Bats come alive in 10-3, 20-3 victories

Scoring runs in all but two innings on the day, the Wayland Baptist baseball team defeated Sterling College (Kan.) in a Saturday afternoon doubleheader at Wilder Field, 10-3 and 20-3.

Wayland (15-5) ended the day with 26 hits, 13 in each game, and there was no shortage of impressive hitting performances. Among them were Austin Moya going 5-for-7 with four RBIs and three runs scored, Luis Vargas 4-for-7 with six RBIs and four runs scored, Dawin Santos 4-for-7 with six RBIs and three runs scored, and Derek Farmer 3-for-4 with three RBIs and courtesy runner Ramon Cruz scoring four times.

Santos hit two of WBU's four homers in the second game, which saw Wayland score seven runs in the first inning and five in the second. The Pioneers pushed across four in each of the fourth and fifth frames to take a 20-0 lead.

Sterling College (6-5) avoided what would have been the second shutout of the series with three runs in the seventh when the Warriors recorded five of their nine hits.

Wayland committed just one error on the day.

In the first game, the Pioneers scored in all six of their at-bats. Wayland led 6-3 going into the sixth when the Pioneers scored four runs, including a three-run home run by Brendon Foust.  Foust's 10^th homer pulled him within one of Vargas, who leads the NAIA. Santos is tied for fourth with eight dingers.

Jose Suero (2-1) earned the win, allowing three runs on four hits while striking out six and walking four in five innings. Ty Jackson earned his second save of the season with two innings of hitless relief.

In the series finale, starter Deric Trevino (2-0) also gave up four hits in five scoreless innings, fanning seven and walking just one. Chase Jones got in an inning of relief before Chris Lacher finished.

The two wins allowed Wayland to take the series after the teams split Friday's doubleheader, with the Pioneers winning 8-0 before falling 8-5.

The Pioneers are back at Wilder on Tuesday for a rescheduled doubleheader against New Mexico Highlands starting at 2 p.m. The teams were supposed to play Feb. 11, but the games were postponed due to weather.

Tuesday's games, the 20^th and 21^st home games of the season in 22 outings, mark the final games before the start of Sooner Athletic Conference play for Wayland. The Pioneers open SAC play Feb. 28 and 29 in Waxahachie against Southwestern Assemblies of God (13-3).