The Pioneers got back on the winning track with a 16-6 victory over Eastern New Mexico on Wednesday afternoon at Wilder Field. The contest was one of two make-ups of a doubleheader which was rained out on February 8th.
WBU shelled out 16 hits in the game including five homers, two by rightfielder Franky Busani. Josh Lucas, Brett Cook and Oscar Rivera also went deep for the Pioneers.
Lucas went 3-for-3 in the game with six RBI. Busani had a triple to go with his two long balls, as did Eddie Allen, who was a perfect 3-for-3 on the day with four runs scored.
Wayland went on top first with a run in the bottom of the first when Brett Cook scored on Lucas' single down the left field line. The Greyhounds tied it up in the top of the second with an unearned run.
After ENMU pitcher Doug McIntyre retired the Pioneers in order in the second, the home team exploded for five runs in the home half of the third. After McIntyre issued back-to-back walks to Allen and Lucas, Busani hit his triple to the wall in right center. Pedro Gomez followed with a walk. Busani scored on a passed ball, then after a pitching change, Rivera hit his first bomb of the year on an 0-2 count.
Both teams scored a run in the fourth, but ENMU made it a one-run game in the fifth with four runs, three of which came off the bat of Freddy Carmona who hit the ball over the fence in left field.
The Pioneers went down in order again in the bottom of the inning, but came back to score nine runs in the sixth and seventh to end the game early.
Ben Seymore reached on a throwing error by the Greyhound third baseman to lead off the sixth. Allen laid down a bunt single to put two on for Lucas who smashed a line drive off the back of Hutcherson Center for his ninth home run of the season. Busani followed it up with a solo shot to center to make it 11-6, Wayland.
Corey Weldon pitched a scoreless seventh to set up the Pioneers' big inning. Calvin Bass got his second single of the game with one out. The WBU designated hitter stole second and scored on Cook's two-run shot to left. Allen followed that up with a double to the wall in left center and came across the plate on Lucas' base hit. Busani ended the contest with another long ball just to the right of the tall center field fence.
Todd Jeffress (2-4) picked up the win. The senior pitched the first three innings, giving up one unearned run on two hits and striking out two. He did not walk a batter.
The Pioneers return to Sooner Athletic Conference action on Friday with a three-game series against Northwestern Oklahoma State in Alva.
