Pioneers Bitten by, Spank Bulldogs

published Sunday, April 4, 2004

The Pioneers traveled to Northwest Arkansas Friday in seek of some strong competition from the 5A West conference. It was the Pioneers versus the Red Dogs and the Purple Dogs of Springdale and Fayetteville. The Pioneers had a tough fight with the Springdale Bulldogs, but were unable to prevail and were defeated 5 - 3. Senior Pioneer Kyle Altom put up a great fight allowing only 6 hits and 2 earned runs. The Pioneers downfall were their errors and the inability to put the ball in play. However, the Red Dogs knew they had a fight. The tide turned at Fayetteville on Saturday afternoon when the Aces came out of the bullpen. The Fayetteville Bulldogs took a mauling from the Pioneers in a game that was never in question, leading to a split weekend for the Pioneers going into their next conference game at Wynne. Wynne now leads the 4A East Conference at 7 wins with 1 loss to Greene County Tech. Another big game should be the Marion - Nettleton match up, also scheduled for Tuesday at Marion.

At Springdale, Starting Pitcher Kyle Altom pitched well throughout the game and kept his hit count down to 6 in 6 innings. He allowed no walks and picked up 4 strikeouts in this appearance. The Pioneer scores came when catcher Woody Skinner walks and is relieved by courtesy runner Evan Eary. Brad Fletcher singles, Eary scores on a Burba double and Fletcher is forced in after the bases are loaded on an HP and a walk. The only other score for the Pioneers was a solo home run by designated hitter Brad Fletcher in the 5th inning. The Pioneers hold the Bulldogs scoreless until the third inning when the Bulldogs stage a 2 out rally with a runner at second. Three consecutive hits score 2 runs and leave runners at the corners. A fielding error will be the pivotal play for the Pioneers leading to 2 more runs and putting the Dogs in the lead. Springdale's last score comes in the sixth, again after a Pioneer fielding error allows a runner on. Final score: Pioneers - 3, Springdale Bulldogs - 5. Hitting for the Pioneers: Fletcher - home run, single; Burba - double; Smith - single; Rhodes - single. Losing Pitcher Altom pitched 6 innings, allowing 5 runs on 6 hits with 4 strikeouts and no walks.

Saturday afternoon at Fayetteville, the Pioneers faced the Purple Dogs. Bringing Aces Jeremy Burba and Grant Gatlin out of the bullpen for a little action proved to be the undoing of the Bulldogs; that combined with 11 hits, 4 walks and 4 HP's by Batesville batters. The Pioneer's first scores come in the second inning, when Gatlin walks and is joined by Smith who singles. Anthony Rhodes lays down a great bunt, which is fielded by the third baseman who makes a wild throw to first. When the dust settles the Pioneers will have scored two runs and Rhodes will be standing on third. He won't wait long though, Weldon Davis lays down a bunt with the squeeze on, scoring Rhodes. The last two runs occur when Andy Rogers reaches on an HP and is scored by Kyle Francis with his first Home Run of the year. The Pioneers strike again in the fifth when lead off batter Woody Skinner gathers another HP, and is relieved by Platt. Fletcher singles and Platt scores when Burba doubles. Smith doubles scoring Fletcher for an rbi, and he scores the last run on another Fayetteville error. The final three runs are added in the sixth, when Skinner singles, and is releved by Eary. He is joined by Fletcher on a single and both advance when the Bulldog pitcher balks. Burba provides the hit that scores them and he will score the last inning of the game when Rhodes hits safely. Final Score: Pioneers - 12, Bulldogs - 5 . Hitting for the Pioneers: Francis - home run; Skinner - single; Fletcher - double, single; Burba - double, single; Smith - double, single; Rhodes - 3 singles. Starting Pitcher Burba pitched 4 innings allowing 2 runs on 3 hits with 6 strikeouts and 1 walk. Reliever Gatlin pitched 3 innings allowing 3 runs on 3 hits with 4 strikeouts, 1 walk and 1 HP.

The Pioneers return to conference play when they travel to Wynne on Tuesday. Let's wish them luck in an important conference outing.