Baseball Splits Final Non-Conference Matchup Against Tigers

Baseball Splits Final Non-Conference Matchup Against Tigers- Wil Teague, Sports Information Director, 4/22/25

Photo by Paige Glenn (CRC Marketing Major '25)

Pioneer Baseball improved to (8-38) on the year, splitting with the Tigers of Champion Christian College (9-34) in the season's last non-conference matchup. 

Game 1

Crowley's Ridge- 9

Champion Christian- 7

Paragould, Ark.- The Pioneers picked up their eighth win on the year, defeating the Tigers 9-7 in game one. A final lead separation spurred the Pioneers to victory in the sixth frame, with the team piecing together 3 runs off 4 hits in the game-winning inning. The Pioneers rallied 9 hits, with junior Trey Drake and senior James Wilson leading the charge with two hits each. Wilson ended the contest 2 for 2 with a double and 2 RBIs, Drake ended 2 for 4 with two singles. Senior Adonis Thomas matched teammate Wilson's team-high RBI count with Thomas bringing in 2 RBI, going 1 for 4 with a double in the win. Lawson Graff, Conner Johnson, and Parker Gordon shared the workload from the bump, with Gordon earning the win, tossing the final 2.0 innings, allowing 1 run off 3 hits and striking out 1. 

Game 2

Crowley's Ridge- 8

Champion Christian- 11

Paragould, Ark.- Despite the Pioneers' strong hitting performance in game two, Crowley's Ridge would still face defeat, 8-11, to the Tigers, settling for the doubleheader split. The Pioneers attacked first in game two, with one run in the bottom of the first, but quickly fell behind to fight the uphill battle against the Tigers, with CCC outscoring CRC 9-4 over the next 3 innings. The Pioneers slowed the Tigers, matching runs in the sixth, entering the final frame trailing 11-6. In their last stand, senior Adonis Thomas tried sparking life into the comeback, leading off the inning with a solo shot to left-center, but woefully, CRC would only score one more off Alex Gamez's single two batters later before the Tigers claimed the final out. CRC amassed 14 hits as a team, tying their second highest of the year. Five Pioneers had two or more hits in the contest. Trey Drake led the team, being a homerun shy of the cycle, going 3 for 4 with 3 RBIs. Parker Gordon matched Drake's hits, also going 3 for 4 with 2 RBIs. Elijah Mayfield and Alex Gamez went 2 for 4 with two singles, and Matthew Parker added the last multi-hit stat line, going 2 for 3 with two base knocks. Brayden Mashek took the loss, allowing 9 runs (8 earned) off 7 hits, walking 4 and striking out 2 over 3.1 innings. 

Up Next: The Pioneers host Harris-Stowe State University for their last conference series of the season, on Wednesday,  April 23rd, and Thursday, April 24th. #GOPIONEERS