Pioneers Wrap Up 2026 Season with Walk-Off Win Against Trojans

Pioneers Wrap Up 2026 Season with Walk-Off Win Against Trojans - Wil Teague, Sports Information Director,  4/18/26

Pioneer Baseball concluded the 2026 season on a high note, defeating the Trojans 12–2 in a walk-off, run-rule victory at Pioneer Park to secure the conference series against Hannibal-LaGrange University.

Game Three (7 innings)

Crowley's Ridge – 12

Hannibal-LaGrange – 2

Paragould, AR — The Pioneers sent their graduating seniors off in style with a final home victory in Saturday afternoon's AMC contest. Crowley's Ridge pulled away midway through the game to claim a 12–2 win.

CRC was held hitless through the first three innings but stayed within striking distance, trailing just 2–1 entering the fourth. Junior Rilyn Coleman drove in freshman Aiden Armstrong, who reached on a walk, with a sacrifice fly in the third to keep the Pioneers in the ball game.

Two key pinch-hit at-bats shifted the momentum in the fourth inning, with sophomore Ricky Requena and junior Lucas Peel each delivering RBI singles off the bench to give CRC a 3–2 lead. Coleman followed with his first hit of the game, driving in senior Kolby Webb for his second RBI of the game and extending the lead to 4–2.

From that point on, the Pioneers controlled the game, shutting down the Trojans the rest of the way. CRC escaped two bases-loaded jams with inning-ending double plays to maintain the advantage while the offense broke things open in the fifth inning, adding six runs behind doubles from Crafton Beeler, JP Wills, and Lawson DeVault. Even with the bats' explosiveness, the highlight run in the Pioneers' breakaway inning came from senior Dillion Broussard, who stole home with a perfectly timed execution steal. 

Entering the bottom of the seventh, the Pioneers needed two runs to end the game via the run rule. Aiden Smith delivered first, bringing home Armstrong on a fielder's choice. Sophomore Reece Bariola then sealed the victory, driving in the final run after being hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.

CRC tallied 10 hits in the season finale, led by DeVault, who went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI. Coleman added a 2-for-3 performance with two runs scored and two RBIs, while Wills also went 2-for-3 with one RBI. Lastly, Beeler would drive in two RBIs with a double in the win.

On the mound, Hunter Hill earned the win, pitching 5.1 innings while allowing two runs on six hits and striking out five. #GOPIONEERS

Photo Credit: Paige Glenn