Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 The Pioneer baseball team continued their winning ways on Saturday with their second doubleheader sweep of the University of the Southwest in as many days. The first road game of the year saw the Pioneers take their third straight to open the young season, and this one came by a final score of 3-1. WBU wrapped up the final game of the series, 6-3.
The kind of baseball the Pioneers intended to play was clarified early when freshman Dilon Chancellor led off the game by hitting the first pitch into left field for a single. Fellow freshman Colton Palmer of Lubbock laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance Chancellor to second, and Johnny Hendrixson singled up the middle to score the leadoff hitter.
Later in the inning, Brian Allen struck with two outs and drove in Hendrixson. Before the Mustangs even had a chance to swing the bats, they already trailed 2-0.
The only other Pioneer run from the first game came after sophomore Mikey Nabarette reached base on a dropped third strike. Bernie Rosario, the WBU freshman shortstop, grounded out to short advancing Nabarette to second. On the next play, sure-handed Mustang third baseman Izzy Reyna, overthrew the first baseman, allowing the third Pioneer run of the day to cross the plate.
Three would prove to be plenty for junior transfer Ryan Downs, as he was able to give the bullpen the game off by hurling all seven innings. The lone blemish on Downs' afternoon came when the Mustangs' second baseman singled to right and stole second in the fifth. Two fly balls to the outfield later, USW was on the board. Downs didn't flinch and finished strong by only allowing 5 hits and striking out 3. Of the 27 batters he faced, 8 flew out and 10 grounded out.
Errors and wild pitches proved to be the Achilles heel for the Mustangs on Saturday, as the Pioneers held on to win the second game by a score of 6-3.
The Pioneers put the ball in play in the first inning, causing two Mustangs errors. After leadoff hitter Dilon Chancellor reached first, Palmer singled to center, but the defender overran the ball, allowing Chancellor to score and Palmer to move into scoring position.
Hendrixson, a sophomore, followed with a single and advanced to second on an unsuccessful throw to home plate in an attempt get Palmer out. Two batters later, sophomore designated hitter Brandon Barcalow singled to right to score Hendrixson, and once again, the Mustangs trailed after just one half of an inning.
Mustang centerfielder Derelle Owens pounced on WBU pitcher Tom Bailey in the USW half of the first for a leadoff double and eventually came around to score on another double by rightfielder Omar Villar to make it 3-1 after one.
USW made it 3-2 with a run in the third, but WBU answered with one each in the fourth and fifth. In the fourth, WBU sophomore catcher Brandon Espinosa was hit by a pitch. Second baseman Clint Roberts's ground out advanced courtesy runner Caden Whitley to second, and Chancellor picked up the RBI with a single.
An inning later, Rosario worked a leadoff walk, and Nabarette followed suit. With Barcalow at the plate again, both runners were able to advance a base via a wild pitch. Freshman Chris Buitron then singled to right field, allowing Rosario to cross the plate.
The final Pioneer run came in the top of the seventh when Barcalow worked a leadoff walk. He stole second, and Buitron followed by working another bases on balls. After another Mustang wild pitch put runners on second and third, Espinosa drew the third consecutive walk of the frame, and the final Pioneer run of the day came when a wild pitch allowed all three runners to advance a base.
A sophomore transfer from Perth, Australia, Bailey provided the Pioneers with yet another solid pitching performance by throwing deep into the game. He held the Mustangs to only two earned runs on six hits. Plainview freshman southpaw Peter Landeros finished the game without allowing a hit and earned his first collegiate save with two innings of work.
The Pioneers will look to stay undefeated next week when they head to Phoenix, Ariz. for the Arizona Desert Classic.
by Jordan Herrod
WBU Sports Information Student Assistant
