Pioneers drop regular-season finale, 15-12

Box Score After taking turns slugging it out most of the afternoon, Texas Wesleyan wound up delivering the last punches as the Rams pulled out a 15-12 victory over Wayland Baptist in the Sooner Athletic Conference regular-season finale on Saturday at Wilder Field.
 
Wayland trailed 9-3 but scored six runs in the seventh inning to take a 12-9 lead. The Rams, however, responded with six runs of their own in their last two at-bats to salvage one game of the three-game series that saw the Pioneers winning twice on Friday, 6-3 and 16-4.
 
"I thought it was a good weekend," WBU coach Brad Bass said. "We've been pushing the kids to stay competitive and keep fighting, and they did that all three games."
 
Wayland (32-21, 13-8 SAC) now awaits its pairing in the SAC Tournament, to be played May 1-4 at Oklahoma City University. The Pioneers are expected to be the No. 4 seed in that six-team, double-elimination tournament. Texas Wesleyan (20-26, 12-11) will be the No. 5 seed.
 
After Wayland benefited from two complete-game gems from Taylor Bridges and Tyler Adams on Friday, the Pioneers used six pitchers Saturday, including four of the team's six seniors that were recognized prior to the game. Starter Josh Alexander surrendered seven runs and eight hits in two innings, Craig Cook gave up two runs on six hits in 3 2/3, Joey DiCarlo blanked the Rams in his 1 1/3, and Michael Cowan gave up two runs on two hits. The last of those was the first of Wesleyan center fielder Jake Howeth's two two-run home runs.
 
Kyle Parriera relieved with Wayland clinging to a 12-11 lead. After striking out the first two batters he faced, Parriera (1-2) issued a single then another two-run homer by pinch hitter Nathaniel Dillon.
 
That put the Rams up 13-12, and although the heart of Wayland's batting order went to the plate in the eighth and ninth innings, Aaron Vallance – with a lead-off walk in the eighth – was the only Pioneer to get on base. After that, the Rams recorded two strikeouts, two fly-outs and two pop-ups to end it.
 
Ethan Percell almost delivered a go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth, but his TWU counterpart, left-fielder Tyler Kamtz, caught Percell's deep shot on the warning track.
 
Connor Zamora recorded just one out in the seventh but got the win for his first decision of the year. Avery Sullivan was credited with his fifth save.
 
After Wayland pounded out 28 hits in Friday's wind-blown doubleheader, the Rams managed 22 hits on a relatively calm Saturday afternoon.
 
"They did a good job of making adjustments," Coach Bass said. "Pitches that were getting them out on Friday were being hit for doubles and home runs today."
 
Wayland produced 14 hits, with Will Bass going 3-for-5 with three runs. Vallance ended 2-for-3 with two runs and a pair of RBIs, along with a beautiful play in the sixth inning that featured the sophomore shortstop catching the ball deep in the hole then making a twirling, mid-air, dead-on throw to first.
 
Percell and Chris Buitron, who also made a number of nice plays at third, had two hits, two RBI and two runs apiece. Skyler Wood recorded two RBI and Austin Davis scored twice.
 
The 15 runs are the most given up by Wayland in a loss this season and matched the season-high 15 scored by Midland, Neb., on March 16. The Pioneers won that game, 16-15.