Pioneers shut out Mustangs on 2-hitter

Four pitchers combined on a two-hitter as Wayland Baptist won its final non-conference, regular-season game of the season over University of the Southwest on Tuesday at Wilder Field, 2-0. The Mustangs won the first game of the afternoon doubleheader, 10-6.

Garrett McClain, Chris Lacher, Chase Jones and Jose Suero teamed up two hold the Mustangs to a pair of singles, both of Hayden Woods. Lacher (1-0) wound up with the win, his first decision of the season, after throwing 2 2/3 innings of relief of starter McClain, who also went 2 2/3. Jones recorded the final two outs of the sixth inning, setting the plate for closer Suero, who walked the first two batters but managed to preserve the shutout, striking out Woods with runners on second and third for the final out.

Despite seven walks, the WBU pitchers managed to secure the fifth shutout of the season for the Pioneers.

Wayland (25-20) ended with six hits, two by catcher Brock Webber including a home run to open the fifth that ended a scoreless tie. It was Webber's fifth homer of the year, all in the last dozen games.

The Pioneers' other run came in the sixth when Hayden Ingram led off with a single, went to third on a fielder's choice and throwing error, then scored on Dawin Santos' sacrifice fly to right.

Jack Kolich and Justin Porter both had doubles.

In the field, normal catcher Jake Green played spectacular defensively at first base, picking a number of balls.

In the opener, Wayland scored as many runs in the first inning – on a two-RBI double by Santos – as it did all of game two. The Pioneers added four more in the sixth, but by then they were trailing 10-2 as the Mustangs plated runs in four straight at-bats, including four in the third when they produced six of their 11 hits highlighted by a two-run homer by Woods.

WBU ended with six hits, half of which came from Santos. In addition to his two-RBI double in the first, Santos also hit a three-run homer in the sixth, which Arturo Disla followed with his own blast for back-to-back jacks.

The Pioneers threatened to score more in the sixth, but the Mustangs got out of the inning on a line-out double-play. USW turned another double-play in the seventh.

WBU starter Victor Feliz (3-4) took the loss after giving up six runs on eight hits with three strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings. Freshman Nathan Baca closed the game with three hitless, shutout innings.

USW, which fell to Wayland 18-4 in Hobbs earlier this season, now is 29-16 on the season.

WBU winds up its 10-game home-stand and the regular-season by hosting Southwestern Christian (23-21, 6-15) this weekend, starting with a 4 p.m. doubleheader Friday followed by a single game at 1 p.m. Saturday when a dozen seniors will be recognized beginning at 12:30. Wayland is sixth in the SAC standings, a game ahead of the seventh-place Eagles.