Pioneers Set School Records-Blast Six Homers in Season Home Opener

Pioneers Set School Records-Blast Six Homers in Season Home Opener- Wil Teague, Sports Information Director, 2/20/26

In the 2026 season home opener series, the Pioneers set three school records with their offensive performance, blasting six long balls and driving in 18 RBIs on the day, splitting against the Chargers of Southeastern Baptist College.

Game One:

Crowley's Ridge- 18

Southeastern Baptist- 5

Pioneer Park- In game one of the doubleheader, the Pioneers literally crushed their way to set three school records, with the team launching six homers, most by a team in a single game, and driving in 16 runs in the opening contest. Junior Reece Bariola helped his way to two other school records, hitting three homers, finishing a 3-run shot shy of a homerun cycle, and driving in 9 RBIs to now lead the program in most homers and RBIs in a game. Junior JP Wills launched his 5th homer of the year, moving in on the single-season homerun leader holder Bobby Wright (2018-2022), who sits on top with 6. Junior Aiden Smith and Sophomore Lawson Devault took care of the last two homers with solo shots to right and left field. The team rattled off 18 hits in the blowout win. 

Brayden Mashek earned his second win of the year to improve to 2-1, tossing 4.2 innings, allowing 5 runs (4 earned) off 8 hits while walking 1 and fanning 5. Parker Gordon relieved Mashek, tossing the final 2.1 innings, allowing 2 hits while walking 1 and striking out 1. 

Game Two:

Crowley's Ridge- 3

Southeastern Baptist- 10

Pioneer Park- In the day's second round, the Pioneers would again reach double-digit hits as a squad, mustering 10, but would struggle to see runners reach the plate as they only scraped three past the Chargers' defense. CRC spaced out their run support posting sticks in the fourth, sixth, and seventh frames, with one coming off a Charger mishap and the other two from Pioneer doubles from JP Wills and Lawson Devault. Despite matching the Chargers' offensive hits, the Pioneers would fall short, due to leaving 13 runners marooned on the base paths. 

Brennon Burch took the loss, tossing 2.2 innings, allowing 3 runs (1 earned) off 5 hits while walking 1 and striking out 3, to fall to 0-2 on the year. 

Up Next: Pioneer schedule update: The doubleheader contest scheduled for tomorrow against the Chargers has been changed to a single 7-inning contest starting at 12:00 PM due to the Chargers forfeiting game four.  #GOPIONEERS

Photo Credit: Paige Glenn