The Pioneers both lived and died by the long ball in their Sooner Athletic Conference doubleheader with Southern Nazarene University on Friday afternoon at Wilder Field. In the first game, the visitors from Bethany, Okla. had two three-run homers on their way to an 11-0 five inning victory, while WBU went deep four times in a 7-6 extra inning win in the nightcap.
Pedro Gomez tied the second game with a solo home run in the seventh and Josh Lucas won it with a walk-off shot in the eighth to help the Pioneers retain their hold on third place in the conference standings, a game and a half ahead of the Crimson Storm.
SNU had jumped out to a 3-0 lead on yet another three-run homer, this one off the bat of Shain Stoner, in the third. Wayland came back to tie it in the fourth on Kevin Hennessey's two-run bomb, a walk and a run-scoring double by Lucas.
The Pioneers took their first lead of the day in the fifth on Hennessey's second long ball, another two-run shot that landed in the visitor's bullpen.
WBU held that lead until the seventh when the Storm scored two runs with two outs to pull ahead 6-5. Both runs were unearned after an error on an apparent game-ending ground ball extended the SNU inning.
Todd Weldon got the start in the contest, allowing four runs on seven hits and walking five. The senior struck out eight in five innings of work. Calvin Lewis pitched the next inning and two-thirds. The junior southpaw gave up two hits, walked one, and struck out one. Brett Swett (2-1) relieved Lewis with two on and two out in the seventh. The senior gave up two hits, but got the win after retiring the Storm in order in the top of the eighth.
SNU pitcher Bryan Bingham (6-0) held the Pioneers to just four hits in the first game and did not allow a bases on balls. Gomez had the only extra base hit, a disappearing double that everyone on the field appeared to lose in the air. The ball ultimately landed in right centerfield and was played by the Crimson Storm leftfielder.
Michael Prell, Hennessey and Oscar Rivera got the other three WBU hits. Marcus Limon (7-3) was charged with the loss.
The two teams meet in the rubber game of the series at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
