Pioneers Best Greenwood Bulldogs

Advance to Second Round

published Saturday, May 7, 2005

The Pioneers made the long trip to Blytheville today extending a tradition that began in 1993. The Pioneers have competed in the State Tournament for 13 consecutive years. A record only one team has ever bested. Their opponents from the West conference were the Greenwood Bulldogs, a team that had never faced the Pioneers before. They had a very long drive from Greenwood and I'm sure an even longer drive home after being easily defeated by the Pioneers. Talk on the baseball forums before the game was that we would find the Greenwood pitcher to be unhitable and that we were destined for defeat. Well, it looks like they missed the mark just a little. We had 10 hits against the Bulldogs while giving up only 3. We hit more batters than they had hits, which I must admit at times hasn't been unusual. By now I'm sure everyone knows we'll bring em inside and I doubt anyone crowds the plate on a Pioneer pitcher.

Taking the mound for his first State Tournament start, pitcher Addison Rayford took command early, striking out the first Bulldog batter then hitting the second. Two infield ground balls would wrap the inning up with only one Greenwood batter reaching base. In the bottom of the inning lead batter Hunter Platt picks up the first hit of the game reaching first safely. He is joined by Nick Davidson when the Bulldog shortstop commits the first of 3 Greenwood errors of the inning. Evan Eary scores Platt when a deep hit ball bounces over the fence. Clint Walls will force another Bulldog error allowing Davidson and Eary to score, Rayford will score Walls when the Bulldogs again commit an error, bringing the score to 4-0 Pioneers after one complete inning. In the second inning the Bulldogs manage a leadoff hit but a sac bunt and 2 strikeouts leave the runner stranded. Pioneer batter Casey Aycock doubles and will be scored by Platt with a hit to tack on another Pioneer run. In the third the Bulldog lead off batter picks up an HP but again a sac bunt and 2 strikeouts leaves him on. Consecutive hits by Rayford and Kelly Davis in the bottom of the inning will not result in any Pioneer runs. The Bulldogs threaten in the fourth when a hit, hp and Pioneer error load the bases with no outs. Rayford handles the situation well enough by simply striking out the next 3 batters leaving the bases loaded. In the bottom of the inning the Pioneers add 3 runs when Davidson walks, advances to second on a passed ball and is scored by Eary with a hit. Eary steals second and is scored when Chris Milum doubles. Milum is relieved by Kyle McMullin at second and McMullin is scored by Clint Walls with a hit to bring the score to 8-0 Pioneers. The Bulldogs get their first run of the game in the fifth when their lead off runner advances on a Pioneer error, is joined by a second Bulldog who is hit by a pitch and both advance on a wild pitch. A Sac bunt scores the lead runner but a strike out and ground out leave the other runner at second. Only Davis reaches base in the bottom of the inning on a walk. The Bulldogs again attempt a rally in the sixth when a walk, error and another walk load the bases with 1 out. A fly ball to center field adds the second out but a base hit scores 2 runners, leaving a Bulldog at third. What looks to be an rbi single turns into an out when 3rd baseman Jeff Whitener goes vertical to rob the Bulldog batter and end the rally with 2 runs. Although the lead off Pioneers Eary and Milum reach base on a hit and a walk both are left on to end the sixth with the score 8-3 Pioneers. Eary relieves Rayford in the seventh and the first batter goes down on a ground out. Eary walks the second, and gives up a hit to the next. A pop up adds the second out, but Eary hits the next batter to load the bases. A passed ball allows the lead runner to score, but a long fly ball to Platt in center ends the Bulldogs season and advances the Pioneers to the next round. Final Score Pioneers-8 Bulldogs-4. Leading the Pioneers on offense was Eary who was 3 for 4 with a double, 2 rbi's and 2 runs scored. Platt had 2 hits and Milum and Aycock doubled.

The Pioneers return to Blytheville on Monday to play the Crossett Eagles who defeated the Arkadelphia Badgers immediately after our game. Great Job guys, but you've got a lot of work to do yet!