Box Score The 2011 baseball season came to a disappointing end for the Pioneers of Wayland Baptist on Friday evening when the Lubbock Christian Chaparrals came into Wilder Field and took a 19-5 decision in the final game of the pool play portion of the Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament.
The Chaps turned a tight game into a blowout with 12 runs in the final two innings. LCU jumped out to an early 4-0 advantage, but the Pioneers came back to tie it in the fourth with five hits, including Brian Embery's three-run bomb over the left field fence.
Embery swung the big bat all night for the Pioneers. The junior second baseman also had two doubles, one to the gap in left center and the other down the left field line. Miguel Pagan also doubled in the game, and Nic Shadle hit his fourth home run of the year to lead off the bottom of the ninth.
Wayland starting pitcher Gabe Sandersius hung in as long as he could for Brad Bass' Pioneers. Four of the eight earned runs Sandersius allowed came after he got two quick outs in the top of the eighth.
The senior southpaw threw 168 pitches in his seven-and-two-thirds innings of work. He was victimized early by control problems, walking four and hitting two in the first four innings, and two costly errors lead to three unearned runs. His totals for the night included nine hits, nine strikeouts, seven walks and two hit batters. He wraps up his year with a record of 5-7.
The season does not end for the Lubbock Christian, which is 43-12 and ranked #9 in the NAIA. The Chaps will most likely be one of the host teams for the 2011 National Championship Opening Round Tournaments, which are scheduled to be held May 12-16.
WBU finishes the year with a record of 27-30, the first time since 2007 that the Pioneers have been below the .500 mark.
