With a season-high offensive output in the first game and an impressive Wayland Baptist debut by Daniel Conclaves in game two, the Pioneer baseball team secured the first two games of a four-game series against Peru State (Neb.) on Friday at Wilder Field.
The Pioneers put up four-run innings in the fourth and fifth frames, and
Gregory Ozuna and
Jonathan Ottenwalder combined for six hits and six RBIs to secure the opener, 11-5.
Tanner Solomon then did a pitching number on the Bobcats in a 9-2 nightcap victory. Oh, and Conclaves was unstoppable at the dish, going 4-for-4 with three RBIs.
A junior transfer from Venezuela by way of Ranger Junior College, Goncalves produced four singles, including a two-RBI rap up the middle in a three-run fifth and another run-scoring shot in the four-run sixth. The left-handed left-fielder also scored a run.
Conclaves' RBIs came after Peru State (2-4)
Wayland ended with 10 hits, with
Paxton Covel and catcher
Jake Green providing two hits and two runs apiece.
Brendon Foust crossed the plate three times.
Solomon, a 150-pound sophomore, improved to 2-0 as he threw six innings, allowing two runs on four hits while striking out seven and walking just one. Paz, a 160-pound freshman, finished up with a one-hit seventh.
In the opener,
Yaniel Vargas got the day going with a lead-off, opposite-field home run down the right-field line in the bottom of the first. Catcher
Jonathan Ottenwalder got his homer in the second for a 2-0 lead, before the Bobcats tied it with a pair in the third.
It was tied at 3 going into the bottom of the fourth when the Pioneers blew it up with four runs, the first two on a bases-loaded single by
Gregory Ozuna. A triple by Foust scored another, then
Nick Rucker drove in Foust with a double down the left-field line.
Peru State got two runs back in the top of the fifth, but Wayland put up four more in the bottom of the inning that accounted for the final score. Ozone delivered another two-RBI single to get the ball rolling.
Dawin Santos' sacrifice fly followed, then an RBI-double by Foust wrapped up the scoring.
Starter
Andrew Manier improved to 2-1, scattering eight hits and allowing four earned runs in four innings. He walked three and fanned one. Sophomore
Deric Trevino finished with three scoreless innings, allowing a pair of hits while walking two and striking out four.
Wayland recorded season-highs for runs and hits (13) against five Peru State pitchers.
The teams return to Wilder for another doubleheader at noon Saturday.
