CRC outlasts LCU, picks up pair of wins

April 10, 2021

by Dustin Semore, Sports Information Director

PARAGOULD, Ark. - The Pioneers outlasted by Red Lions of Lincoln Christian (Ill.) University by seeing Nate Finney (SR/Oran, Mo.) walk off game one with a single to end a 12 inning marathon with a 12-11 win. Game two continued with close scores before the sun set on a Saturday pair of wins with a 12-10 win for the Pioneers.

GAME ONE

Lincoln Christian - 11

Crowley's Ridge -12

James White hit his second home run of the day to start off game one of the DH to put the Red Lions (7-8) ahead 1-0. Trey Gossett (SO/Piggott, Ark.) answered in the home half of the first by drawing a walk, later to be plated by Bobby Wright (JR/Sikeston, Mo.)'s double to tied the game 1-1.

Phoenix Beal (JR/Advance, Mo.) got things rolling for Crowley's Ridge (18-17) with a two-run double. Nate Finney would follow with a single to drive in Jackson Imler (FR/Manila, Ark.) as Crowley's Ridge improved their lead to 5-1 after two complete.

The Red Lions slowly chipped away at the CRC lead, first with a single run in the fourth inning, followed by three in the fifth to tie the game 8-8 at the top of the fifth.

Each team added two runs in the sixth inning, with Nate Finney driving in two runs on a double. From there, free baseball was on tap with the teams going scoreless until the 12th inning.

After the Red Lions put up three runs in the top of the 12, Zorey Chipman (JR/Wilson, Ark.) picked an outstanding time to hit his first career home run with two runners on to tie the game back up at 11-11. Finney decided to end the marathon by sending a screamer up the middle to plate Kern Kline (FR/Lepanto, Ark.) to walk off game one 12-11.

Finney ended his afternoon with four hits, with Beal behind with three. Zorey Chipman, Chipper Lamb (JR/Melbourne, Ark.), and Jackson Imler each had two knocks.

Despite the high run total, the story of the day game in the form of Corbett Seib (JR/Poplar Bluff, Mo.)'s gem on the mound. The junior tossed 11 innings with an unbelievable strikeout/walk ratio, fanning 14 while not giving away a single free pass. Seib threw a total of 164 pitches, 76.1% of which found the zone with 125 strikes.

Despite the effort, Seib was unable to see the marathon to completion, with Andrew Brown (FR/Chaffee, Mo.) earning the win with a one-hit 12th inning.

GAME TWO

Lincoln Christian - 10

Crowley's Ridge - 12

The Pioneers (19-17) and the Red Lions (7-9) swapped huge innings to start off the nightcap. Crowley's Ridge scored seven runs in the bottom of the first inning, highlighted by a pair of two-run doubles by Brady Becerra (SO/Paragould, Ark.) and Nate Finney to jump ahead 8-1.

Lincoln Christian answered in a major way by scoring eight runs in the top of the second inning. The Red Lions took advantage of three walks in the inning coupled with Colton Larson's two-run double. The Red Lions pull ahead with a 9-8 lead.

After Brady Becerra tied the game 10-10 with Phoenix Beal's RBI single, Finney continued to rack up the hits blasted a two-run double to give Crowley's Ridge a 12-10 lead they would never relinquish.

Beal and Finney each had three hits in the evening contest, with Zach Duty (SR/Paragould, Ark.) following with two knocks.

Bobby Wright had a memorable day on the basepaths, with his 18th career stolen base in game one making him the most prolific base thief in Crowley's Ridge history. Then in game two, Wright swiped his 11th bag to break CRC's single-season record.

Andrew Brown picked up his second win of the day in relief, allowing two hits in three innings of work. Bo Hale (SO/Burdette, Ark.) closed the door for his first save of the season, sitting down all three batters he faced in the bottom of the sixth inning.

UP NEXT

The Pioneers will have a week to celebrate the individual accomplishments before traveling west for four-game series with Ecclesia (Ark.) College on Friday, April 16, and Saturday, April 17. Friday's doubleheader will begin at 2 p.m., with Saturday's twin bill beginning at noon.