Wayland Baptist benefited from more solid performances on the mound and at the plate Saturday afternoon at Wilder Field as the Pioneers completed a Sooner Athletic Conference sweep of Bacone College (Okla.), 17-6. The game ended after 6½ innings on the 10-run rule.
Less than 24 hours after a season-best offensive output in a 16-3 victory in the series opener, which was followed by a 9-1 victory in game 2, the Pioneers (14-3, 5-0 SAC) closed out the series with another convincing victory for their 10th consecutive triumph.
"I thought our guys did a good job of staying in focus," Wayland coach Brad Bass said. "Our pitchers did well, and defensively for 21 innings we weren't too bad."
It's Wayland's longest win streak in three years. One more would give the Pioneers – ranked the equivalent of 32nd in the NAIA – their longest stretch without losing since winning 16 straight during the 2014 campaign. That could come Monday when Wayland is scheduled to host Our Lady of the Lake in a non-conference doubleheader starting at 1 p.m., although expected rain weather could play a factor on when or if those games are played.
"We need to pray for a dry Monday, because we need those games," said Bass, whose club lost a four-game series with Wiley College. The Pioneers end next week in Fort Worth taking on No. 21 Texas Wesleyan (22-4, 5-1), which saw an 11-game win streak end Saturday with a 9-6 loss at Oklahoma-Panhandle State.
After knocking seven home runs Friday, matching their total for the rest of the season, the Pioneers went deep three more times Saturday, with Brendon Foust and Austin Moya hitting their second blasts of the weekend. Gregory Ozuna also went yard for the third time this season Saturday.
Foust and Ozuna each went 3-for-4 with a homer, double and two singles. Foust drove in four runs and scored three, while Ozuna had three RBIs and a run. Moya wound up 2-for-3 with three RBIs and three runs, while Jonathan Ottenwalder, Devlin Smith and Daniel Goncalves all produced two hits. Nick Valenzuela drove in three runs and scored twice.
Bass said it was good to see contributions from so many players over the weekend.
"Both catchers (Ottenwalder and Jake Green) did a really good job, Moya got going, Jacob Adams and Daniel Goncalves in right did a good job. We had a couple of different guys (Foust and Paxton Covel) DH.
It's good to have some depth; it helps us stay healthy."
Bass said third baseman Smith was impressive, too. "Devlin had a really good weekend, especially defensively. He made some really good plays near the line. We took a huge step forward at third." Smith also recorded steals in all three games, totaling four for the series.
Wayland ended with a season-high 15 hits Saturday, although the Pioneers' biggest inning – an eight-run sixth – came on the strength of just one hit: a three-run homer by Foust that ended the scoring. The Pioneers took advantage of five walks, a hit-batsman and two sacrifice flies in their biggest inning.
Wayland drew 10 walks, and for the weekend was issued 29 free passes by nine different pitchers. The Pioneers were walked 14 times in the series opener.
"That's the thing we need to do. We feel we'll get the timely hits, but if we can take a walk every once in a while and not try to force the issue, that will really benefit us. Our guys are being better and better at being more patient at the plate and taking what is given to them."
WBU recorded more than half of its hits Saturday – eight – in a six-run fourth. The Pioneers actually trailed, 2-1, going into that at-bat when the first seven batters reached safely.
Bacone showed signs of life with a four-run fifth to pull to within 7-5, but Wayland scored twice in the bottom of that inning then exploded with its eight-run sixth to put it away.
Sophomore Bryson Calaway (3-0) started and lasted five innings, giving up five runs and just one earned run with three strikeouts and a walk. Chris Lacher pitched the sixth, then Cesar Paz relieved Irving Munoz and threw two pitches to record the final out of the game.
Bass said all three starters – Tanner Solomon and Andrew Manier started Friday, with Solomon booking Wayland's first complete game of the season and recording a career-high 10 strikeouts – were solid.
"Tanner threw a shutout, really, and Manier and Calaway had great outings. All went deep into the game. We have a really good bullpen, too, we just didn't get to show it."
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