Pioneers Romp in Raider Town!

Sweep Nettleton, Big Time!

published Wednesday, Mar 24, 2004

The Pioneers took a big step toward their goal of regaining the 4A Championship by sweeping Nettleton at Jonesboro Tueday night. The Pioneer batters proved to be too much for the Raiders, combining for 24 hits and a team batting average of .387. Great individual and team effort along with key hits or plays spelled the doom of the Raiders and quite possibly the end to their run at Conference Champions.

In the first game the Pioneers established a quick lead with a lead off single and double by Kyle Francis and Woody "HP" Skinner. Skinner grabs a quick RBI with his double and a Brad Fletcher double scores Skinner to bring the score to 2-0. Pioneer pitcher Jeremy Burba quickly retires the side facing only 3 with 1 strikeout. Each team adds a run in the second when Weldon Davis triples and is scored on a Andy Rogers ground ball. The Raiders put there first run up with back to back singles bringing the score to 3 -1. While Batesville was scoreless in the third Nettleton struck back by capitalizing on a series of hits and Pioneer fielding and throwing errors that would put them in the lead 4-3, a score that would stand until the seventh inning. With the pressure on, in the top of the seventh, the Pioneers showed their caliber by retaking the lead. With a lead off Francis double, was joined by Grant Gatlin with a single and Gatlin who was relived by courtesy runner Hunter Platt. Both runners advance on a McGarrity wild pitch setting up Brad Fletcher for a 2 out, 2 rbi, double deep in the gap on the left side of the field scoring the go ahead run and setting up the Pioneer defense to slam the door on the Raiders. And slam it they did, the lead off batter is sent to the dugout by second baseman Anthony Rhodes who goes horizontal to his right side, steals a sure hit fron the doomed Raider, and then rises, wheels and throws him out. A routine Burba - Gatlin play will put the Raiders in the position of 2 outs with no one on. Burba hits the next Nettleton batter and gives up a single to put runners at first and second. A hit into center field sends the Nettlton lead runner through third and toward home when Pioneer Patrick Smith throws a rocket from center to catcher Woody Skinner who fields the ball and tags the Raider as he crashes him near the plate. Final Score; Pioneers 5, Raiders - 4.

Hitting for the Pioneers; Francis - 2 singles, double; Skinner - double, 1 rbi; Gatlin - single; Burba - single; Fletcher single, 2 doubles, 3 rbi's; Smith - single; Rhodes - single; Davis - triple; Rogers - rbi. Jeremy Burba picks up the win allowing 4 runs on 8 hits with 1 HP and 8 strikeouts.

The second game is almost a no contest. The Pioneers gain 2 quick runs in the first inning with consecutive hits by Francis, Skinner and Fletcher. Senior Pioneer Grant Gatlin takes the mound, allows one hit but retires the side scoreless. The score remains 2-0 until the fifth inning when Skinner singles, is relieved by courtesy runner Brady Yeager who advances on a passed ball and is scored by a Fletcher double. The Pioneers add to their buffer in the sixth with a lead off Gatlin double. Gatlin is relived by courtesy runner Even Eary who quickly advances on an error. He is joined by Weldon Davis with a walk. Eary scores when Hunter Platt reaches on another Raider fielding error. At the top of the order again, Francis' rbi single scores Davis. Skinner takes advantage of another Raider error and reaches first where he is relieved by Yeager. Both score on another Fletcher double (his fourth), bringing the score to 8 - 0 Pioneers. The Raiders add their only runs of the game in the bottom of the inning. A combination of errors, a walk and a hit will score 1 run and load the bases. Relieving Pitcher Kyle Altom takes the mound at this point and ends the inning allowing 1 run on a sac, and gaining a strikeout for the final out. Final inning play brings Patrick Smith across the plate for the final run after tripling and being scored by an Anthony Rhodes sac fly. The disheartened Raiders went down quickly with no hits to end the game and the sweep, Pioneers 9, Raiders 2.

No joy in Raiderville tonight! Hitting for the Pioneers; Francis - 2 singles, rbi; Skinner - single, double, rbi; Gatlin - single, double; Burba - single; Fletcher - 2 doubles, triple, 4 rbi's; Smith - triple; Rhodes - rbi; Platt - single. Winning Pitcher Gatlin pitches 5 1/3 allowing 2 runs on 4 hits with 2 walks and 4 strikeouts. Reliever Altom picks up a save with the final 1 2/3 innings allowing no runs, no hits with 1 walk and 1 strikeout.

The Pioneers travel to Harrison for the next game Friday at 8:00 PM.