Box Score Gaby De La Cruz hit a couple of towering two-run home runs and
Josh Alexander contributed both offensively and on the mound as the Wayland Baptist Pioneers posted their seventh straight victory, an 11-1 Sooner Athletic Conference crushing of Southwestern Assemblies of God University's Lions on Sunday afternoon at Wilder Field.
De La Cruz lifted his first blast to left field as part of a seven-run second inning, then delivered its twin during a four-run fourth. The junior third baseman now has four homers on the season.
The scheduled nine-inning game ended on the 10-run mercy rule after seven as the Pioneers (13-8, 3-0 SAC) completed a sweep of their conference-opening series against the Lions (7-17, 0-5). Wayland won on Saturday, 10-0 and 2-1.
"Any sweep in the SAC is good," Wayland coach
Brad Bass said.
Like the series opener when the Lions committed four errors, Wayland benefited from SAGU's three miscues Sunday, scoring a total of five unearned runs. But the Pioneers also delivered at the plate, putting up a dozen hits, including two each by De La Cruz, Alexander,
Ernesto Lizardi and
Brayden Blackwell.
In the big second inning, Lizardi and
Ethan Percell got things going with singles, then
Austin Davis drove in the game's first run with a single. After Blackwell was hit by a pitch to load the bases,
Colton Palmer's fielder's choice resulted in a throwing error by the SAGU third baseman that allowed Percell to score.
Will Bass' RBI-groundout made it 3-0, then a bunt-single by
Aaron Vallance scored runs number four and five as a hustling Blackwell managed to make it home from second.
De La Cruz then lifted the first of his blasts to left field, a 400-foot-plus shot that sailed over the visitors' bullpen.
De La Cruz powered out another two-run homer during the four-run fourth, after Alexander reached on a single. This time, the SAGU left-fielder never bothered to move as De La Cruz left no doubt about the ball leaving the park.
"Gaby had a good weekend," Bass said. "Those (home runs) make it easy on the coach."
Wayland's final two runs came after Lizardi walked and Percell and Davis reached on fielder's choices that also included errors. Blackwell made the Lions pay with a two-RBI single through the left side.
Alexander made his first college start and went four innings, giving up five hits and SAGU's only run while striking out six and walking none.
"Obviously he has a very good arm, and it's something he'll get better and better at," Bass said. "He didn't throw very many breaking pitches, but the ones he did were very good."
Logan Evans (2-0) earned the win, allowing three hits in two innings with a strikeout before
Michael Cowan finished it up with a hitless seventh, blanking the Lions despite two WBU errors.
"Mikey looked good closing," Bass said.
The Pioneers also got a couple of masterful pitching efforts on Saturday from
Tyler Adams and
Taylor Bridges. Both allowed five hits and combined to strike out 11 as Wayland won 10-0 and 2-1.
"Those two guys are big for us. We were fortunate (Saturday) that both guys were able to have command, not walk very many guys (one combined) and not throw very many pitches," Bass said.
Of Bridges' performance in the 2-1 game-2 win when Wayland was held to two hits, Bass said, "If we don't get an outing like that we don't win it. Even though it was a 2-1 game, I never really felt stress, which was a credit to Taylor."
Wayland is scheduled to play at 3 p.m. Tuesday in Odessa and Texas-Permian Basin, a team the Pioneers drilled earlier this season at home, 21-4. Bass said Tuesday's game could be affected by a rainy forecast.
The team returns to SAC play next Friday and Saturday against Southwestern Christian (10-8, 1-4) in Bethany, Okla. The Pioneers' next home games are against St. Gregory's March 20 and 21.
"Every team that we play is going to be one-week better," Bass said.
