Wayland Baptist bounced back from a heart-breaking, 8-7 loss in drama-filled game 1 for a near-shutout, 7-1 victory in game 2 as the Pioneers kicked off a three-game set against Peru State (Neb.) on Saturday at Wilder Field.
The Pioneers (11-3) and Bobcats (2-5) play the rubber match at noon Sunday. (The series was delayed a day due to weather concerns then reduced to three games for travel reasons.)
In Saturday's second game,
Tanner Solomon ran his record to 4-0 as he allowed just one hit over the first six innings. The Bobcats opened the seventh with three straight singles to ruin the shutout. After a walk that followed a flyout/putout,
Chase Jones came in to relieve Solomon and got the final strikeout to end it.
Solomon wound up with five strikeouts and four walks to go with his four hits over 6 2/3 innings.
Wayland ended with nine hits by seven players, two each by
Austin Moya and
Brendon Foust, who had a double and a single each.
Luis Vargas knocked his NAIA-leading 11
th home run – a solo shot in the third – while
Dawin Santos lifted a two-run shot in the fourth to give the Pioneers a 4-0 lead.
In the opener, Wayland took a 4-2 lead into the seventh inning, which saw the teams combine for nine runs including six by Peru State – all with two out.
After WBU starter
L.J. Diaz allowed two runs on four hits with nine Ks and two walks over the first six innings,
Gloymer Cuevas relieved to open the final frame. He got two quick outs before the Bobcats put together an amazing string of seven straight hits, including a triple, a two-run homer that put Peru State on top and later an RBI-double and RBI-single that made it 8-4. Five of the six runs were unearned after an errant throw on a failed pickoff.
The Pioneers didn't throw in the towel, though.
Foust and Santos led off with back-to-back singles.
Jake Green drew a one-out walk to load the bases before
Ramon Cruz delivered a two-RBI single that brought up the top of the order.
Gregory Ozuna kept it going with an RBI-single that made it 8-7. Moya was then hit by a pitch to load the bases and bring Vargas to the plate.
But Vargas went down looking for the second out, then third baseman
Tristan Galbreath flew out to left to end it.
Wayland, which swept Peru State in a four-game series last season, will look to win the series Sunday.
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