McPHERSON, Kan. – After Wayland Baptist's offense remained AWOL in the series-opener against Central Christian here Saturday afternoon, the Pioneers found their bats in a big way in game 2 as WBU rolled to a 19-5 Sooner Athletic Conference victory. Wayland dropped the first game, 2-1.
The 19 runs represented the most for Wayland (15-12, 3-2 SAC) in 11 outings, since a 21-8 victory at McMurry on March 2. Before Saturday's explosion, the Pioneers hadn't scored more than four runs in any of their last four games, all defeats.
Carlos Collazo led the way out of the offensive doldrums, going 4-for-5 with a home run, a double, five RBIs and three runs scored.
Luis Vargas contributed three hits, three runs and four RBIs, plus his second two-home run game of the season. Vargas, last year's NAIA home run leader, had gone six games and three weeks (he missed a handful of games with injury) without a homer. His pair of blasts Saturday gives him a dozen on the year, putting him second in the nation two behind leader Gary Mattis of Tennessee Wesleyan.
Marco Rivera had the other of WBU's four homers.
The Pioneers scored in all but one inning. They blew the game open in the fourth when they scored seven to take a 11-1 lead. WBU ended with 16 hits against six Central Christian pitchers.
Kyle Eifert (2-1) earned the win, going 6 2/3 innings and giving up five runs (four earned) on nine hits with four strikeouts and no walks.
Chase Jones got the final out.
In the first game against the Tigers (5-15-1, 2-6), Wayland scored its only run in the first inning when
Gregory Ozuna singled and scored on
Dawin Santos' single. The Pioneers managed just two more hits the rest of the way against Kreighton Rogers and Austin Butenshoen, who combined for six strikeouts.
WBU starter
Tanner Solomon, meanwhile, struck out 10 and walked none. The Tigers managed six hits, four of which came in the third when Central Christian pushed across both of its runs.
The Pioneers threatened to score in the top of the seventh when, with two outs, Collazo walked, Vargas singled and Rivera walked. The game ended on a groundout to short.
The teams meet for the rubber game at 1 p.m. Sunday. The games were pushed back 24 hours due to wet grounds.
