ABILENE – Reigning Sooner Athletic Conference Baseball Player of the Week
Luis Vargas continued his torrid hitting pace at Driggers Field here Tuesday afternoon, teaming with
Austin Moya to lead the Pioneers to a 12-6 non-conference victory over McMurry.
Vargas recorded four hits – including another home run to add to his NAIA-leading total – plus had four RBIs and scored twice to pace the Pioneers (22-7) to their sixth straight win.
Wayland scored runs in six of the nine innings, their most productive the fourth when they produced three runs.
The Pioneers, who scored their first two runs on wild pitches, owned a 5-0 lead before the War Hawks (3-13-1) scored four in the bottom of the third. Wayland pulled away again with its three runs in the fourth when catcher
Jake Green hit a lead-off home run before Vargas followed with a two-run shot.
It was the Vargas' 19
th homer of the season and sixth in his last six games.
Moya got a two-run homer for himself in the sixth for a 10-5 lead, then Moya and Vargas rounded out the Pioneers' scoring with a pair of run-scoring doubles in the eighth.
Besides Vargas 4-for-5 day, Moya finished 3-for-4 with three RBIs and four runs.
Gregory Ozuna had two of Wayland's 13 hits.
Wayland threw nine different pitchers at the War Hawks, all throwing an inning apiece. Starter
Jose Suero was awarded the win, improving to 3-1. Suero and
Andrew Manier, who pitched the second, both struck out two while allowing no hits. McMurry managed 10 hits while Wayland's hurlers fanned seven and walked just one.
The Pioneers return to SAC play later this week in Goodwell, Okla., against Oklahoma-Panhandle State (9-14, 3-3). The Aggies opener league play by sweeping last-place Central Christian, Kan. (7-0, 12-9, 8-5), the same team Wayland swept last weekend (14-2, 7-2, 13-3), before dropping three to third-ranked Science & Arts of Oklahoma (4-3, 8-1, 13-2).
The Pioneers and Aggies meet in a single game at 2 p.m. Thursday followed by a doubleheader at noon Saturday.
