Box Score Lindenwood University tied the game in the top of the ninth, and grabbed its first lead with three more runs in the 13th to pull off the 8-5 come-from-behind victory over the Pioneer baseball team Tuesday night at Wilder Field.
WBU started the scoring in the first on an RBI single by Johnny Hendrixson. The Lions tied the game in the top of the second, but Wayland struck again in the third. Second baseman Calvin Bass led off the inning with a double to left. Two batters later, designated hitter Josh Chinni added the 12th home run of the season to his resume to put the Pioneers up 3-1.
The Pioneers made it 5-1 when two more runs crossed the plate in the bottom half of the fourth after Lindenwood again was unable to score off Pioneer starter Caden Whitley. Freshman Dilon Chancellor brought home courtesy runner Ben Christian on a groundout just before another first year Pioneer, Colton Palmer, hit his first collegiate home run, a solo shot to left field.
The Lions chipped away at the score a run at a time over each of the next three innings to set up a 5-4 Pioneer lead heading to the top of the ninth.
Whitley left the ballgame, after throwing 118 pitches over 6 innings. The freshman from Lubbock's Roosevelt High School allowed 11 hits in his longest collegiate outing, before giving way to a platoon of three relievers over the next three innings.
In the top of the ninth, Lindenwood designated hitter Mike Wilson led off with a base hit to right. After rightfielder Jason Stiegel made it safely aboard on a ball hit deep in the hole at short, both runners advanced a base on a sacrifice bunt.
WBU sophomore ace Tom Bailey came in to relieve Jobi Sanchez, but a passed ball on a 1-1 count allowed Wilson to come home with the tying run. Bailey struck out the next two batters to give his team a chance to end it in walk-off style.
When Pioneers were unable to manufacture a run in the bottom of the ninth, however, the Wayland faithful were treated to three bonus innings.
Bailey would go another three innings on the mound, limiting the Lions to just one base runner, on a four-pitch walk in the 12th. He would finish his night with seven K's.
Freshman Cooper Reinbold came in for the top of the 13th, and the first two batters he faced singled to third and right respectively. Both runners, plus one more would come around to score before the inning ended, and the Pioneers entered the bottom of the 13th in a three-run hole.
Lindenwood reliever Matt Meier struck out the side in the bottom of the inning to earn his first save of the season.
LU improved to 14-12 with the win, while the Pioneers dropped to 12-21 on the season. Wayland will look to even the series with the Lions on Wednesday at 6 p.m.
by Jordan Harrod
WBU Sports Information Student Assistant
