Box Score LUBBOCK – After an offensive showcase in which 69 runs were scored in their first three matchups, Wayland Baptist and Lubbock Christian sent their aces to the mound in the final game of their Sooner Athletic Conference series on a beautiful Saturday afternoon at Hays Field. Runs were at a premium through the first 6 1/2 innings, but then the fifth-ranked Chaparrals exploded in the seventh and walked away with a 10-0 win.
Wayland (19-34, 10-17 SAC) and Lubbock Christian (39-14, 19-9) both got solid performances from their starting pitchers and defense.
Tom Bailey started on the hill for the Pioneers and gave up just four hits without allowing a run through the first six innings, while LCU's Kyle Forsyth also was dominant on the mound through the first six frames, allowing just five hits without surrendering a run.
The Pioneers had a chance to come up with a run in first after a single by
Johnny Hendrixson and an error off the bat of
Josh Chinni put runners on the corners with two outs. Forsyth knuckled down, however, and got
Mark Davis to strike out to end the inning.
Wayland had another chance to scratch in the top of the fourth when
Gregg Veneklasen doubled down the right field line to start the inning. WBU was unable to come up with a big hit, though, and the run column on the scoreboard stayed the same.
Lubbock Christian had its share of chances as well, most notably in the bottom of the second when the Chaps put their first two hitters on with no outs. A sacrifice bunt put runners on second and third with one out, but Bailey induced a high chopper to Gabby De La Cruz at first base and the runner at third was tagged out at home for the second out. The Chaparral eight-hole hitter came up, making his first start of the season, and poked a ball into right center field. Hendrixson had a bead on the Texas-Leaguer, though, and came charging in to make a tremendous diving catch to preserve the shutout.
The Chaps almost got a run off the bat off Marshall Williams, who doubled off the center field fence, narrowly missing a home run. Bailey paid no mind to the runner at second and got the next hitter to strike out swinging.
Wayland threatened again in the top of the sixth after walks by Chinni and Veneklasen put runners at first and second with one out. De La Cruz, who was 3-for-6 in Friday's doubleheader, came to the plate and on the first pitch the freshman grounded into a 1-6-3 double play to end the inning.
After 6 1/2 scoreless innings, Lubbock Christian broke the stalemate and struck first. Bailey walked the first batter, who had worked the count full. The next Chap also drew a full-count walk, this time on a borderline pitch that was seen just below the strike zone, putting runners at first and second with no outs. Senior catcher Jason Fisch put down a bunt to move the runners over, but Bailey wheeled and threw to third to try and get the lead runner. The throw was late, however, and the Chaps had the bases loaded with no outs.
Bounds returned to the dish in another key situation for LCU and this time hit dribbler to De La Cruz at first. The first baseman waited a bit too long to field the ball and had to rush the throw home. The ball was wide of diving catcher
Tyler Doolittle, allowing the first two runs to score.
With the infield still drawn in, the next hitter grounded a ball in the hole at short. Veneklasen fielded it to hold the runners, but the long throw across the diamond was wide, putting another runner aboard. The next batter hit into shallow left to bring home two more runs. That single ended Bailey's day on the mound, despite his superb pitching performance. Bailey went six strong innings and started the seventh, giving up six runs (five earned) on just five hits.
Craig Cook was brought in to relieve Bailey, but could not record an out as he gave up three runs. Down 9-0 with no outs,
Paxton Bartley was brought in to try to avoid the 10-run rule.
Fisch was at the plate for Chaps and provided the game-ending heroics as he hit a ball over a shallow-playing outfield to drive in the winning run.
The final score does not indicate what really happened during the final SAC matchup between these two rivals as the two starting pitchers provided fans with something to cheer about before the score got out of hand in the final inning of the game.
It was the sixth shutout of the season for the Pioneers but the first in their last 22 games.
Wayland will travel to Oklahoma next week as for the conference tournament, a round-robin bracket with half of the eight teams playing in Shawnee at the other half in Oklahoma City. The Pioneers will be in Shawnee where they will take on host Oklahoma Baptist at 6 p.m. Wednesday, LCU at 2 p.m. Thursday and St. Gregory's at 2 p.m. Friday. The winner of that pool will play the winner of the OCU pool in the tourney championship on Saturday.
