Box Score TUCSON, Ariz. – Wayland Baptist rallied from a 3-0 deficit and scored five runs in the sixth inning to defeat Valley State State, N.D., in their opening game of the Tucson Invitational on Tuesday, 8-5.
The Vikings (5-14) came out swinging against Wayland starter
Mason Taylor, putting up three runs in their first at-bat and taking a 4-1 lead going into the bottom of the third. It was 5-3 after five, then Wayland produced five runs in the sixth to take control.
Gregg Veneklasen opened the big inning with a walk,
Jake Doyle singled, then
Alex Mumm reached on an error that scored Veneklasen.
Brayden Blackwell's bunt single loaded the bases for
Ernesto Lizardi's two-RBI single to left. After
Caleb Davidson's sacrifice bunt and a strikeout,
Will Bass' single to right brought in the final two rounds of the game.
The Pioneers ended with 10 hits, two each by
Aaron Vallance, Doyle and Davidson, who also scored twice.
Logan Evans (1-1) picked up his first win of the season, going 4 2/3 innings in relief of Taylor and giving up one run on three hits while striking out five and walking none.
Paxton Bartley threw the final inning and earned his second save of the year.
