Box Score HUTCHINSON, Kan. – Wayland Baptist rallied after falling behind 11-1, but the Pioneers couldn't catch Tabor College (Kan.) and saw their season end here Thursday night with a 12-7 loss in an elimination game of the NAIA National Championship Opening Round.
No. 23 Wayland's season comes to a close with a program-best 45-17 record. No. 13 Tabor (also 45-17) advances to face No. 9 Science and Arts of Oklahoma in the championship game Thursday night. The Bluejays would have to beat the undefeated Drovers twice in order to qualify for the Avista-NAIA World Series for a third straight season.
Against the Pioneers, Tabor scored single runs in each of the first two innings before exploding for five runs in the third and four in the fourth.
In the third after Wayland starter
Jordie Henry (9-4) gave up a single and hit a couple of batters, the Bluejays got a two-out, bases-clearing double by Dalton Iveans.
Logan Evans replaced Henry and immediately saw Colton Flax belt a two-run homer to make it 7-0.
After Wayland got on the board in the top of the fourth when
Alex Mumm walked and scored on a throwing error, the Bluejays kept swinging the bats in the bottom of the inning. They put the first three batters on base via two singles and a walk.
Taylor Bridges took over on the mound for the Pioneers and saw his first pitch deposited over the center field fence by Manny DeLeon for a grand slam.
Trailing 11-1, Wayland didn't throw in the towel, responding with three runs in the top of the fifth. After
Taylor Grady singled and
Will Bass was hit by a pitch,
Gregg Veneklasen blasted a 3-run homer to left.
Kevin Torres went to the hill for the Pioneers to start the bottom of the fifth, allowing a double to DeLeon who then scored on Wayland's lone error of the game to make it 12-4. That was Tabor's final run as Torres shut down the Bluejays the rest of the way.
Wayland made some more noise in the seventh when Bass led off with a single and pinch-hitter
Ethan Percell walked ahead of a three-run homer to left by
Jake Doyle.
But the Pioneers got only one more base runner in their final eight at-bats as Tommy Sleva relieved Jesus Brito for the final two frames. Sleva struck out four, giving Tabor pitchers 11 strikeouts for the game.
Wayland ended with nine hits, three by Veneklasen and two by Bass who also scored twice. The Bluejays put up 14 hits.
