Box Score Having already won twice in Lubbock, the Wayland Baptist baseball team on Tuesday evening was looking to claim its first-ever season sweep of Lubbock Christian University. The odds appeared to be in Wayland's favor as the Pioneers were playing at home this time, and the Chaparrals hadn't won on the road all season.
However, the Chaps showed up looking for revenge, and they got it. LCU scored early and often, pounding out 13 hits – including six doubles – on its way to an 11-0 victory in seven innings.
"It's hard to win when you don't score any runs," said Wayland coach
Brad Bass, whose team earlier in the day received votes for the first time this season in the NAIA Top 25 Coaches' Poll.
The Chaps notched runs in each of the first four innings, getting two in the first, three more in the second, one in the third and four in the fourth to assume a 10-0 edge. After a scoreless fifth, the Chaps picked up one more in the sixth.
Wayland, meanwhile, had several prime chances to score, but never could and left 10 runners on base.
The Pioneers' first scoring opportunity came in the first inning when
Will Bass and
Aaron Vallance both were hit by pitches.
Josh Alexander flew out to center, but on the hit-and-run Bass was forced out before he could retreat to second base.
The next batter,
Gaby De La Cruz, singled before LCU got out of the inning on a fielder's choice putout.
Wayland also got its first two batters on base in the second inning when
Ethan Percell singled and
Austin Davis reached on an error. But the Chaps turned a 6-4-3 double-play before getting
Brayden Blackwell to strike out looking.
The Pioneers got two more on board in the third, this time with two outs, as Alexander singled and De La Cruz was beaned. LCU once again escaped damage by recording out three on Lizardi's fielder's choice.
Wayland got its first base runner safely to third in the fifth in the form of Bass, who doubled then advanced on Alexander's flyout. De La Cruz popped up to third to end the inning.
Down to their last chance in the seventh to avoid the 10-run mercy rule, the Pioneers again were on the brink of generating some offense. Dillan Vigil and Blackwell led off with singles to bring up the top of the order. After Bass struck out and Vallance flew out, Alexander walked to load the bases for De La Cruz. But on the first pitch the Pioneers' clean-up hitter popped up to short to end the quick, two-hour contest.
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Craig Cook (0-2) took the loss, giving up six runs on seven hits with two walks and a strikeout in 2 1/3 innings.
Kyle Parriera pitched the final 4 2/3, allowing six hits and four earned runs while striking out five and walking one.
Freshman left-hander Jay Rawlins (3-0) held Wayland to three hits in four innings. All four Chaps pitchers recorded one strikeout apiece.
It was only the second shutout of the season for Wayland (20-12) as former Sooner Athletic Conference rival LCU (15-13), now a member of NCAA Division II's Heartland Conference, won its first road game in eight attempts.
Earlier in the day, the third NAIA Top 25 Coaches' Poll of the regular season was released and Wayland was shown with three votes, ranked the equivalent of 42
nd.
The Pioneers are back at Wilder Field at 6 p.m. Wednesday to host Oklahoma Panhandle State (3-23).
NAIA Baseball Coaches' Top 25 Poll – No. 3 (March 24)
| RANK | PRVS^ | SCHOOL (1ST PLACE VOTES) | 2015 RECORD | TOTAL POINTS |
| 1 | 1 | Oklahoma Baptist (21) | 28-0 | 591 |
| 2 | 2 | Faulkner (Ala.) | 29-5 | 556 |
| 3 | 3 | Missouri Baptist | 22-2 | 555 |
| 4 | 4 | Tabor (Kan.) | 28-3 | 542 |
| 5 | 5 | Georgia Gwinnett | 27-5 | 512 |
| 6 | 8 | Davenport (Mich.) | 20-2 | 484 |
| 7 | 7 | Northwood (Fla.) | 28-7 | 480 |
| 8 | 6 | The Master's (Calif.) | 27-7 | 474 |
| 9 | 10 | LSU Shreveport (La.) | 19-5 | 430 |
| 10 | 11 | Oklahoma Wesleyan | 23-6 | 428 |
| 11 | T13 | Oklahoma City | 25-6 | 378 |
| 12 | T13 | Westmont (Calif.) | 25-8 | 364 |
| 13 | 16 | Tennessee Wesleyan | 20-7 | 356 |
| 14 | 9 | Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) | 19-7 | 348 |
| 15 | 12 | Bellevue (Neb.) | 22-6 | 336 |
| 16 | 19 | Auburn Montgomery (Ala.) | 22-9 | 321 |
| 17 | 18 | Concordia (Calif.) | 26-9 | 280 |
| 18 | RV | Embry-Riddle (Fla.) | 21-12 | 231 |
| 19 | RV | Campbellsville (Ky.) | 13-4 | 224 |
| 20 | 17 | St. Thomas (Fla.) | 23-8 | 199 |
| 21 | 15 | Sterling (Kan.) | 23-8 | 196 |
| 22 | 25 | Mobile (Ala.) | 20-8 | 184 |
| 23 | 24 | Point Park (Pa.) | 15-4 | 179 |
| 24 | RV | Union (Ky.) | 18-5 | 135 |
| 25 | RV | Northwestern Ohio | 18-6 | 122 |
Others receiving votes: Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio) 105; Judson (Ill.) 75; Doane (Neb.) 57; Bryan (Tenn.) 49; College of Idaho 43; Southeastern (Fla.) 31; William Woods (Mo.) 31; Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) 29; Cal State San Marcos 11; Belhaven (Miss.) 10; British Columbia 9; Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) 7; Morningside (Iowa) 6; MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) 5; Vanguard (Calif.) 5; York (Neb.) 5; St. Catharine (Ky.) 3; Madonna (Mich.) 3;
Wayland Baptist (Texas) 3.
