Lady Pioneers Claim Season Opening Matchup

Lady Pioneers Claim Season Opening Matchup - Wil Teague, Sports Information Director, 2-10-23

Crowley's Ridge Softball headed to Hot Springs, Ark. bright and early yesterday morning to kick off their season with a double header matchup against conference opponents, Arkansas Baptist. Game one the Pioneers gave everyone a manicure as they rallied at the last possible minute to take the season opener. Game two, the pioneers wouldn't leave much room for the Buffalos as they plowed their way to an opening day sweep. 

Game One:

 CRC- 4

Arkansas Baptist- 2

Hot Springs, Ark. - Crowley's Ridge Softball opened their season with an early morning drive to Hot Springs, Ark. With the early morning, it took the Pioneers a few innings to finally come alive and wake up but when they did, they left no doubt. The Lady Pioneers slugged out 12 hits in their first matchup of the season, pushing across 4 runs and allowing 1 error. CRC's Shelby Elrod would take the bump in game one and enter into a pitchers dual as the game would remain scoreless until the 5th. In the bottom of the 5th the Buffolos would strike first by connecting with a 2 run homerun to take the lead over the Pioneers. Arkansas Baptist stood strong on the defensive side, taking away any momentum the Pioneers would muster, leaving runners stranded on base. The break the team in green needed would come at the very last out. The Lady Pioneers being down to their last out and still trailing 0-2, rallied. Designated Hitter Hannah Burk got things going for the Pioneers with a 2-out single in the top of the 7th. Shelby Elrod followed suit by knocking one through the infield and creating more pressure on the Buffalo Defense. Then stepped in to pinch hit, Natalie Brightwell. With a hitters count of 2-1, Brightwell smashed a 2 RBI single up the middle that scored Heather Conaway (P.R. for Burk) and Elrod making things even at 2 each. Junior Dru Bryant would then take her turn at the plate and after fouling a couple off down the thirdbase line, Bryant ripped one fair that stood as a RBI triple, scoring Maddie Reed (PR for Brightwell) from first. To cap off the 2-out rally, Kourtni Jagneaux would take her piece of the cake by ripping a single to center field, scoring Bryant and giving the Pioneers a 4-2 lead. When Arkansas Baptist finally got the third out, Elrod walked to the mound to go the distance for the Pioneers. She recorded the 1st out by collecting her 4th strikeout of the game. The junior then asked her defense for help as she drew a pop up to right field. The Kentucky native collected the final out and her first win of the season by striking out her 5th batter of the contest.

Leaders :Hitting

Three Pioneers had a multi-hit game, Brooklyn Melson (2-4), Autum Maxwell (2-4) (2B) and Hannah Burk (2-4) (2B).

Six Pioneers collected one hit each, Natalie Brightwell (1-1) with 2 RBI's, Dru Bryant (1-4) RBI (3B), Kourtni Jagneaux (1-3) RBI, Shekby Elrod (1-4), Maddie Reed (1-3), and Jocelyn Villarreal (1-3). 

Leaders: Pitching

Shelby Elrod: 7.0, 7 hits, 2 runs, 0 BB, 5 SO 1 HR

Game Two (5 inn.)

CRC-9

Arkansas Baptist- 1

Crowley's Ridge College took the bats they rallied late in game one with them into game two. The Pioneers totaled 9 runs on 10 hits. Halea Wells took the mound for the Pioneers in game two. Wells produced a stout performance by following Elrod's lead by going the distance for the contest and only allowing 5 hits in her efforts. Shelby Elrod got the Pioneers on base first with a single to start the game. Maddie Reed layed down a bunt to the catcher that allowed her to move up the runner and claim safe at first. What got the Pioneers on the board would be a Dru Bryant single to the first baseman that created some chaos. The Buffalos would have a mix up during the hit and an error occurred that allowed Elrod and Reed to cross home plate getting the Pioneers on top early. Two batters later, Autum Maxwell would put the ball in play that allowed her to get  Bryant across, wrapping up their three run first inning. The Pioneers would do more damage in the next inning by pushing 4 more runs across. Elrod would score on a passed ball that allowed CRC runners to advance. Bryant would step up again by  driving in Reed for her second RBI of the game. CRC conunited to use their bats of terror as they produced back to back singles from Burk and Melson that moved up Bryant and then drove her in. CRC now leads 6-0. The last run of  the inning would come from an Ashton Drake RBI Walk after the Buffalos hit Maxwell to load the bases. With only one run to go to end the game, the Pioneers would strike again in the 5th inning. Elrod continued her day at the plate by singling  on a bunt to the pitcher and then stealing second base  two pitches later. Maddie Reed would single, moving runners to 1st and 3rd with one out. Again Dru Bryant would put the ball in play, giving herself up at first for the out but allowing a run get across the plate. With the Pioneers now up 8-0 Hannah Burk decided to give CRC a cushion run increasing their lead to 9-0 to end the top of the 5th.  Burk must have been able to see the future because the Buffalos would rally with their only run of the game this inning as they snuck a run across on a fielder's choice. The Pioneers did not waiver as they quickly retired the last out of the game securing the sweep and improving to 2-0 on the year.

Leaders: Hitting

Four Pioneers had a multi-hit game. Elrod (2-4), Reed (3-4), Bryant (2-4) 2 RBI, Burk (2-4) RBI

Melson joined the other Pioneers in the hit column with her (1-3) RBI game at the plate. Maxwell and Drake collected one RBI each. 

Leaders: Pitching

Halea Wells: 5.0 IP, 5H, 1R, 2 BB, 2 SO

Up Next:

SB hosts Lane College Tuesday, February 14th at 1:00pm and 3:00pm at Pioneer Park.