Matt Netherton was brilliant in Game 2, but the Pioneers lost a close one in the first game and settled for a split vs. Baker on Saturday. In Game 1, Baker took a 3-0 lead in the top of the third on a Brandon Truitt double which cleared the loaded bases and put MNU in a hole. The Pioneers picked up a run in the fifth when
David Hamlett led off with a double and moved to third on a
Tim Purdin flyout. A balk from Baker lefty Chris Cummins put the Pioneers on the board, but MNU couldn't make a late comeback. In the bottom of the seventh, Kyle Segrave was plunked with one out, and after a 2-out walk,
Ben Alison knocked in a run with a single. With runners on first and third with 2 outs and trailing by 1,
Jordan Goliat smoked a grounder to short which bounced off the shortstop's chest. But the ball trickled to the second baseman who was standing on second, forcing Alison and ending the threat as Baker won 3-2.
David Hamlett (3-4, R, 2B, SB) had 3 hits in the loss.
In Game 2, the Pioneers scored on a sacrifice fly in the first inning and that was all
Matt Netherton would need as he dominated the Wildcats. Baker got their only hit leading off the fourth, but Netherton worked around that and a couple of hit batsmen for his first shutout of the year. The Pioneers scored 2 runs in the second, fourth, and sixth innings to win 7-0.
Matt Netherton (5-2) allowed just 1 hit and struck out 8 in the complete game shutout. And
Jordan Goliat (1-2, R, 2B, BB, SAC),
Tim Purdin (1-3, 2 RBI, SF),
Ben Alison (1-1, RBI, BB, 2 HBP, 2 SB), and
Kevin Liddle (1-2, R, RBI, SB) led the offense.
The Pioneers are 27-11 (17-5 HAAC). The next double header is Monday at Baker (16-19, 9-13) at 5:00.
Game 1:
Box and Play by Play
Game 2:
Box and Play by Play
