULD, Ark. - After successfully dodging the rain in the first game, the second game was cut short in the seventh inning thanks to a spring deluge. Crowley's Ridge fell to the Central Baptist (Ark.) Mustangs 11-3 in the opener, before dropping the second 11-6.

GAME ONE

Central Baptist - 11

Crowley's Ridge - 3

Jackson Imler got off to a rocky start for the Pioneers (11-14), walking the first two batters he faced. After successfully picking off the first, Imler found the bases loaded with one out. The early threat ended with a 6-4-3 double play, leaving two Mustangs stranded.

While it took Imler more than 20 pitches to get out of the first inning, his Central Baptist (11-9) counterpart, Fernando Escapita, needed eight to sit the first the Pioneers down in order.

CBC got on the board first after Rueben Hernandez drew a leadoff walk, later to score on a wild pitch. A Pioneer fielding miscue allowed a second run before the Mustangs put a cap on a three-run inning when Will Hodges hit his team-leading ninth double of the season to plate a run. Crowley's Ridge would answer in the home half of the third inning when Austin Gross scored on a wild pitch to bring the run total to 3-1 in favor of Central Baptist after two innings.

The Mustangs then plated at least one run in five consecutive innings, with four runs scoring in the top of the fifth inning off of five hits. Nate Finney drove in a run in the bottom of the fifth, with John Grace, Jr.'s first career hit driving in the Pioneers' third run as the Pioneers fell 11-3.

The Pioneers had six hits from six players including Grace, Jr. and Ian Seidenschwartz collecting their first collegiate hits as pinch hitters.

Jackson Imler pitched five innings, giving up six earned runs, seven hits, and five walks. Bo Hale and Kern Kline each pitched in relief, with Kline striking out two of the three batters he faced.

GAME TWO

Central Baptist - 11

Crowley's Ridge - 6

Crowley's Ridge (11-15) skipper Brenden Camp gave the nod to Nick Garrett to give the southpaw his first career start in game two. In the second spot of the lineup, Will Hodges hit a solo shot on the first pitch he saw. CBC plated a second run on a wild pitch to jump ahead 2-0 before the Pioneers picked up a bat.

Central Baptist (12-9) added two more runs in the inning thanks to Hodges' second round-tripper of the day, this time for two runs.

Trey Gossett got the Pioneers on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning when he doubled home Garett Wilson; however, the sixth inning proved to be the big inning for both the Mustangs and the Pioneers. Central Baptist tallied six runs off of five hits capped by Kelvin Volquez hitting a three-run blast.

Crowley's Ridge answered with a five-run sixth inning. A walk and back-to-back singles loaded the bases for Trey Gossett. The sophomore would trade a bruise for an RBI as he was hit by a pitch to bring Noah Overshine home. Zorey Chipman singled to plate Garett Wilson before Austin Gross scored on a groundout by Chipper Lamb. The big hit of the inning came from Brady Becerra who knocked a two-run double to deep left field to pull the Pioneers ever closer, 11-6 entering the final scheduled inning.

That final scheduled inning would not be completed, as the rain moved in and prematurely ended the game with twos outs in the top of the seventh inning to finalize the 11-6 loss for the Pioneers.

Nick Garrett had six innings of work, giving up 11 runs off of 11 hits while striking out three batsmen.

Again, six different Pioneers collected the six hits, with Becerra and Gossett's two-run doubles leading the charge.

UP NEXT

The Pioneers will hope for the rain to move out by Friday when Pioneer Park will play host to Champion Christian (Ark.) College. The Pioneers look to play four games against the Tigers, with doubleheaders on Friday, April 2, and Saturday, April 3. Both twin bills are slated to have game one begin at noon.