The best season in Pioneer history came to a close Friday afternoon with a 15-6 loss to #1 Lubbock Christian in the final game of the 2009 NAIA Baseball National Championship Opening Round Field 1 Tournament.
The WBU team wrapped up the year ranked 18th in the NAIA with a 43-15 record and one step away from its first-ever trip to the NAIA World Series.
Twenty-three school records were tied or broken during the season, including most wins (43), fewest losses (15), most home runs (119), most RBI (513) and most runs scored (561). The pitching staff shattered the strikeout record with 509 on the season. The old mark was 419, established last year in two fewer games.
In Friday's contest, senior Keith Martin knocked in all six of the Pioneer runs with a double and two home runs. His first long ball, in the fourth, went just to the left of the big center field fence, bringing in three runs to make the score 6-4. The second went to left field and scored two in the eighth. Michael Prell was the only other WBU player with a multi-hit game. The junior third baseman had two hits, including a single.
Eight Pioneer pitchers combined to allow 14 LCU hits. They also issued 12 bases on balls, tying a season high. The only pitcher that did not allow a hit or a walk was sophomore Corey Weldon, who struck out the only batter he faced with a runner on third and two out.
Freshman Alex Quinones saw his first varsity action, pitching the eighth inning. The Crowley High graduate held the Chaps to just one hit, walked one, and struck out two.
