GOODWELL, Okla. –
Ty Jackson struck out a career-high 12 to lead Wayland Baptist to an 11-5 Sooner Athletic Conference win over Oklahoma-Panhandle State here Friday afternoon. The Pioneers then played error-free in game two and won that one, 7-3, for their sixth-straight victory.
The Pioneers improved to 19-10 overall and 5-3 in the SAC while OPSU fell to 7-17-1 and 2-6. The teams conclude the three-game series beginning at noon Saturday.
In Friday's first game, Jackson improved to 6-1 with his sixth complete-game of the season. The senior from Shallowater allowed seven hits and three walks while tossing 122 pitches. Jackson cruised through six innings, allowing just one run and two hits before running into a bit of trouble in the seventh when the Aggies got four runs and five hits. With the bases loaded, Jackson ended it with a strikeout and a line-out to first baseman
Arturo Disla.
Jackson's dozen Ks bettered his previous best of 10 which he logged against New Mexico Highlands in his second outing this season.
Offensively, right-fielder
Samuel Fabian went 3-for-4 with a single, double and home run. Fabian belted a two-run homer – his team-high ninth – in a four-run first as the Pioneers kicked off the afternoon with a bang. Fabian also slapped an RBI-double in the fifth, right after a four-run fourth, as Wayland opened an 11-0 lead after 5½ frames.
Hayden Ingram and
Jake Green provided a pair of hits each, with Ingram also scoring two and driving in two.
In Game 2, Wayland pulled out the victory despite being outhit, 6-4, and despite giving up 10 walks, six more than OPSU pitchers allowed. The Pioneers made up for that by playing error-free ball, while the Aggies were hurt by four miscues.
Of WBU's four hits, three came with two outs in the fifth when
Arturo Disla slapped an RBI-single followed by a two-RBI double by
Jake Green then an RBI-single by
Delvis Claudio. Those four runs gave Wayland a 5-0 lead.
OPSU scored its first two runs in the bottom of the fifth, but the Pioneers got them both back in their next at-bat when
Justin Porter belted a two-run homer, his second of the season.
Branin Seibert earned the win, improving to 2-0 as he allowed two runs on four hits while walking eight and striking out six through four-plus innings.
Nathan Baca relieved and last 2 1/3, giving up a run on two hits before
William Flowers ended it with a pair of strikeouts as he earned his second save.
