Pioneers add 3 W's, bring record to 23 - 6

published Thursday, April 24, 2003

The Pioneers increased their winning record by 3 this Tuesday and Wednesday and closed their conference record at 10 - 4 with 2 wins over 4A East opponent Beebe and 1 win over the Morrilton Devil Dogs from the 4A West conference. Starting Pitchers Burba, Henrickson and Altom all picked up wins and pitched well to help the Pioneers add these victories. The Pioneer batters chipped in for 15 hits and added 2 home runs to their total. The Pioneers have 2 more games before the State Tournament, Tuesday they will travel to Mountain Home and Wednesday a home game against Sylvan Hills has been added to the calender. The Pioneers second place seed to the tournament will pit them against the 3 seed from the Southeast conference. This game is currently scheduled for Saturday, May 3rd at 2:30 PM at Kell Field at Arkansas State University.

The Badgers lone run will come in the 1st inning when Todd Watson doubles and is scored on a Pioneer fielding error. The Pioneers answer in the 2nd when Burba reaches on an error, Fuqua singles and Skinner bunts on to load the bases. Gatlin walks forcing in Burba. A Davis sac scores Fuqua leaving 2 on. Rhodes and Skinner execute a perfect squeeze play adding a run and leaving Rhodes safe at first. Rhodes advances to 2nd and Gatlin scores on Basdger errors and Rhodes will eventually score on another Beebe error (5 - 1 Pioneers). The Pioneers add 3 runs in the 4th when batters Francis and Fletcher walk. Burba tacks on the 3 with a left center home run (8 - 1 Pioneers. The last Pioneer runs will come in the 5th when lead off batter Gatlin doubles, and is scored by Davis with a triple. Pioneer pinch hitter Rogers will bring in Davis for the final score on a sac fly.

In a 5 inning run ruled game strong pitching and hitting again shut down the Badgers. The Badgers only run was again in the 1st inning when lead off batter Gunter doubled and scored on a Merkel single. In the bottom of the inning the Pioneers lead off with a Francis triple and a Smith walk. Gatlin singles scoring Francis and Smith scores on a Burba sac fly (2-1 Pioneers). The Pioneers add 5 in the bottom of the 3rd when Gatlin walks and Burba hits another home run. Fletcher doubles and Skinner hits a drive up the middle which brings the center fielder running in but burns him and leaves him running back to the fence. While he's sprinting back and forth, Fletcher and Skinner score. Davis walks and eventally scores on a Rhodes single (7-1 Pioneers). They tack on 1 run in the 4th when smith doubles and is scored by Burba on a single (8-1 Pioneers). The final runs will come in the 5th when lead off batter Davis walks and is scored by pinch hitter Rogers on a triple. Francis scores Rogers with a triple of his own and he will by scored by Gatlin on a single.

The Pioneers get on the board first in the bottom of the 1st when lead off Francis singles, is joined by Smith with a walk and both are scored by Fletcher with a double. Skinner brings Fletcher in for the final run of the inning with a sac (3-0 Pioneers). Devil Dog batter Ledbetter leads off with a double in the 2nd and will score the 1st Morrilton run when Kellar also doubles. In the bottom of the inning the Pioneers add 2 more when Rhodes walks and is scored by Francis' triple. Francis will score on a passed ball (5-1 Pioneers). The score remains the same until the 5th when Morrilton batter Hart walks and eventuall scores on a Dixon single. The Pioneers bring in 2 more in the 5th when Gatlin doubles and scores on a Dog error. Pinch Hitter Rogers reaches on a fielders choice. Rhodes reenters and addes his third stolen base of the game. He will score the last run of the game when Francis singles.