Arlington, Texas – The Pioneers split the Saturday doubleheader against Arlington Baptist to split the four-game weekend road series at two wins each. The Pioneers dropped game 1 by a score of 5-4, but they were able to get the win in game two by a score of 12-10.
Wayland Baptist (7-9) fell behind in game one during the bottom of the 2
nd inning after Arlington Baptist was able to bring a run home to score on a balk. The Pioneers answered back in the top of the 4
th when
Cooper Jauz smacked a single to right to score
Arcadio Frausto from third.
Matthew Unangst followed that up with a sacrifice fly to center field to score
Samuel Fabian and make it 2-1 Pioneers. The Patriots responded immediately in the bottom of the 4
th when their leadoff batter tripled to right and ended up scoring on the play after a Pioneer error. The Patriots then took a 4-2 lead after driving an RBI double to left field and smacking an RBI single to right. Arlington Baptist got their final run of the frame on a wild pitch that made the score 5-2 after four innings. The Pioneers scratched across two runs in the top of the 5
th after an RBI groundout by Frausto, and
Brayden Peyton reaching base by an error to trim the Patriot lead to one run, 5-4. The Pioneers were able to get a runner into scoring position in the final inning, but the Patriots escaped the jam and took the win in game 1, 5-4.
Wellington Vargas got the nod for game one, and he pitched 3.1 innings, allowing 5 runs but only 4 earned, 7 hits, 3 walks, and 4 strikeouts.
Nathan Baca came in relief, and he pitched 2.2 scoreless innings, walking one batter, and striking out 5 Patriots.
Samuel Fabian went 1-1 with a walk, a run scored, a stolen base, and a hit by pitch.
Arcadio Frausto went 0-4 with an RBI, and a run scored.
Matthew Unangst went 0-2 with an RBI sacrifice fly.
Branin Seibert got the start in game two for the Pioneers, and he went 5.1 innings, giving up 7 runs but only 6 earned, 9 hits, 3 walks, and 9 strikeouts on his way to the win. Seibert now has a 3-1 record on the early season.
Arlington Baptist got the scoring started in game two after they drove in a run on a Pioneer error and an RBI groundout, making it 2-0 after the 1
st inning.
Riley Watson came in as a pinch runner for the Pioneers and stole second and third base. While Watson was stealing third, their was an error on the Patriot catcher that allowed Watson to come around and score, making it a 2-1 ballgame.
Delvis Claudio would then come in to score on a wild pitch to tie the game up at 2 after the top of the 3
rd. The Pioneers hung four runs on Arlington Baptist in the top of the 5
th inning, started by
Samuel Fabian drawing a bases loaded walk.
Brayden Peyton would then draw another bases loaded walk to make it 4-2 Pioneers.
Felix Polanco then drove in two run on an error by the Patriots to make it a 6-2 lead for the Pioneers after the top of 5
th. In the top of the 6
th inning, Polanco came up to bat again with the bases loaded. Polanco drove a double into the right center field gap to drive in 3 runs and make it a 9-2 lead for the Pioneers.
Vann Johnson then singled in Polanco to make it 10-2, Wayland Baptist.
Hans Doughtie then reached by an error and drove in Johnson for the Pioneer's final run of the top of the 6
th, making it an 11-2 ballgame.
After Arlington Baptist drove in 5 runs in their half of the 6
th inning, the Pioneers got one run back after Claudio got picked off first, but Watson sprinted home to make it 12-7. Arlington Baptist then got 3 runs in the bottom of the 7
th and were threatening to score more, but Pioneer center fielder,
Vann Johnson, threw out a Patriot runner at the plate for the 2
nd out of the final inning. Polanco was pitching the final inning for the Pioneers and got the final batter to strike out swinging, giving the Pioneers the 12-10 victory.
Felix Polanco went 1-4 at the plate in game 2 with 5 RBIs, a double, and a run scored.
Samuel Fabian went 0-0 with 4 walks, an RBI, 2 runs scored, and a stolen base.
Brayden Peyton went 0-2 with an RBI, a run scored, and 2 walks.
The Pioneers will return home next weekend for a four-game series against the Adams State University Grizzlies. There will be a doubleheader on Friday beginning at 2:00 PM.
