Pioneers split one-run decisions with MACU

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Wayland Baptist played a pair of one-run baseball games with Mid-America Christian on Friday afternoon at Wilder Field, coming out on the right end of the first and the wrong end of the last. After winning the opener, 3-2, the Pioneers fell in the nightcap, 5-4.
 
The Pioneers (19-24, 7-13 Sooner Athletic Conference) and Evangels (18-27, 9-11) will play the rubber match of the series at noon Saturday back at Wilder Field.
 
In Friday's first game, WBU freshman pitchers Kyle Eiffert and Tristen Heffner combined on a five-hitter as Wayland's offense produced three one-run innings. In the end, a critical catch by first baseman Caleb Davidson may have saved the day.
 
Following 3½ scoreless innings, the Pioneers broke through in the bottom of the fourth when Gregg Veneklasen and Davidson came up with a pair of doubles, putting WBU up 1-0.
 
MACU immediately answered in the fifth with a lead-off double then an RBI-bunt single.
 
Wayland got the run back in the bottom of the inning when Will Bass hit a two-out single then scored on Hector Romero's triple to the center field wall.
 
Alex Mumm made it 3-1 with what turned out to be a critical home run with one out in the sixth. It was Mumm's fourth homer of the season, and the insurance run provide crucial when the Evangels rallied in the seventh
 
On the strength of a single and two walks to the bottom of MACU's order, the Evangels loaded the bases with one out, prompting Wayland coach Brad Bass to insert Hefner for Eifert. The Pioneers couldn't turn a game-ending double-play, allowing a run to score and making it 3-2, now with two out and runners at first and third.
 
That's when Davidson came up with his game-saving catch of Colt Pickens' shot down the first-base line. The left-handed Davidson reached across his body to make the back-handed stab that preserved Wayland's win.
 
WBU ended with seven hits off MACU off-speed pitcher Madison Spencer (6-3), with Veneklasen the only Pioneer with multiple hits as he went 2-for-3. Eifert (4-3) gave up both runs on five hits with four strikeouts and two walks, while Hefner earned his first save of his collegiate career after recording the final two outs.
 
In game two, the Pioneers were cruising to another win, up 4-1 after five complete, when the Evangels came to life.
 
Wayland built its three-run lead with back-to-back two-run innings in the third and fourth, first getting a two-RBI single to right field by senior catcher Ernesto Lizardi that scored Bass and Romero after both singled. The Pioneers got their other two runs, both unearned, on an RBI-groundout by Bass that scored Austin Davis who reached on an error, and an RBI-single by Romero that plated Taylor Grady who singled and stole second.
 
Meanwhile, junior pitcher Kevin Torres was cruising, having allowed just one run – on a home run in the third – through five innings. But it went south in the sixth when MACU strung together five hits, including a two-RBI double by Pedro Varela, and a walk.
 
Jonathan Frost relieved Torres (5-4) – who left having allowed five runs on eight hits with three strikeouts and three walks – but couldn't get out of the inning, prompting Collin Isbell to take over. Isbell finally retired the side, but not before the Evangels had taken their first lead of the day.
 
The Pioneers had two at-bats to answer, but couldn't. After going three-up, three-down in the sixth, Wayland got something cooking in the seventh when lead-off man Romero was hit by a pitch. However, he was picked off on a play which Coach Bass petitioned for a balk.
 
Veneklasen stepped in but struck out on four pitches, which brought up Lizardi. He came through on a 1-2 count with a single to left field, then designated hitter Paxton Covel kept hope alive when he singled through the right side.
 
Then, with runners at first and second and two gone, Davidson popped up to third for the final out of the game.
 
Wayland ended 10 hits, one more than MACU. Romero, Lizardi and Covel had two apiece.