Bethany, Oklahoma – The Pioneers completed the sweep of Southwestern Christian with dramatic finishes in both games of Friday's doubleheader. A
Felix Polanco pinch-hit bomb secured the 7-6 win in game one, and a massive base running error by the Eagles turned into a game-ending double play in game two with the Pioneers winning 5-2.
Wayland Baptist found themselves in a large 5-0 hole in the 1
st inning of game one after the Eagles smoked a lead off home run, an RBI double, and two run scoring singles that gave Southwestern Christian all of the momentum early. It was a completely opposite start to the game for the Pioneers then the start they had in yesterday's ballgame.
The top of the 3
rd arrived with the Pioneers still trailing 5-0, but this is where the tides would turn, and the offense would awaken.
Hayden Ingram hit a lead off single and would later score on a
Cooper Jauz RBI single to center to make it 5-1.
Gustavo Nava followed up Jauz with an RBI single up the middle to make it a 5-2 game. After the Pioneers got two runners on with two outs in the top of the 4
th, Ingram smashed a two-run triple to center field that trimmed the Pioneer deficit to just one run, 5-4. Jauz struck again in the top of the 5
th with a single up the middle to score
Jan Rollon Jr. from second to tie the game at 5 with Wayland Baptist holding the momentum now.
After a couple scoreless innings, the Pioneers sent pinch-hitter
Felix Polanco to the plate with Rollon Jr. on first after a walk. Polanco proceeded to crush a go-ahead two-run bomb to center to give the Pioneers a 7-5 lead. It was Polanco's 11
th home run on the season. The Lions hit a solo homer in the bottom of the 7
th to make it 7-6, but
Branin Seibert would get a fly out to left to slam the door on the Eagles in game one and secure a 7-6 Wayland Baptist comeback victory.
Polanco finished 1 for 1 with the biggest hit of the game, a go ahead two-run bomb. Ingram went 2 for 3 with a triple, two RBIs, a run scored, and a stolen base. Jauz finished 2 for 4 with two RBIs and a run scored. Rollon Jr. finished 1 for 3 with a walk and two runs scored.
Tyson Potts was the starter for the Pioneers in game one, and he had a tough outing pitching only 0.1 inning and allowing 5 runs on 3 hits and 3 walks.
Grayson Soukup stopped the bleeding for the Pioneers by throwing 5.2 shutout innings in relief, allowing only 3 hits, 3 walks, and 5 strikeouts. Seibert claimed the save in game one by pitching one inning, allowing one run, no walks, and a strikeout.
The scoring in game two began in the top of the 3
rd when Rollon Jr. got Wayland Baptist on the board with an RBI single up the middle to make it 1-0. Jauz then hit a fielder's choice that allowed
Vann Johnson to score and give the Pioneers a 2-0 lead. Southwestern Christian got a run back in the bottom of the 4
th after an RBI single made 2-1 heading to the 5
th. Jauz tacked on another run for the Pioneers with an RBI single in the top of the 5
th that made it 3-1, WBU.
After
Arcadio Frausto led off the top of the 6
th with a single,
Delvis Claudio crushed a two-run homer, his 8
th on the season, to make it a 5-1 game. The Pioneers lead shrunk to 5-2 after an RBI single by the Eagles in the bottom of the 7
th.
With runners on the corners and one out, the Eagles smashed a shot to left that was snagged by Rollon Jr. in left for what seemed like a routine sacrifice fly for the Eagles. However, the runner on first appeared to think the fly ball was going to drop for an extra-base hit, so he rounded second base to begin trying to score. Once he realized the ball had been caught, he turned and sprinted back to first without stepping on second base, prompting the Pioneers to step on second for the automatic out that ended the game. The Pioneers secured the 5-2 victory to nail down the 3-game sweep of Sooner Athletic Conference foe, Southwestern Christian.
Nathan Baca got the start in game two for the Pioneers, and he was outstanding this afternoon. Baca threw a complete game with seven innings pitched, two runs allowed, 3 walks, and a strikeout.
Claudio went 2 for 3 with a home run and two RBIs. Jauz finished game two going 2 for 4 with two RBIs and a stolen base. Rollon Jr. went 2 for 4 with a double, and RBI, and a run scored.
The Pioneers will travel to Oklahoma City to take on 24
th ranked Oklahoma City University next weekend to wrap up their Sooner Athletic Conference play for the regular season. They will face-off in a doubleheader on Friday, and a single, nine-inning game on Saturday. First pitch for game one of the doubleheader on Friday is scheduled for 4:00 PM.
