Fueled by
Jake Green's first-inning grand slam and
Carlos Collazo's four hits, Wayland Baptist defeated University of the Southwest, 12-2, on Tuesday afternoon at Wilder Field. The game – the last of seven scheduled this season between the Pioneers and Mustangs – was halted in the bottom of the seventh inning as the Pioneers won their third straight game by double-digits.
Green's grand slam came during a five-run first inning, and the Pioneers (17-12) surged to a 10-0 lead after three innings. Southwest (9-13) scored both of its runs in the fourth, but Wayland was able to get single runs in the fifth and seventh – both thanks to RBIs by Collazo – to end the game early on the 10-run mercy rule.
Wayland ended with a dozen hits, just one more than Southwest, but Pioneer pitchers
Ty Jackson,
Deric Trevino and
Boston McIntire minimized the damage. They also issued no walks, while four USW hurlers allowed seven free passes. Both staffs recorded five strikeouts.
Collazo's four hits included two of Wayland's four doubles, and he produced three RBIs and two runs. It was Collazo's second 4-for-5 performance in Wayland's last three games. He's 10-for-15 over the Pioneers' last three outings.
Gregory Ozuna and
Luis Vargas added two hits apiece, with Ozuna getting a triple and scoring three runs. Vargas and
Tristan Galbreath both scored twice.
The win came a week after Southwest swept a doubleheader in Hobbs, N.M. Tuesday's single game was reduced from a doubleheader and was the last of seven games between the teams, with the Mustangs holding a 4-3 advantage.
WBU returns to Sooner Athletic Conference play this weekend when they Pioneers host Oklahoma-Panhandle State (8-18, 3-6 SAC). Wayland hosts the Aggies in a doubleheader at 4 p.m. Friday then a single game at noon Saturday.
