‘HE SMOKED IT OVER THE TREES’

Pierce’s mammoth homer sets tone in Pioneers’ 12-1 win over Unity Reed

By Matthew Proctor special To The Times

With one out and a runner on second in the bottom of the second inning, Patriot was already in firm control of Tuesday’s early season district clash with visiting Unity Reed.

Then junior Luke Pierce added the exclamation mark.

On a 1-1 count, Pierce got his pitch and hammered it over the center field fence for a two-run home run, putting the Pioneers ahead 10-0. Pine trees lie just behind the fence at Patriot’s field and Pierce’s shot cleared them easily.

“He got all of that, that went over the trees. He smoked that one, so that’s a nice swing by him,” Patriot coach Nick Grove said.

The Pioneers plated 12 runs in the first two innings to post a 12-1 five-inning mercy win, which was over in less than 90 minutes before 8 p.m. “I thought our guys did a really nice job of staying short and quick to the baseball,” said Grove, whose squad improved to 2-0 and 1-0 in the Cedar Run District.

Featuring elite starting pitching, Patriot expects to remain one of Prince William County’s prominent baseball powers. Consistently harboring state tournament aspirations, the Pioneers went 15-8 last year and advanced to the Region 6B tournament for the second time in two seasons under Grove.