Pioneers Crush Eagles

published Wednesday, Mar 31, 2004

The Pioneers added 2 conference victories to their standing last might in a night that looked more like batting practice than a game. The Pioneers combined for 25 hits on the night with a combined team batting average of .469. Pioneers Brad Fletcher and Patrick Smith added home runs to bring the Pioneers total for the year to nine. Pioneer Pitchers Jeremy Burba and Grant Gatlin, our "Pair of Aces", showed the Eagles no mercy from the mound combining for 19 strikeouts while giving up no runs and only 5 hits. I'm sure they helped make the ride back to Vtown a very long one.

In the first game the Pioneers strike quickly scoring Francis in the first and Smith in the second. The third inning was the big one for the Pioneers with 5 runs scored. A walk by Woody Skinner (relieved by CR Hunter Platt) puts the first run of the inning across the plate after a Brad Fletcher double. Burba joins Fletcher with a walk, Fletcher is scored by a Grant Gatlin double and the bases are swept clean by Patrick Smith with a triple. Anthony Rhodes scores Smith for the last run of the inning. In the fourth, Skinner singles (CR Hunter Platt) and is scored by Fletchers' Home Run. The tenth and final run will come after Skinner adds another hit, is relieved by Platt, and is scored by Gatlin with the final hit and rbi of the game. Final Score: Batesville 10, Vilonia 0 in 6 innings. Hitting for the Pioneers: Francis - single; Skinner - 2 singles; Fletcher - home run, double, single; Burba - single; Gatlin - double, single; Smith - triple, 2 singles; Winning Pitcher Burba pitched 6 innings allowing no runs on 2 hits with 10 strikeouts.

Vilonia seemed to melt down after the first game and the Pioneers batted a numbing 16 in the first inning, scoring 12. Patrick Smith probably provided the last straw when he slammed a 4 run homer and returned for a triple in the same inning. In the second inning, the Pioneers added 5 runs on 3 hits to bring the score to 17 to 0. Their final 3 runs are scored in the third inning. The Eagles appeared very interested in going home after the first inning of the game and again were completely ineffectual at the plate. Final Score: Pioneers 20, Eagles 0 in four 1/2 innings. Hitting for the Pioneers: Francis - single; Skinner - double, single; Fletcher - 2 singles; Gatlin - 2 singles; Burba - double; Smith - home run, triple, double; Davis - single, Platt - single. Winning Pitcher Gatlin pitched 5 innings allowing no runs on 3 hits with 9 strikeouts.

The Pioneers travel to Springdale Friday and Fayetteville Saturday for a little 5A non-conference action.