Gentry drops two practice games during spring break

GENTRY -- The Pioneers dropped two non-conference games over the spring break as they prepared for league play to begin this week. They fell, 11-5, to the visiting Junction City Dragons on Friday and, 11-2, in a Thursday game at Pea Ridge.

Junction City picked up nine runs in the first two innings of the Friday afternoon game, and Gentry was never able to catch up, though the team picked up a run in the first and four big runs in the second, leaving the bases loaded at the end of the inning.

Ayden Smartt scored for the Pioneers in the first after doubling to left field and advancing to third and then to home on a Junction City error.

Zac Adkins, Smartt, Tanner Christie and Wyatt Clark all made it home in the bottom of the second. Adkins walked, Christie was hit by a pitch, and Smartt singled to center, bringing in Adkins. Clark loaded up the bases with a line-drive single to center. CJ Taylor brought in Christie and Smartt on a hard-hit, ground-ball single to left. Josh Cochran brought in Gentry's final run with a high fly-ball single to center.

But, that was all the Pioneers could manage. They left three stranded on the bases in the second and never really threatened again.

The Dragons added another two runs in the top of the fourth, to make it 11-5.

Junction City had 11 runs on 12 hits, and Gentry had five runs on six hits in the game. Smartt and Taylor each had two hits for Gentry. Taylor had two RBIs and Smartt, one. Josh Cochran also drove in a Gentry run.

Wyatt Clark, Myles McFerron and Josh Cochran all spent time on the mound for Gentry. Cochran struck out five in four innings.

Pea Ridge 11

Gentry 2

On Thursday, the Pioneers traveled to Pea Ridge to take on the Blackhawks in a practice game. Gentry took the lead in the first inning when Wyatt Clark, who reached first on a short stop error, made it home on a Myles McFerron single to the short stop. McFerron was advanced to third on an error and scored when Zac Adkins made it to first on a dropped third strike.

But that ended the Pioneers' scoring and the Blackhawks picked up a run in the bottom of the first, seven in the third and three more in the fourth.

CJ Taylor led the Pioneers in hits with two, one of them a triple to center in the fifth. Myles McFerron had the only RBI of the game for Gentry. Ayden Smartt and Tanner Shipp pitched for the Pioneers, striking out four each.

Pea Ridge had 11 runs on 11 hits. Gentry had two runs on five hits.

Gentry was scheduled to play Pea Ridge again at home on Tuesday, after press time, and travel to Berryville on Thursday. The Pioneers are scheduled to play at home again on Friday, against West Fork, with game time at 5 p.m.