Both Schulz and Matos banged out a pair of hits and drove in a pair of runs each in Pioneer's 12-0 win over the Lions. The loss dropped the Lions to 1-2 in league play.

Most of the damage was done in a six-run outburst in the second inning and another four-run spurt in the third. Lincoln's Luis Machuca was on the mound for the Lions and hit a bit of a wild spell. He helped out the Mustang cause with three hit batsmen and a walk in the second inning and Pioneer made him pay. Matos blasted a bases-loaded line drive double to the right-center gap and Ryan Gall pulled a shot past the third baseman down the left field line for another bases-loaded two-bagger with both efforts driving in a pair of runs. Shaun Souza closed out the second with a RBI single.

In the third inning, A. Schulz kept the scoring going with a two-run double up against the fence that chased Machuca from the mound. Nick Pretty came on to take over pitching duties and Pioneer's Danny Ventura greeted him with solid single up the middle to drive in two more runs.

Brent Osborn got the nod to start for Pioneer and went four innings, giving up only three hits. Robbie Nelson came on to throw the fifth and final inning for the Mustangs and, after giving up a lead-off bloop single to Patrick Yanez, Nelson set down the next three Lions on strikeouts to close out the game.

"Osborn had a good showing today and I think that will be a confidence builder for him," Pioneer coach Jake Hernandez said. "Our defense has also been consistent so far this season and that's been our strength. We aren't giving up any extra outs."

That good defense was illustrated on a fine effort by Michael Schulz with two outs in the third. With the bases loaded, Schulz had to come charging in to grab a slow roller down the third baseline and gunned down the runner to end the inning. The Mustangs also turned a double play in the fourth.

The Mustangs' bats were hot earlier in the week in an 8-2 win over Independence. Pioneer jumped out to a 6-0 lead after three innings and never looked back. The offensive surge was led by Justin Kaufmann and Souza, who both blasted round-trippers and knocked out two hits apiece. Matos was in the middle of the fray as well, ripping two hits, including a double.

Mike Rudolph was on the hill for the Mustangs and was the beneficiary of all the offensive power, improving his record to 2-0. He threw five scoreless innings and gave up only four hits. Osborn and Nelson finished up going an inning each.

The quick start in league play gave the Mustangs plenty of momentum headed into a crucial match-up with Piedmont Hills last Monday. The Pirates became a nemesis for Pioneer last season and figures to be one of the teams to beat in the hunt for the Santa Teresa Division crown this season. An early season win by the Mustangs would send a strong message to the Pirates.

When the dust had settled and the final out had been recorded, Pioneer had battled its way to a convincing 8-3 win over the Bucs, improving the Mustangs to 4-0 in division play.

Robbie Nelson was on the mound for his first start of the season for Pioneer and it was a bit of a rocky beginning for the senior southpaw. In the first inning, Nelson walked one and then gave up four straight singles, which resulted in two earned runs for the Pirates. However, Nelson settled down and found his rhythm, giving up only one more hit and one unearned run while working through six and a third innings. He struck out seven and walked two. Andy Wright came on for the final two outs to mop things up.

The Mustangs came storming back in the second to push across two runs of their own and tie it up at 2-2. Souza was hit by a pitch and scored on a sharp single by Eddie Hsieh. After Pioneer loaded the bases, M. Schulz laid down a perfect squeeze bunt to bring in Hsieh with the tying run.

The seesaw battle continued when Piedmont Hills jumped back ahead 3-2 in the top of third, but the lead was short-lived as the Mustangs evened it up at 3-3 in the bottom of the third. Bailey singled and advanced to second on a fielder's choice before Souza poked a single to left center to drive in Bailey.

Pioneer grabbed its first lead of the game in the fifth when Rudolph executed a two-out hit-and-run to perfection, driving a base hit to left and picking up an RBI as Hsieh scampered home to put the Mustangs on top at 4-3.

The lead increased to 5-3 in the fifth when A. Schulz got things going with a lead-off double and then scored on a two-out infield single by Hsieh.

The Mustangs sealed the win by taking advantage of throwing errors by the Pirates in the sixth, which opened the door for three more runs and dashed any hopes of the Pirates coming back.

"We knew going in it was a big game for us and one we felt was important to win," Hernandez said. "We put the pressure on their defense and forced them to make the routine plays but they didn't make them."

"Our guys also showed me a lot when they came fighting back and didn't panic after going down 2-0 in the first," the coach added.

Pioneer traveled to Evergreen Valley on March 16 and will host Prospect on March 22 at 3:30 p.m. in a couple of BVAL Santa Teresa Division contests.