Pioneers Return From Spring Training

Clean Sweep at 4 - 0

published Sunday, Mar 21, 2004

While many students used Spring Break for leisure activities and as a chance to relax and get away from school activities, the Pioneers had other plans. Coach Stu Smith led a charge southward that would not end until the team reformed at Cocoa Expo in mostly sunny Cocoa, Florida. Here the team would further refine their already formidable skills by destroying several preppy teams from New York. The JV also joined in on the fun by sending a few Canadian teams back north of the border to try and figure out where in the world Arkansas is. All four Senior Pioneer pitchers were given an opportunity to demonstrate their skills, and all managed not only to win, but to win big. The four teams who meet the Pioneers averaged only 4 hits and 2 runs per game, while the Pioneers combined for an impressive 53 runs. The Pioneers hit well throughout the order and Patrick Smith picked up his first Home Run of the year to join fellow long ball hitters Gatlin, Fletcher and Rhodes to bring the team Home Run total to 5 in 8 games.

Monday the Pioneers opened against Friends Seminary of Manhattan, NY. The Owls clean up batter provided their only runs of the game in the first inning with a long home run. After allowing them this small gift Gatlin simply crushed them for the balance of the game striking out eleven while allowing only two walks. The Pioneer batters were led in their counterattack by Kyle Francis and Patrick Smith who combined for 6 hits, 5 runs and 5 rbi's. Francis, Fletcher and Burba tripled with Smith chipping in 2 of his own. Weldon Davis and Andy Rogers add a double each to round out the extra base hitting. The final tally would come to Batesville - 19, Friends Owls - 2.

Tuesday's game rains out, so Coach Smith arranges a 7:00 AM Thursday match up with what may have been the only other team from South of the Mason-Dixon line, Van Buren. The Pointers faced Senior Jeremy Burba in his second outing of the year. Jeremy's first outing of the year against Paragould was a no-hitter and while he was not able to repeat that performance against the Pointers he still has not allowed a run, keeping both teams scoreless. In the process he faced only 25 batters in seven innings allowing only 4 hits and 1 walk. Second base man Anthony Rhodes led the Pioneers on the bases going 3 for 3 at the plate with 2 rbi's. Grant Gatlin and Weldon Davis add a double each, while the rest of the Pioneers combined for 7 walks and 2 HP's against a shaky Pointer pitching staff. Final Score Pioneers - 9, Pointers - 0.

Thursday afternoon brings the Pioneers back to the field facing off against the Trinity Gothams, also of Manhattan. Hurler Kyle Altom took the mound and following the lead of Gatlin and Burba shut down the Gothams allowing them only 1 run on 4 hits gathering 10 strikeouts along the way. Designated Hitter Brad Fletcher had 2 hits with a Grant Gatlin double the only extra base hit of the game. Difficulty finding the zone was the death of the Gothams giving up 9 walks, 1 HP and managing only 3 K's. Pioneers - 7, Gothams - 1.

Friday at 1:00 PM was the time set for the Pioneers last date with the snowbirds. Millbrook, from upstate NY came incognito, leaving their uniform numbers at home and playing in T-shirts. This presents quite a challenge for scorekeeping but since they managed so few runs it didn't present that much of an issue. Senior Andy Rogers would greet them in a similar fashion to his predecessors. The anonymous boys from upstate will scrap together 7 hits but sprinkled throughout the 5 innings of play they result in only 5 runs, 3 unearned. Rogers issues 7 K's with only 1 walk. Pioneer Patrick Smith picks up his first Home Run of the year and adds a single, 2 runs, 2 rbi's and 3 stolen bases to his stats. Shortstop Kyle Francis triples as does 3rd base man Jeremy Burba who also adds 2 singles. Again, inconsistent pitching spells the doom of the Pioneers opponent when they allow 12 walks with 2 HP's and pick up only 2 strikeouts against the Pioneers. Final Score Pioneers - 18, Millbrook - 5.

The Pioneers travel to Nettleton on Tuesday to meet the Raiders in double header Conference Play at 4:00 PM at Raider field.