Mustangs Fall to Pioneers
Game 1
Game 1
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Central Baptist | 4 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 15 | 1 |
|
Crowley's Ridge | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 12 | 14 | 0 |
Game 2
Game 2
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Central Baptist | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 2 |
|
Crowley's Ridge | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | X | 5 | 7 | 1 |
Erik Holth, CBC Sports Information Director
Paragould, Ark. – Beginning a five-game road trip to end the regular season today, Central Baptist College baseball was at Pioneer Park this afternoon to take on the Pioneers of Crowley's Ridge College. CBC (24-24) got their offense rolling in game one, losing on a walk-off 12-11 before the offense went quiet in game two in a 5-2 loss to CRC (18-24).
Jay French got close to history in the doubleheader, combining to go 4-7 in the two games. The four hits give him 221 for his career, one shy of the record of Austin Kuchinski (222).
GAME ONE – CRC 12, CBC 11
The Mustangs jumped on the Pioneers early, scoring four in the first on an RBI double by Logan Easterling, a bases loaded walk to Wille Baez, a fielder's choice and a single from Austin Teal to make it 4-0. The Pioneers would tie the game in the bottom half before another RBI by Easterling made it 5-4 in the second. CRC would then put five runs up in the inning and lead 9-5 after two. The Mustangs would respond with five in the fourth to take a 10-9 lead. Ruben Hernandez started the scoring with an RBI single, and Gabe Walker followed him with a two-run single to cut the deficit to 9-8. Graham Dykes then tied the game at nine with another single and Teal would give CBC the lead on a sac fly. French added to the lead, making it 11-9 in the fifth with an inside the park home run for his eighth homer of the season. Unfortunately, Austin LeJeune was unable to hold the lead, allowing three in the seventh to end the game. LeJeune picked up the loss, allowing three runs on five hits in 1.2 innings with a pair of strikeouts.
GAME TWO – CRC 5, CBC 2
The Mustangs struck quickly again in game two, scoring twice in the first to lead 2-0. Walker drew a bases loaded walk to make it 1-0 and Danilo Taborda singled following him to make it 2-0. Then, the pitching took over. Caleb Sollars was good through three innings, striking out six, but he did not factor in the decision. Cole Edwards was the unfortunate loser, allowing CRC to score four runs in the fourth innings on five hits with a walk and a strikeout. Cayden Hunnicut made his first appearance of the season, allowing a walk while striking out one and French made his first appearance on the mound since 2020, allowing a hit and striking out two in his lone inning of work.
GAME NOTES
- Easterling now has 51 RBIs on the season, making him just the eighth player in program history with 50 or more RBIs in a single season
- The record for RBIs by a player whose primary position was catcher is 57 by Austin Kuchinski
- French's inside-the-park home run was the first of his career and gave him 20 career home runs, tied for the eighth most in program history with Tim Watson
- French also drew his 30th base on balls this season, making him just the seventh player in program history to draw at least 30 and the second this season (Ruben Hernandez – 34)
- Steven Stewart was hit by a record 25th pitch this season and extended his career record to 59
UP NEXT
CBC heads to Columbia, Mo., on Thursday night for the start of a three-game American Midwest Conference series against the defending conference champions, Columbia. First pitch is slated for 6 p.m.