Pioneers Split with Chargers On Day One

Pioneers Split with Chargers On Day One- Wil Teague, Sports Information Director, 3-18-23

CRC baseball picked up a 4 game series over the weekend against the Chargers of Southeastern Bible College in Laurel, MS  to kick off the spring break. The Pioneers would drop game one in a tough extra-inning loss but bounce back with a game two shutout victory.

Game one:

Crowley's Ridge- 1

Southeastern Bible- 2

Laurel, MS- In the opening game of the series both teams busted out with their big guns on the mound, and once again CRC looked to senior Corby Seib to lead them in the fight. Seib catapulted 8 and ⅓ robust innings before the Chargers ended the contest in walk-off fashion after the 9-inning brawl. The Pioneers outhit Southeastern with 9 hits compared to the Chargers' 2, but what led to the downfall of the CRC  wasn't getting runners on base, but getting runs across the plate. The Pioneers left 12 runners stranded on base with Andrew Brown leading the pack with being stranded 5 times. Crowley's Ridge's only run came from sophomore Adonis Thomas connecting with a ball, rocketing it over the left field fence for his first HR of the year in the top of the fourth inning. The Pioneers held the lead 1-0 until the 6th when the Chargers took advantage of two free bases from a walk and an HBP to start the inning. After some small ball by Southeastern, the Pioneers saw themselves entering the 7th tied 1-1 from a sac fly. Neither team could break the tie as CRC headed to extras. The Pioneers would get 5 runners on base over the next two innings including inning lead-off hits with a double from Chipper Lamb in the 8th and a single from Trey drake in the 9th showing hope but ultimately not leading to a change in score. In the bottom half of the 9th, CRC found themselves in a pickle as Seib walked the leadoff hitter who the stole second two pitches later. After a groundout and the runner now 90 feet away from home with one out, CRC put the next two hitters on setting up a force out on any base in hopes for a double play to end the inning and the jam. Gloomily, Seib allowed only his second hit of the contest, but it would be enough to let the Chargers take game one 2-1. 

Leaders: Hitting

Three Pioneers had a multi-hit game.

C. Lamb (2-3)(2B), Thomas (2-4)(HR)(RBI), Beal (2-5)

Pitching:

Seib: 8.1 inns., 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 5 BB (3 INT), 7 SO

Game Two:

Crowley's Ridge- 7

Southeastern- 0

Laurel, MS- Game's one problem had no effect on the second matchup of the day as there was a night and day difference on the scoreboard. The CRC offense produced 2 runs in the first inning by senior Chipper Lamb smashing an RBI double on a (3-2) count and sophomore JackHenry Glasgow trading places with Lamb with a double of his own to center field. Andrew Brown took the rubber and for the first time in his Pioneer career, the southpaw went the distance. Brown chucked 7.0 innings, allowing only 2 hits and striking out 6 as the Pioneers rallied a strong dosage of 8 hits. The Pioneers manufactured runs consecutively over the next three innings with Trey Gossett singling in the 2nd driving in one. Glasgow scored on a wild pitch, Trey Drake hit a sac fly, and Gossett took an HBP wrapping up the 3rd. The 7th and final  CRC runner to cross the plate is credited to Matt Parker as he followed Gosset's example and traded an HBP for an RBI in the 4th. Brown allowed his first hit in the bottom half of the fourth, but the Pioneer defense remained solid as the Pioneers completed the 7-0 shutout. 

Leaders: Hitting

Glasgow (2-4) 2(2B) (RBI), Gossett (1-3)(2RBI), Lamb (1-5)(2B)(RBI)

Leaders: Pitching

Brown: 7.0 inns., 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 SO

Corby Seib has passed a second milestone this season. With today's efforts of  7 strikeouts, Seib has passed CRC alumnus Wil Teague for most career strikeouts by a Pioneer. Wil Teague 192 (2015-18)  Corby Seib 194 (2018-Present).