Lady Panthers Best Lady Pioneers on Senior Day

Lady Panthers Best Lady Pioneers on Senior Day- Wil Teague, Sports Information Director, 4/13/24

Pioneer Park was filled with fans this afternoon as CRC softball honored and recognized the graduating seniors in between the contests against NCAA DIII Greenville University. Painfully, the Lady Pioneers fell in both contests to the Lady Panthers on the special day. 

Game One:

Crowley's Ridge- 1

Greenville University- 8

Paragould, AR- Two long balls from the Lady Panthers confirmed the Lady Pioneers' demise in the opening game as the CRC offense was sluggish in game one by only producing one run-off two hits compared to Greenville's eight runs off thirteen hits. Greenville University scored their first run of the game in the series-opening inning but then became stagnant as Shelby Elrod and the Lady Pioneers held the Lady Panthers scoreless over the next four innings. The sixth inning broke the silence with Greenville University adding two more runs off a homerun to rightfield and CRC scarping up their first run with the help of a Lady Panther mishap. Now trailing by two heading into the final inning, Greenville Univesity took the game out of reach by adding five more runs to their side with the help of a big three-run shot to centerfield, which assisted in projecting the Lady Pathers over CRC in the opening game. Shelby Elrod and Brooklyn Melson had the two hits for the CRC offense. Elrod took her fourth loss of the year allowing thirteen hits, and eight runs while striking out five over 7.0 innings. 

Game Two: 

Crowley's Ridge- 6

Greenville University- 7

Paragould, AR- The Lady Pioneer bats came out of hibernation in game two by barely finishing behind the visiting Panthers. Despite trailing the Lady Panthers by a six-run deficit in the second inning, CRC gave the visiting NCAA DIII team a run for their money as the Pioneers almost completed the come-from-behind victory, eventually falling six-to-seven. Crowley's Ridge produced six runs off nine hits in the one-run loss to Greenville University as the Panthers edged ahead of CRC with a final run in the top of the seventh. Angel Johnson rallied CRC's most productive inning of the day as the senior's RBI single encouraged back-to-back doubles from Brooklyn Melson and Ashton Drake to bring the score to one. Senior Maddie Reed tied the contest with her third hit of the game in the bottom of the sixth with Jocelyn Villarreal crossing home plate off Reed's single to right field. Brutally, a sacrifice fly from the Lady Panthers in the seventh would be the nail in the coffin for CRC's comeback story on senior day as Grenville hung on to their lead to defeat CRC in game two. Senior Maddie Reed led the Lady Pioneer offense going (3-3) with an RBI and walk in the tough loss. Junior Ashton Drake also had multiple hits in the contest going (2-3) with an RBI. Lastly, junior Brooklyn Melson led in RBIs going (1-3) and driving in two. Halea Wells took the loss as the Texan tossed 6.1 innings, allowing two runs on nine hits. 

Up Next: CRC Softball will host CBC on Tuesday, April 16th in a doubleheader starting at 12:00 PM. #GOPIONEERS