Pioneers Win 3 of 4 at Park

The Basics
Score 1: MNU 7 - Park 8
Score 2: MNU 15 - Park 3
Score 3: MNU 24 - Park 0
Score 4: MNU 15 - Park 12 (8 inn)
Records: MNU (10-7, 3-1), PU (9-3, 1-3)
Location: Comfort Field | Parkville, Mo.

PARKVILLE, Mo. - The Pioneers won 3 of 4 at Park over the weekend. In Game 1, Park jumped all over the Pioneers with 2 runs in each of the first 3 innings for a 6-1 lead. Willy Borquez homered in the 4th, and the Pioneers rallied for 3 in the 6th to close the gap to 6-5. Park took a 2-run lead with a run in the bottom of the 6th, but a Kaden Owens 2-run double tied it in the 7th. In the bottom of the 7th with 1 out, Park managed 3 straight singles to bring home a run to win the game.

Game 1 Turning Point
Park's run in the 7th won it.

Game 1 Individual Leaders
Noah Castillo (1-3, 2 R, BB), Dionathan Cornet (1-3, 2 R, 2B, SB, HBP), Kaden Owens (2-4, R, 2 2B, 2 RBI), Willy Borquez (1-3, R, HR, 2 RBI, SF), and Javier Melendez (1-1, 2 RBI) led the offense.

In Game 2, Dionathan Cornet homered in the top of the 2nd for a 1-0 lead, but Park answered with 2 runs in the bottom of the inning. Brycen Sherwood tied it with a solo shot in the top of the 3rd, but again Park took the lead with a run in the bottom. In the top of the 5th, Sherwood connected with another game-tying solo homer, and it sparked a Pioneer rally. Kaden Owens launched a 3-run homer, and MNU scored 6 in the frame for an 8-3 lead. A Kristian Crespo 2-run triple highlighted a 3-run 6th, and the Pioneers poured it on with a 4-run 7th to complete a 15-3 blowout.

Game 2 Turning Point
MNU's 6-run 5th turned a deficit into a lead.

Game 2 Individual Leaders
Adam Gray pitched 5 innings for the win. Kristian Hurtado and Alex Meyers each pitched an inning of scoreless relief. And Brycen Sherwood (3-3, 3 R, 3B, 2 HR, 3 RBI, BB, HBP), Noah Castillo (3-5, 3 R, 2B, RBI), Dionathan Cornet (3-4, 3 R, HR, 2 RBI), Kaden Owens (3-5, 3 R, 2B, HR, 4 RBI), Willy Borquez (2-4, R, RBI, BB), and Kristian Crespo (2-4, 3B, 2 RBI, BB) had big games at the plate.

In Game 3, MNU went crazy in the top of the 2nd and put the game away early. Three Pioneers batted 3 times in the inning, starting pitcher Noah Castillo hit a solo homer and grand slam in the inning, and Kaden Owens also hit a grand slam as MNU scored 17 runs. Castillo shut out Park on just 2 hits over 5 innings in his first start of the year, and Henry Hathhorn and Jackson Noland each pitched an inning of shutout relief in the blowout. MNU rallied for 4 more runs in the 5th, and a Sean Maple 3-run homer in the 7th made the final score 24-0.

Game 3 Turning Point
Noah Castillo's solo homer to lead off the top of the 2nd proved to be enough.

Game 3 Individual Leaders
Noah Castillo struck out 6 in 5 shutout innings for the win. Henry Hathhorn and Jackson Noland combined to retire 6 of 7 batters. And Brentt Olmo (3-4, 3 R, 3B, 3 RBI, BB), Brycen Sherwood (2-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB), Javier Melendez (2-3, R, 2 RBI), Sean Maple (1-2, 2 R, HR, 3 RBI, HBP), Noah Castillo (2-5, 2 R, 2 HR, 5 RBI), Dionathan Cornet (3-5, 3 R, BB), Kaden Owens (2-3, 3 R, HR, 4 RBI, BB), Willy Borquez (1-2, R, RBI, 2 BB), Drew Woodley (2-3, 3 R, 2B, RBI, BB), and Kristian Crespo (1-3, 2 RBI) had big games at the plate.

In Game 4, multi-run innings were the theme as both teams recorded 5 multi-run innings in an MNU 8-inning victory. The Pioneers scored 2 in the 1st on a Brycen Sherwood 2-run homer, and Kristian Crespo and Brentt Olmo recorded RBIs in the 2nd for 2 more runs. Park was scoring at will as well, however, and the Pioneers trailed 8-4 heading to the 5th. MNU batted around in the inning and rallied for 6 runs to take a 10-8 lead, and Kaden Owens made it 12-8 with a 2-run shot in the 6th. Park scored 2 in the 6th to close the gap, and managed 2 more in the 7th to tie the game before it was suspended due to darkness. The game resumed on Tuesday, and MNU wasted no time. Brycen Sherwood singled on the first pitch of the top of the 8th, and Sean Maple bunted him to second. Noah Castillo homered on his first pitch, and MNU led 14-12. With 2 outs, Kaden Owens doubled and Drew Woodley singled him home, and John Barry worked a quick bottom of the 8th to hold onto a 15-12 victory.

Game 4 Turning Point
Noah Castillo's 2-run homer in the 8th was the game winner.

Game 4 Individual Leaders
John Barry picked up the win with 2 strikeouts in 1.1 innings. And Brent Olmo (3-5, R, 2B, 3B, 3 RBI), Brycen Sherwood (3-5, 3 R, HR, 2 RBI), Sean Maple (1-1, 2 R, HR, RBI, Sac), Noah Castillo (2-4, 2 R, HR, 3 RBI, BB), Kaden Owens (2-5, R, 2B, HR, RBI), Drew Woodley (2-4, R, 2B, 2 RBI, SF), and Kristian Crespo (3-5, R, 2 RBI) had big games at the plate.

Up Next
The next 4-game series is Friday and Saturday at home vs. Grand View (8-4, 0-0) at 12:00/3:00.