Chickasha, Okla. --- The seniors came through for the Pioneers in their Sooner Athletic Conference doubleheader split against USAO on Friday. In the opener, rightfielder Pedro Gomez had two home runs and all four RBI in an 8-4 loss, and in the nightcap, second baseman Michael Prell knocked in the winning run with a single to center in the top of the seventh to give Wayland the 4-3 victory.
Gomez put the Pioneers on top in the first game with a base hit that scored Brian Embery, and then hit a two-run dinger in the third to give Wayland a 3-1 lead. After USAO had closed the gap to 3-2, Gomez blasted a solo shot in the fifth to give WBU a 4-2 advantage, but the Drovers exploded for six runs with two outs in the bottom of the inning to get the win.
The Pioneers had 10 hits in the opener, but left eight men on base. Gomez went 3-for-4 in the game. Junior centerfielder Scott Keane was 2-for-3, and Josh Lucas and Johnathan Torres each had a double.
Todd Weldon, who had eight strikeouts in the first three innings, took the loss, allowing six earned runs and finishing up with ten K's in 4-2/3 innings of work. Aaron Pate pitched the final inning and a third.
In the second game, the Pioneers jumped out early when Eddie Allen led the contest off with a double and scored on Prell's single. After a fly ball out, designated hitter Kevin Hennessey launched a two-run blast to make it 3-0.
USAO got one in the bottom of the inning and tied it up in the fourth with two solo home runs. After WBU starter Trevor Stringer issued back-to-back walks to open the fifth, Marcus Limon entered the game and got the Pioneers out of a jam, with two strikeouts and a fly out.
The game remained tied until the top of the seventh when sophomore catcher Oscar Rivera lead off with a single to left. Keane laid down a bunt to put courtesy runner Calvin Bass into scoring position. Allen's swinging bunt to second advanced Bass to third to set up Prell's heroics.
Limon gave up a base hit to start the bottom of the inning, but served up a double play ball to the next batter and got the win with a strikeout, his fourth in three innings of work.
Prell went 3-for-4 in the game with two RBI. The Pioneers outhit the Drovers 8 to 4, and did not make an error. Allen and Hennessey got the only extra base hits.
The two teams play the final game of the series on Saturday afternoon, beginning at 1 p.m.
