PORTALES, N.M. – Wayland Baptist secured a pair of much-needed wins over Eastern New Mexico here Tuesday, sweeping the doubleheader over the NCAA Division II Greyhounds, 12-7 and 7-3.
The Pioneers (22-19) rallied from a 7-0 deficit in Game 1 and a 3-0 hole in Game 2, dramatically scoring four runs in their final at-bat in the finale. NAIA home runs leader
Luis Vargas contributed to both rallies with a pair of dingers, upping his season total to 20.
In the opener, Wayland gave up two runs in the first and five in the second to fall behind by seven, but it didn't take the Pioneers long to catch up. They scored six runs in the third and three in each of the fourth and fifth innings.
Vargas slapped a three-run homer for half of the offense in the third, and
Jacob Adams drove in runs with a trio of hits – an RBI-single in the third then a pair of two-RBI singles in both the fourth and fifth.
The Pioneers put up 16 hits, with
Dawin Santos going 4-for-5 with three doubles and three runs, Adams 3-for-4 with five RBIs, and Vargas 3-for-5 with three RBIs and three runs.
Carlos Collazo and
Jake Green added two hits each.
Wayland used seven pitchers, with
Ty Jackson (4-1) earning the win after he struck out two in 1 1/3 innings. Combined, the Pioneers recorded eight strikeouts and allowed seven hits.
After committing five errors in game 1, ENMU (6-23) was charged with five more in the nightcap. In that game, which saw both teams primarily play substitutes, the Greyhounds took a 3-0 lead in the third. They managed to keep Wayland scoreless until the fifth when Wayland catcher
William Flowers' single scored
Casey Dudek, who hit a lead-off single.
Vargas homered to start things in the sixth, then a pair of errors and a hit-batsman loaded the bases.
Josh Johnson's bunt-single plated one to knotted it at 3.
It was still tied in the seventh when Wayland scored four big runs. It started when
Mark Anzaldua walked then scored on Vargas' triple. Two more errors allowed in two more runs, then Johnson's RBI-single completed the scoring.
In the bottom of the seventh, normal shortstop
Gregory Ozuna relieved normal outfielder
Marco Rivera who pitched the sixth, striking out one. Ozuna walked the first batter he faced but retired the next three out a flyout to right, pop-up to short and line drive to first.
The Pioneers return to Sooner Athletic Conference play this weekend when they host Oklahoma City University in what are scheduled to be Wayland's final regular-season home games. WBU and OCU meet in a doubleheader at 4 p.m. Friday then a single game at 1 p.m. Saturday.
The Stars, ranked 16
th in the preseason, now are ranked the equivalent of 28
th, are 23-12 overall and 13-2 in the SAC for second place behind Southwestern Christian. Wayland is 6-9 in the conference and in sixth place.
The Stars have won their last eight league games, winning their final two over Southwestern Assemblies of God University then sweeping Central Christian and Oklahoma-Panhandle State.
