Ricemen rock Post 303

Staff photo by Mike Buhler
Dunklin County's Austin Jackson (center) is congratulated by teammates Kaleb Canoy (left) and Aaron McCaig after Jackson hit a solo home run in the first game of Tuesday's American Legion doubleheader at Jonesboro, Ark. However, Dunklin County lost the opener 13-3 and lost the nightcap 19-7.

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The Ricemen -- which feature seven players off of Arkansas Class 4A state champion Valley View -- combined to score 32 runs in doubleheader sweep of Dunklin County Post 303 in American Legion baseball at the Jack Moore Baseball Complex.

Everything the Ricemen seemed to do a the plate worked. After totaling just five hits in its first game of the season on Monday, the Ricemen responded by collecting 12 hits a 13-3 victory in Game One.

Staff photo by Mike Buhler
Dunklin County's Garrett Stockton delivers a pitch during the first game of Tuesday's American Legion doubleheader at Jonesboro, Ark.

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In Game Two, Jonesboro hit two home runs and rolled to a 19-7 victory.

Corey Felts earned the win in game one in his first start of the American Legion baseball season. He had a no-hitter through three innings, but struggled with his command in the fifth and gave up a home run.

At the plate the Ricemen bats came alive. Jonesboro scored two runs in the first innings and added five more in the second.

Brant Arender drove in two runs in the second on a 2-run double to right field and his JHS teammate Jacob Lee followed with a two-run home run that sailed into the parking at the Jack Moore Complex. Billy Ninemire later scored in the innings on a passed ball to give Jonesboro a 7-0 lead.

Dunklin County struggled to find an answer on the mound against the Ricemen. Jonesboro plated four more in the third inning thank to another Arender two-run double and RBI hits from Ninemire and Jordan Taylor.

"We swung the bat really well tonight and I just hope that can continue," Burgi said. "I liked the fact that we hit a lot of hard ground balls because if you can do that with the wind blowing in you will have a big advantage."

Post 303 (3-5) did not go away, getting a two-run homer from Dylan Stockton in the top of the fourth inning and a solo shot from Austin Jackson in the top of the fifth, but did not score again in the opener.

Arender had the best game of any Ricemen at the plate. He went 3-for-4 with four RBIs and two runs scored. Ninemire reached base in all four of his plate appearances and scored three times.

Dunklin County hurt itself with six errors in the game and had trouble judging how the wind would affect fly balls in the outfield.

"It was a tough day today," Burgi said. "We had a rock hard infield and the wind was blowing out, which made it tough to pitch and play defense."

In the nightcap Jonesboro scored early and often.

Ross Smith led the Ricemen attack with a with two hits, two runs scored and a grand slam in the second inning that gave the Ricemen a 9-3 lead.

"I thought we would be a good hitting ball club," Burgi said. "We have that day under our belt now, but you can never tell what will happen in the next game."

The Ricemen did most of its damage in the fourth inning. Jonesboro brought 15 batters to the plate in the inning and scored nine runs.

Many came off Dunklin County errors or lack of focus in the infield.

McKenzie Pierce also had a home run, knocking out a two-run blast in the first inning, while Arender added three more hits and one RBI.

For the day Arender finished 6-for-8 with five RBIs and five runs scored.

Notes: Dunklin County returns to Jonesboro Thursday to compete in the Ricemen Classic, opening with West Memphis at 4:30 p.m. at Tomlinson Stadium, the home field of Arkansas State University. ... Tuesday's losses were the first time Post 303 has been swept this season in a twinbill.