Grand slam sinks Pioneers; Knights take two

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 The Wayland Baptist baseball team jumped out to an early 5-0 lead in the second game of Friday's Sooner Athletic Conference doubleheader at Wilder Field, but Northwood (Cedar Hill) got a grand slam in the top of the seventh to win game two, 8-6. The Knights also won the front end of the doubleheader, taking game one, 5-1.

Wayland (28-14, 15-5 SAC) held a 6-4 lead with closer Cachot Duncan (1-1) on the mound in the top of the seventh inning. Going into the game, Duncan boasted of a miniscule 1.69 ERA, having only surrendered four runs all season. Northwood (25-17, 13-6) found a chink in Duncan's armor, however, and came up with a way to pull out what was nothing short of a miracle win.

The Knights sent the top of their line-up to the plate in their final at-bat, loading the bases with two singles and a hit by pitch, bringing up Northwood's clean-up hitter.

Second baseman Isaac Maturino worked the count full, fouling off several offerings from Duncan. Maturino eventually lifted a pitch high down the left field line with Damion Lovato giving chase.

Lovato, who has robbed two home runs this year, including a spectacular catch in which the senior flipped over the short, bullpen fence, tried to repeat his heroics, jumping into the bullpen just right of the foul pole. It appeared as if Lovato may have snagged the go-ahead bomb, but the hearts of Pioneer fans everywhere sunk when a few members of the Northwood bullpen leaped in jubilation.

Lovato begrudgingly exited the bullpen as the blast gave the Knights an 8-6 lead, despite a tremendous effort by the senior left fielder.

Duncan retired the next three batters, but the damage was done and Gator Alexander (1-0) got the Pioneers to go down in order in the bottom of the seventh, giving Northwood the win, 8-6.

With his team looking for answers in game two, Alexander entered the game in the second inning, putting a halt on WBU's early offensive surge. Alexander surrendered only one hit, a home run to Lovato in the fifth, over 5 2/3 innings of work.

After Josh Alexander drove in Colton Palmer in the top of the first, Justin Tyra, the Knights' starting pitcher, got into even more trouble after giving up back-to-back walks to Brayden Blackwell and a bunt single to Dillan Vigil, loading the bases. The Knights turned to left-hander Cody Faulkner after Tyra failed to record an out in the second.

Faulkner gave up back-to-back singles to Palmer and Aaron Vallance, each getting two RBIs on their respective hits, before giving way to Alexander after a line-drive to center.

That's when the tide turned on the Pioneers, as Alexander faced one over the minimum throughout the remainder of the contest.

Northwood started its comeback, scratching off two runs in the top of the third before getting a run in both the fourth and fifth innings, cutting the Pioneers' lead to a run. As stated, Northwood went on to win the game, 8-6.

In game one, Wayland out-hit the Knights, 6-5, but an uncharacteristic five errors doomed the Pioneers.

Except for a scoreless first, Wayland's ace, Tom Bailey (6-4), gave up a run in each of the five innings he threw. Northwood scored a run in the second, third and fourth innings, before tacking on two more in the fifth to knock Bailey out of the game.

Corey Weldon and Logan Evans threw scoreless sixth and seventh innings, respectively, but the Pioneers failed to bring in any more runs, falling to the Knights, 5-1.

Lovato drove in Wayland's only run in the first game, lacing a triple off the left-center fence in the fourth to score Vallance all the way from first. Lovato was 2-for-6 on the day with a run and two RBIs.

Vallance had the best day offensively for WBU, going 4-for-7 at the plate, scoring a run while driving in two. After an 0-for-3 performance in game one, Palmer came up big in game two, collecting two hits, two runs, two RBIs, and a stolen base in the leadoff position.

Wayland will look to salvage the series Saturday in the final installment of the three-game set as the Pioneers host Northwood at 1 p.m. at Wilder Field.

Saturday's game will also be the third-annual "Strike Out Cancer" game. A silent auction will be held for special purple jerseys being worn by the Pioneer players and coaches. Brisket wraps will be sold, and proceeds from concession stand sales will be donated to Relay for Life.