VICTORIA – The
Todd Weldon head coaching era got off to a perfect start for the Wayland Baptist baseball team here Friday as the Pioneers took two games off Houston-Victoria, winning 6-5 and 5-3.
In the opener, Wayland was held scoreless through five innings and trailed 3-0 before putting up three runs in each of its final two at-bats to eke out the 6-5 victory.
Center-fielder
Justin Porter, from the No 9 hole, had big hits in both frames, first a lead-off single to third in the sixth.
Tyler Latham followed with a double to left before
Hayden Ingram delivered a two-run single to center.
Jake Green tied the score with an RBI-single.
The Jaguars regained the lead in the bottom of the sixth with a pair of runs, but Wayland answered back in the seventh, beginning when
Mark Anzaldua and
Brock Webber drew one-out walks. Porter came up big again with a two-RBI triple to right to tie it, then scored the winning right on Latham's sacrifice fly to left.
After
Tanner Solomon threw the first five innings and
Chase Jones the sixth,
Jose Suero took over on the mound for the Pioneers in the bottom of the seventh, giving up a two-out walk before striking out a pinch-hitter to end it.
"The team competed, came from behind twice and held the lead. We were resilient, persevered persistent and showed character," Weldon said.
In the nightcap, the Pioneers got started on offense earlier, taking a 1-0 lead in the second when
Dawin Santos walked, stole second and scored on Webber's single. WBU increased its lead to 3-0 in the fourth when
Jake Green hit Wayland's first homer of the season, a solo shot to left.
William Flowers followed with a single, and after a stolen base and groundout, scored on Anzaldua's sacrifice.
The Pioneers plated two more in the fifth for a 5-0 lead. Latham led off with a single, Ingram walked and Green was hit by a pitch. A passed ball scored Latham before Flowers' sac fly drove in Ingram.
The Jaguars got on the board with three runs in the bottom of the fifth, but
Gloymer Cuevas relieved starter
Ty Jackson and shut down the Jags the rest of the way.
Said Weldon, "Our pitchers competed very well. We had a few defensive miscues that led to some runs, but they overcame. We played our game today and it paid off.
"This team will be a very exciting team to watch."
The teams will square off for two more games beginning at noon Saturday.
