Plainview, Texas –
Branin Seibert threw a complete game, one-hit gem in a game two win as the Pioneers split Friday's doubleheader against Southwestern Assemblies of God University. Wayland Baptist lost a slugfest in game one, 14-10, but returned the favor in game two by slamming their way to a 7-1 win.
Wayland Baptist fell behind 1-0 after the leadoff batter for the Lions hit a solo shot to right field to open the scoring in game one. The Pioneers bounced back in their half of the first with two runs that started with a
Samuel Fabian sacrifice fly and a
Delvis Claudio single to center scored
Arcadio Frausto from second to make it 2-1. The Lions tagged the Pioneers starter,
Tyson Potts, in the top of the 2
nd with six runs to make it a 7-2 lead for SAGU.
The score remained 7-2 until the bottom of the 4
th inning when the Pioneers would start to gain some momentum and chip away at the Lion lead. With two runners on,
Cooper Jauz knocked a single to center field to score a run and make it 7-3.
Gustavo Nava followed two batters later with a 3-run homer off the scoreboard in right center field to make it 7-6, his first homer on the season. However, the Lions would respond with another huge inning at the plate, scoring 6 runs to make it 13-6 going to the bottom of the 5
th. The Pioneers fell behind 14-6 going to the bottom of the 7
th inning, but they wouldn't go away quietly as they drove in 4 runs including a 3-run homer from Fabian, his 9
th on the season, to make it 14-10. They wouldn't be able to push anymore runs across and lost 14-10 in game one.
Fabian finished 1-2 with a 3-run homer, a sacrifice fly, two runs scored, and a hit by pitch. Nava finished 1-2 with a 3-run homer, and he reached on a hit by pitch. Polanco finished 2-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. Jauz went 1-2 with an RBI, a run scored, and a walk.
Wayland Baptist got the scoring started in game two after Nava ripped a single to center, and
Riley Watson came around and scored on a wild pitch to make it 1-0. After Seibert cruised through four no-hit innings against the Lions, the Pioneers were able to provide some insurance runs in the bottom of the 4
th with a Nava towering grand slam to left, his second homer on the day, to make it 5-0.
SAGU remained hitless in game two until they got a leadoff single to begin the top of the 5
th, and eventually got the bases loaded with nobody out. Seibert was able to get a lineout to shortstop that resulted in a double play to limit any damage. They were able to score their only run of the game after Seibert overthrew Frausto at first on a pickoff attempt that allowed a runner from third to score. The Pioneers responded in the bottom of the 6
th when
Jan Rollon Jr. drove a 2-run shot to right for his first home run on the season to give the Pioneers a 7-1 lead. Seibert got two groundouts before strikeout out the final Lion hitter to end game two to secure the doubleheader split.
Seibert's final line is seven innings pitched, one hit allowed, one run, three walks, and five strikeouts. He picked up his 5
th win on the season, which is the most on the Pioneer pitching staff.
Nava finished game two going 3-3 with a grand slam and two singles. Rollon Jr. went 3-4 with a 2-run homer and two stolen bases.
The Pioneers will look to snag the rubber match with SAGU tomorrow with a 9-inning game beginning at 12:00 PM.
