Pioneers Drop Two On Day One

Pioneers Drop Two On Day One- Wil Teague, Sports Information Director, 3-31-23

CRC Baseball headed to Bethany, OK where they would participate in a tri-match over the weekend against the Eagles of Southwestern Christian Univesity and the Warriors of Bacone College. CRC was slotted for 9:30 am and 12:00 pm games today. The Pioneers rallied in game one but fell short against the hosting team, SCU, and then were bested in game two by Bacone College where an error-plagued inning game doomed CRC. 

Game One:

Crowley's Ridge- 6

Southwestern Christian- 7

Bethany, OK- The Pioneers kicked off the weekend tri-match going against the Eagles of Southwestern Christian and like many weekends before, Corby Seib took the bump in game one. The contest would be a slugfest as both teams reached double-digit in hits with CRC producing 11 hits and SCU producing 12. What ultimately handed CRC the loss would be a walk-off pinch-hit single in the bottom of the 7th with the score tied 6-6 and 2 outs on the board. The Eagles took the lead 3-0 early on with scoring in the bottom halves of the first and second innings before CRC was able to manufacture their first runs of the weekend. In the top of the third, the Pioneers linked together a 4-hit inning with Phoenix Beal leading off with a single and Matt Parker doubling behind him. After a Pioneer groundout, Trey Gossett started his noteworthy game by smashing his first double of the matchup down the left field line that scored 2 Pioneer baserunners getting CRC on the board and cutting the Eagle lead to 1. SCU extended their lead back immediately in the bottom half of the third by mustering their 4-hit inning and scoring two more runs. Now trailing 5-2, Seib dished his best inning of the matchup retiring the first three batters in the 4th and giving CRC a chance to answer. The solution came in the 5th inning as CRC hit a repeat of the third inning as Matt Parker doubled for the second time and Trey Gossett once more remedied the scoring answer by collecting his 3rd RBI of the game as he sprinted his way 180 feet hitting his second double of the contest. Sophomore Adonis Thomas capped the inning by ripping an RBI single to left field scoring Gossett and swinging momentum CRC's way.  Even with the Pioneer bats hot, they still found themselves trailing by 2 heading into their last three outs. With their backs against the wall, the Pioneers rallied and loaded the bases as Chipper Lamb and Gossett walked and Thomas singled to left field for his third hit. CRC tied the game with the next two hitters as Freshmen James Wilson entered as a pinch hitter and came through by taking a pitch off his hand scoring one and junior Blake Wilson ripping an RBI single to left field on a 1-1 count tying the game 6-6. SCU climbed out of the jam and CRC wouldn't break the tie so all eyes looked to Seib to hold the Eagles at bay for another chance to take the lead in extras. As events unfolded CRC found themselves in 1-out bases loaded situation. Seib then struck out an SCU hitter gaining the second out but the following hitter with a fresh set of eyes through a pinch hitter ended the game with a single up the middle. Seib tossed the complete game giving up 7 runs on 12 hits in the loss. 

Leaders: Hitting

CRC produced 6 runs on 11 hits. 

Thomas (3-4)(RBI), Gossett (2-3)(2)(2B)(3)(RBI), Parker (2-3)(2)(2B), Lamb (2-3)

Pitching:

Seib: 6.2 inns., 12 H, 7 R, 5 ER, 4 BB, 5 SO

Game Two:

Crowley's Ridge- 2

Bacone College- 7

Bethany, OK- CRC Baseball swept the Warriors in a three-game series this past weekend at home, but the Warriors would get their revenge in game two. Adonis Thomas got the start for the team in green and hurled 5.1 innings in his first start of the season. CRC's monstrous double-digit hitting performance from game one didn't follow them against Bacone as CRC produced just 4 hits in the contest. The game remained actionless for four innings as each team retired hitters without allowing a run to cross the plate. What started the landslide of runs for the Warriors was four errors committed by the Pioneers in the top of the fifth which allowed three Warriors to cross the plate. CRC didn't throw in the towel, but regrouped and mobilized 2 runs in the bottom half of the 5th. Phoenix Beal and Matt Parker went back to back with singles to left field putting runners 1st and 2nd. Trey Drake watched 4 balls go by and loaded the bases for Gossett. Gossett then hit a deep sacrifice fly ball to right field where Benton Lashley, pinch-running for Beal, scored on the tag. Chipper Lamb took credit for the 2nd RBI as he doubled down the right field line scoring Parker. As the game was back within the grasp of CRC Bacone took a deep breath and busted out a consecutive 3-run inning. The Pioneers would go hitless the remainder of the game leaving 3 runners stranded over the next two innings unable to get them across. Bacone College bests CRC 7-2.

Leaders: Hitting
Beal, Arender, Lamb, and Parker all collected one hit. 

Pitching:

Thomas: 5.1 innings 5 H, 6 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 8 SO

Garrett: 0.2 Innings, 0 H, 0R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO

Ja. Wilson: 1.0 innings, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO

The Pioneers play again tomorrow at 9:30 AM against Southwest Christian and noon against Bacone.