Box Score OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. --- Wayland Baptist rallied from a 9-3 deficit in the eighth inning to tie the game, and then watched as Mid-America Christian responded with five runs in the bottom of the inning to take the game, 14-9, and the series, 2-1 on Saturday.
The series loss severely damages any hopes WBU might have of reaching the conference tournament, part of which is scheduled to be played at Wilder Field during the first week of May. The Pioneers are 3-12 in SAC play and 16-21 overall, while MACU improves to 6-12.
Eddie Allen, who went three for four in the contest and extended his hitting streak to 15 games, led off the eighth with a single to left. Ben Christian sent the first pitch he saw through the same hole in the left side to put two on with no out. After Miguel Pagan reached on an error, Kevin Hennessey drew a walk to score Allen.
Aldo Mendez brought in Christian to force a pitching change. After fouling off four straight pitches, Brian Embery hit one off the top of the fence in right to plate two more. Pinch hitter Calvin Bass picked up two more RBI on a single to right to tie the game at nine.
The Pioneer bullpen failed to hold the home team in check in the bottom of the inning, however, as MACU regained the lead with five runs on four hits and two walks.
Scott Keane hit a two-run homer into a stiff wind blowing from left to right in the game, and Embery had two doubles.
Kevin Burbank started on the mound for WBU. The junior lefty allowed seven runs on nine hits in his 6-2/3 innings of work, striking out seven and walking three. He left the game trailing 6-3 with two on and two out in the seventh.
Wayland returns home this week with a six-game home stand beginning Tuesday when the Pioneers take on West Texas A&M at noon.
