Pioneers blow by Lions in third inning

Gravette senior, Jackson Soule', waited for the next pitch during play against Gentry in the newly-renovated Merrill Reynolds Memorial Complex in Gentry on Thursday, March 3, 2016.
Gravette senior, Jackson Soule', waited for the next pitch during play against Gentry in the newly-renovated Merrill Reynolds Memorial Complex in Gentry on Thursday, March 3, 2016.

— An explosive third inning gave the Pioneers the lead and the runs they needed to defeat the visiting Gravette Lions on Thursday at the Merill Reynolds Memorial Complex in Gentry by a score of 9-4.

The Lions put two runs on the board in the top of the first, when Brady Rolsma doubled to right and scored on another double, a line-drive to center by Luke Summerford. And Summerford made it home too, on an error, to put the Lions up, 2-0, before the Pioneers had their first chance at bat.

Gentry put its first run on the board in the bottom of the second when Josh Cochran singled to right and later scored when Sean Pierce hit into a double play.

In the next at bat, Gentry tied things up when Ayden Smartt was hit by a pitch, advanced to second on a Wyatt Clark walk and scored when CJ Taylor hit a hard ground ball into left field. The Pioneers then blew things open, with Clark and Taylor scoring on a Cochran single to right. Myles McFerron, who got on through an error, and Cochran both then scored on a Pierce single to right. Zac Adkins, who was also hit by a pitch, made it home as well on the Pierce single, making it 7-2, Pioneers.

The Pioneers widened their lead in the bottom of the fourth, on Clark and Tanner Shipp singles, with Clark batted in and Shipp making it home on a Gravette error at first base.

The Lions added a run each in the fifth and sixth innings, but it wasn't enough. Rolsma singled to second and made it home on a Kilby Roberts single to right. Chase Owens, who walked, made it home in the sixth on a Brady Moorman sacrifice.

Gentry had nine runs on nine hits and had one error. Gravette had four runs on eight hits and had two errors. Sean Pierce led the Pioneers with three RBIs. Josh Cochran had two. Wyatt Clark, CJ Taylor and Josh Cohran each had two hits in the game.

Ayden Smartt pitched five innings for Gentry and struck out six. He allowed eight hits and two earned runs. Myles McFerron and CJ Taylor each pitched an inning for the Pioneers, striking out two and three, respectively.

For Gravette, Kilby Roberts had three hits and an RBI. Brady Rolsma had two hits.

Hunter Cole and Dalton Cook each pitched three innings for the Lions. Each had three strikeouts in the game. Cole started, allowed seven hits and seven earned runs, and was credited with the loss.

More photos of the game can be found at: http://nwamedia.photoshelter.com/gallery/Gentry-Gravette-Baseball-2016-03-03/G0000H7.vs.YLHv0/C0000783iAw9jKes.