Impressive late rally lifts WBU to 18-14 win

On the verge of being run-ruled, Wayland Baptist instead rallied for an improbable 18-14 victory over McMurry University on Tuesday at Wilder Field.

The Pioneers scored 10 runs in the eighth inning, four on an impressive go-ahead grand slam by NAIA home runs leader Luis Vargas, as Wayland (20-16) pulled out a non-conference victory to complete a season sweep of the War Hawks (7-15).

Wayland, which downed McMurry in Abilene earlier this season, 21-8, trailed 13-3 after five innings, prior to an offensive explosion that featured 15 runs and 15 hits in the Pioneers' final three at-bats.

The Pioneers' comeback began when Carlos Collazo hit his second two-run home run of the day in the sixth. After scoring twice more in the seventh to close to 13-8, Wayland's bats exploded in the eighth. It came on the heels of reliever Gloymer Cuevas getting out of a one-out, bases-loaded jam.

The scoring spree started after the bottom of WBU's order – Jacob Adams, Daniel Goncalves and Tristan Galbreath – all got on base on an infield single, walk and bunt single, respectively. A two-run double by top-of-the-order hitter Gregory Ozuna prompted a pitching change for the War Hawks, but that didn't slow down Wayland.

After Collazo walked to load the bases, Vargas delivered a monster grand slam to near straight-away center field that gave Wayland its first lead of the afternoon, 14-13. The blast was Vargas' 17^th of the season and moved him into sole possession of the NAIA lead.

The Pioneers were far from through, however. Marco Rivera doubled before Dawin Santos hit the last of Wayland's four homers on the day. Adams logged his second single of the inning and Goncalves doubled before Ozuna drove in two more runs, this time with a single that completed the 10-run inning.

McMurry managed a single run in the top of the ninth before Cuevas ended the game with a strikeout, his second and the 14^th of the day for Wayland's five-person staff. Chase Jones recorded six Ks in his 2 1/3 innings, Jacob Damian got a pair in 1 1/3 innings and Jose Suero sat down four in 2 2/3.

Wayland ended with 23 hits – three shy of the school record – with Marco Rivera going 5-for-6 and ending one hit shy of the program mark. Vargas wound up with four hits and six RBIs while Collazo had three hits, three runs and four RBIs and Ozuna four runs and four RBIs. Adams was 3-for-6.

The Pioneers return to Sooner Athletic Conference play this weekend against league-leader Southwestern Christian (32-4, 11-1 SAC), ranked the equivalent of 31^st in the NAIA. WBU takes the field in Bethany, Okla., against the Eagles for a doubleheader at 1 p.m. Friday before a single game at 2 p.m. Saturday.