Pioneers secure 3 1-run wins over Aggies

They just don't get any closer.
 
Wayland Baptist pulled out three one-run victories over Oklahoma-Panhandle State this weekend at Wilder Field, winning Friday's opener 2-1 then taking the next two games Saturday by identical 7-6 scores, the first in extra innings and both in walk-off fashion.
 
"Everything worked out," Wayland coach Brad Bass said.
 
The wins boosted Wayland's records to 22-11 overall and 11-4 in the Sooner Athletic Conference for fourth place. OPSU fell to 17-18 and 8-10 for sixth place.
 
After an exciting opening win Friday, game 2 was suspended Friday night when thunderstorms moved into the area. The teams reconvened at noon Saturday with Wayland leading 4-2 in the top of the sixth, and it didn't take long for things to get interesting.
 
Down to their last two outs, the Aggies' Clayton Beaver, pinch-hitting in the nine-hole, belted his first home run of the season, a three-run shot to left field that put OPSU up, 5-4. OPSU made it 6-4 with three more singles before freshman reliever Nic Vasquez, who earned a one-pitch save Friday, ended the inning on a looking strikeout.
 
Wayland was down to its final out in the bottom of the seventh when Jonathan Ottenwalder came through with a single before shortstop Gregory Ozuna – the SAC's leading hitter – slapped a game-tying home run over the OPSU bullpen in left.
 
In the eighth, OPSU had a runner at second with one down when Vasquez – Wayland's fourth pitcher of the day who pitched multiple innings for the first time – struck out the next two batters. He wound up with his first collegiate win.
 
The Pioneers took advantage of their newfound life in the bottom of the inning. After Devlin Smith singled through the left side, pinch-runner Ramon Cruz went to second on a passed ball then scored easily on centerfielder Jacob Adams' first-pitch, game-winning RBI-single up the middle.
 
Game 2 saw OPSU take a 3-2 first-inning lead before both teams' pitchers took over. For Wayland that was Chris Lacher, who relieved starter Bryson Calaway with one away in the second inning. Lacher went the next six innings, allowing a run on four hits with a walk and a strikeout.
 
By then Wayland had taken a 5-3 lead, having scored twice in the seventh on an RBI-double by first baseman Dawin Santos – who had an RBI-single in the first – that scored Ozuna then, after a single by Brendon Foust, on a perfectly-executed squeeze by Devlin Smith that scored Santos.
 
It wouldn't be Wayland's last squeeze of the game.
 
Down two, OPSU refused to throw in the towel again, taking advantage of four walks, a sacrifice fly and a pair of singles to take a 6-5 lead in the eighth.
 
The Pioneers tied it in the bottom when nine-hole hitter Austin Moya, who drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in the fourth, singled to right before Yaniel Vargas – who had an RBI-double in the first – drove him home with a two-out double to left-center.
 
In the ninth, with Kyle Eifert on the mound for Wayland, the Aggies had a runner on second with one out. But Ottenwalder caught a foul ball against the screen before third baseman Smith made a smooth play to first to retire the side.
 
With a chance to sweep the series, Wayland did just that when Santos drew a one-out, 10-pitch walk, Foust singled, Smith was intentionally walked and Andy McEachern laid down a squeeze bunt that plated Santos, igniting a midfield celebration by the Pioneers.
 
"Both teams played well," said Bass, who applauded OPSU first-year coach Jason Larocque. "Jason has done an amazing job with those guys. They never quit."
 
Neither did the Pioneers.
 
Bass said he was proud of his team for not dwelling on blown leads and refocusing.
 
"Our offense did a good job of getting us leads and then getting us back in games, and our pitchers pitched through some adversity," said the coach, who also complimented the well-roundedness of his roster.
 
"We go 1-9 down the lineup and they all gave us a chance. They all had to do something to get us a lead, get us back in the game, or win the game. There were contributions up and down the lineup all the way through. That's what we preach all the time: Be prepared and ready to do one thing to help us win.
 
"That was good to see."
 
The Pioneers were scheduled to host Sterling, Kan., Tuesday but that doubleheader was cancelled. Instead, Wayland will host a Blue-Gold intrasquad game beginning at noon Tuesday when students from Highland Elementary will be on hand to cheer the Pioneers.
 
Wayland's next official games will be in Chickasha, Okla., next weekend against conference-leading and ninth-ranked Science & Arts of Oklahoma (27-10, 13-3). A doubleheader is set for 4  p.m. Friday followed by a single game at noon Saturday.