Pioneers Sweep Saints As Sophomore Drake Hits for CRC's First Cycle

Pioneers Sweep Saints As Sophomore Drake Hits for CRC's First Cycle- Wil Teague, Sports Information Director, 2-23-24

Pioneer fans experienced the full wave of baseball this afternoon as CRC claimed both home-opening contests against Randall University with two extreme measures. The Pioneers claimed the opening contest with a nail-biting finish after 8 solid innings of enduring a pitcher's dual before giving the fans a show in game two with a staggering 16-hit performance. 

Crowley's Ridge- 3

Randall University- 2

(Game One: 8 innings)

Paragould, Ark.- In game one, the spotlight would focus on senior RHP Jack Roney as he took the bump at centerstage for the Pioneers. Roney entered the contest 0-1 on the year but quickly settled into his game routine and went the distance, exerting dominance for all 8 innings of the pitcher's dual contest. The Saints challenged Roney and the Pioneer's defense as they scored in the top of the first inning but the Pioneers didn't pay much mind, ending the inning and then quickly taking the lead back in the bottom half with sophomore Trey Drake scoring on a wild pitch and junior Adonis Thomas grounding out to second base bringing in freshman Bryaln Honeycutt who reached base with a double earlier in the inning. There would then be three innings of scoreless baseball before a leadoff double from Randall University encouraged their game-tying run to cross the plate in the 5th inning, putting tension on the need to sway the score back in the Pioneer's favor. In the bottom of the seventh, CRC had a chance to end the contest with CRC getting two runners on base as leadoff pinch hitter senior Josh Schmitt doubled to right field to start the inning, and freshman Parker Gordon took one for the team with a HBP. CRC's senior Andrew Brown was just inches away from every kid's backyard dream of smashing the walk-off homer but the would-be three-run shot to right field was ruled foul, extending the contest into the eighth. Finally, the Pioneers would claim the opening contest in the following at-bat as the Saints bullpen struggled to find the zone, allowing CRC to load the bases. Senior Blake Wilson welcomed the mob of Pioneers at second base as he ripped a walk-off single down the leftfield line, giving CRC the 3-2 victory.

Roney tossed 8.0 innings for the win, allowing 2 runs on 6 hits while walking four and striking out 3. The Pioneer offense scored 3 runs on 8 hits with Blake Wilson and Trey Drake leading the team in hits with Wilson's (2-3) RBI, and Drake's (2-4) 2B performance.   

Game Two:

Crowley's Ridge- 13

Randall University- 10

Paragould, Ark.- In game two the Pioneers would put on a slugfest by belting out an outrageous 16-hit game that included multiple homeruns and the program's first-ever cycle. Junior JackHenry Glasgow, 0-1, got the start and tossed 5.0 innings before having sophomore Thomas Lamb relieve him. Glasgow earned himself his first win of the season thanks to the blistering bats of the Pioneers. CRC scored in 5 straight innings with their biggest push coming in the second where CRC got 4 runs across the plate. CRC smashed three homers off the Saints in three consecutive innings with senior Andrew Brown's two-run moon shot to right field in the third, sophomore Trey Drake's two-run blast to right-center in the fourth, and senior Josh Schmitt's leadoff missile, which rattled off the scoreboard in the 5th. With all the controlled chaos of the contest, sophomore Trey Drake hit CRC's baseball program's first-ever cycle. The Sikeston, MO native completed the ultra-rare natural cycle in just four innings as the leadoff batter singled in the first, doubled in the second, tripled in the third, and homered in the fourth. 

Glasgow tossed 5.0 innings, allowing 8 runs (6 earned), on 6 hits, walking 3, and striking out 7. Trey Drake led the Pioneers from the box going 4-5 earning his cycle and driving in 2 RBIs. Andrew Brown, Josh Schmitt, freshman Brylan Honeycutt, and junior Adonis Thomas ended the contest with multiple hits for the Pioneers. 

Up Next: Baseball will wrap up their home series against Randall University with a final double-header matchup scheduled to start tomorrow at 10:00 AM. #GOPIONEERS