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Box Score 2 ABILENE – Two days after sweeping McMurry at Wilder Field, the War Hawks turned the tables on the Pioneers on Sunday afternoon at Driggers Field as the home team won, 5-1 and 10-5.
It appeared the Pioneers (5-3) would get out of town with a win in the final game of the series as Wayland led 5-2 after a three-run home run by
Will Bass in the top of the sixth inning. But the War Hawks (2-2) put up seven runs on the strength of six hits – including a two-run homer – in the bottom of the eighth to take control.
Unlike Friday when Wayland beat up McMurry 12-7 and 18-1, the Pioneers had a tough time getting their offense started Sunday. McMurry, up 5-0, and was one out away from shutting out the Pioneers when
Jake Doyle hit an RBI-double to score
Gregg Veneklasen in the bottom of the seventh. Wayland's next batter,
Ernesto Lizardi, popped up to end the game.
Both teams ended with six hits and four errors. Wayland's errors were much more costly, however, as they allowed three unearned runs.
Mason Taylor (1-1) took the loss, allowing all five runs and six hits with five strikeouts and a pair of walks in 4 1/3 innings.
Paxton Bartley took over during a three-run fifth and got the Pioneers out of the inning before
Kevin Torres recorded the final three outs.
Wayland stranded 10 runners.
Game two was going better for the Pioneers, who trailed just 2-1 going into the sixth when Wayland's offense got things rolling. Lizardi led off with a double to left, and after
Caleb Davidson was intentionally walked,
Skyler Wood kept the inning alive with a two-out RBI-single to center.
Will Bass then greeted new pitcher Rody Johnson with a three-run homer to right.
That put the Pioneers up 5-2. It was 5-3 going into the bottom of the eighth when things got away from Wayland. It started with a hit-batsman, after which WBU coach
Brad Bass brought in closer
Logan Evans, who wasn't his usually-reliable self. Evans (0-1) gave up singles to the first five War Hawks he faced, resulting in five runs, then allowed a two-run homer to Tyler Jenkins.
Bartley then entered the game and retired the next three batters – including two Ks – to finally get the Pioneers out of the inning.
Aaron Vallance tried to get a rally going with a lead-off single in the ninth, but the next three batters resulted in three outs to end it.
Bass got three of Wayland's nine hits, while Chris Baker and Noah Clarkson combined for half of the War Hawks' 14 hits of starter
Jordie Henry,
Jonathan Frost and Evans.
The Pioneers return to Wilder Field for a similar series as this weekend with University of the Southwest next weekend. Wayland will host the Mustangs for a doubleheader at 2 p.m. Friday before heading to Hobbs for another twinbill at noon Sunday.
USW is 2-2 after splitting a season-opening series this weekend in Hobbs against McPherson College (Kan.), winning 6-1 and 10-4 and falling 4-3 and 10-8.
