Baseball claims series-opener over Grizzlies

Jake Green hit a walk-off RBI-single in the bottom of the eighth inning to lift Wayland Baptist to a 5-4 series-opening win over Adams State, Colo., on Friday afternoon at Wilder Field. The Pioneers' offense then went into hiding for game two, and the NCAA Division II Grizzlies went away 3-0 winners.

Wayland (7-6) and Adams State (1-1), seeing its first action of the season, meet for another doubleheader at noon Saturday.

In Friday's first game, the Pioneers got all of their offensive via the long ball before Green's late-game heroics. Marco Rivera delivered a two-run home run to left-center in the first inning before Luis Vargas recorded his NAIA-leading ninth blast, also a two-run shot, in the fifth.

The Grizzles also got a pair of homers, one in the fourth and another in the sixth, that helped them tie the game at 4.

In the seventh, Wayland gave itself a chance to win it when senior pitcher Tanner Solomon logged the last of his career-high 13 strikeouts right before catcher Green shut down a would-be base stealer at second to end the inning. But the Pioneers couldn't get it done in the bottom with three straight strikeouts, so it was onto extras.

Chase Jones took over for Solomon, who allowed the four runs on six hits with just one walks to accompany the 13 Ks, and allowed only a harmless single to give the WBU bats another chance. This time they came through.

Dawin Santos got it rolling with a one-out double to left-center. After a pitching change, designated hitter Brock Webber was intentionally walked, bringing up Green. The fiery sophomore came through with a single to left that easily scored pinch-runner Casey Dudek from second.

Vargas ended 3-for-4 while Santos and Green had two hits each. The Pioneers played error-free defense.

In game 2, the Pioneers could never solve Adams State pitcher Alfredo Villa, who in six innings allowed four mostly harmless hits while registering 11 strikeouts with only a single walk. Vargas and Green split Wayland's four hits.

The Grizzles, meanwhile, ended with seven hits, including a solo home run by shortstop Will Morley off Wayland starter Jose Suero (1-2) that broke a scoreless game to lead off the fifth. Adams State added two more runs in the sixth off Ty Jackson, the first after a triple and wild pitch. The other run came after the Pioneers' lone error of the day was followed by an RBI-single.