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Box Score 2 CLAREMORE, Okla. --- Gabe Sandersius threw a two-hit shutout to help guide the Wayland Baptist Pioneers to a 9-0 victory over Rogers State University on Thursday afternoon. Sandersius' first complete game of the season salvaged a split of the doubleheader with the Hillcats, who took the first game, 6-5 in eight innings.
The Pioneers had 11 hits in each of the two games. In the first, every starter had at least one hit. Kevin Hennessey, who had four hits and four runs batted in on the day, got WBU on the board first in game one with a RBI single in the top of the first.
RSU, which came into the double-dipper with an overall record of 21-3 and with just one conference loss, didn't trail long, crossing the plate three times in the bottom of the inning.
Aldo Mendez led of f the third with a double and came home on another base hit by Hennessey. The Hillcats made it 4-2 with a run in their half of the inning, but the Pioneers tied it up with two in their next at bat on a RBI ground-out by Mendez and a run-scoring double off the bat of Miguel Pagan.
With his team trailing 5-4 in the top of the seventh, Hennessey got on board first after being hit by a pitch. Brian Embery laid down a sacrifice bunt that advanced pinch runner Scott Keane to second. Nic Shadle moved Keane to third with a single to center, and after Ben Christian walked to load the bases with one out, Oscar Rivera knocked in the tying run with another base hit to center.
An inning-ending double play put an end to the Wayland scoring. In the bottom of the seventh, Pioneer reliever Derrick Sampel retired the Hillcats in order to force extra innings.
Eddie Allen got on board with one out in the eighth on a throwing error by the RSU catcher, but was left stranded on second.
RSU's Brandt Barnes scored the winning run in the bottom of the inning when designated hitter Payden Yarmer worked a bases loaded walk off of Mendez, the third Pioneer reliever of the game.
WBU pitchers issued 11 walks in the contest, seven by starter Marcus Limon, who went 5-2/3 innings. Of the five runs given up by the senior pitcher, just two were earned. The NAIA's strikeout king added to his total with eight K's.
Sandersius, a senior southpaw, had by far his best outing of the year. He struck out seven and scattered four walks.
After issuing a walk and a single to the first two hitters in the third, Sandersius picked off the lead runner to record the first out and then got a fly out and a strikeout. In the fifth, RSU got a couple of runners on with one out after a bases on balls and a base hit, but Sandersius struck out the next two hitters.
Shadle got things going for Wayland with two outs in the bottom of the fifth with a solo homer that broke up a scoreless tie. The Pioneers got another four runs in the inning on four straight singles and a two-run double by Hennessey.
Three more runs crossed the plate in the sixth and the final was scored in the seventh when Pagan singled, Hennessey doubled again, and Embery hit a sacrifice fly.
Allen, Shadle and Christian joined Hennessey with two hits each in the nightcap. The Pioneers (12-17, 2-9) look to win the series with a victory on Friday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
