Pioneers Open 2006 Season

Play West Memphis in Benefit Game

published Tuesday, Feb 28, 2006

The Pioneers opened their season last Friday evening with a pre-season benefit game with the West Memphis Blue Devils. The weather was agreeable, temperate at first, but as always at the North Complex cooling quickly as the evening advanced. The Pioneers seemed poised and ready under the leadership of now veteran Pioneer Coach Mark Rush. Coach Rush adds BHS and Pioneer Baseball Alumni Matt Wentz as his assistant for the 2006 season . Coach Wentz is a 1997 graduate of Batesville High School and the holder of several Pioneer single season and career records.He was also an All State Football and Baseball selection his senior year and a graduate and 4 year baseball letterman at Lyon College. Also joining the coaching staff this year is Bradley Sneed. Coach Sneed graduated from Strawberry High School where he was an All State catcher and participated in the High School All Star game.

The Pioneers started the evening with veteran pitcher Evan Eary on the mound. Eary struck out the first batter, advanced the second with an HP and struck out the third. The runner attempted to steal second and was gunned down by catcher Chris Milum to end the Blue Devils first at bat. The Pioneer batters show their maturity by remaining patient at the plate and forcing the West Memphis pitcher to throw strikes. The payoff is big with 3 HP's, 4 walks and 5 runs. Addison Rayford singled and Eary doubled in their first at bats in 2006. Eary gathers another K in the second and while 3 Pioneers reach base in the bottom of the inning, including a double from Milum, none cross the plate. In the third inning, Junior Cody Aycock takes the mound and strikes out 1 before retiring the side. In the bottom of the inning, Casey Aycock singles, but again no Pioneers score. Aycock is a little shaky in the fourth, giving up 4 hits and 3 runs before retiring the Blue Devils. In the fifth inning Senior Clint Walls gets a shot at the Blue Devils and gives up a single hit while picking up a strike out. In the bottom of the inning lead off batter Rayford walks, and is scored by a Sac Fly by Ross Simpson. In the sixth, Walls walks 2 but again manages to shut the Blue Devils down with no score. He also added his second strike out of the night. The Pioneers pick up 3 runs when Cameron Ward reaches on a Blue Devil error and is scored by Trent Weeks, who singles. Weeks is joined by Walls on another error and both are scored by Aaron Thornton with a base hit. In the seventh, Trent Weeks takes the bump and comes back down quickly with 2 quick pop ups and a strike out.

A good first effort for the 2006 Pioneers. Everyone seemed confident and sure of their abilities. They played well in the field with no errors committed. I would have liked to have seen a few more hits, but am very happy with their control at the plate. I believe confidence and control at the plate, with good pitch selection is key to successful batting and I saw a lot of this Friday. It was a great day to be at the field and I truly enjoyed it. It doesn't get better than Pioneer Baseball!