Plainview, Texas – Wayland Baptist found themselves in a windy Senior Day slugfest in the series finale against RV University of Science and Arts (Okla.), but ended up on the losing end, 20-10, despite hitting six home runs on the afternoon.
The Pioneers recognized the following seniors before the final home game:
Danny Arambula,
Nathan Baca,
Brooks Browning,
Hans Doughtie,
William Flowers,
Hayden Ingram,
Connor Leach,
Gustavo Nava,
Jan Rollon Jr.,
Matthew Unangst, Garrett Bush, Bryan Mena, and
Angel Vega.
Wayland Baptist pitched a scoreless top of the 1
st, and then the offense exploded in the bottom of the first for 4 runs.
Arcadio Frausto got the scoring started with a two-run homer into the visitor's bullpen, his 7
th on the season, to give the Pioneers the early 2-0 lead. Then
Samuel Fabian crushed a two-run homer on top of the Hutcherson Center in left center field for his 12
th on the year, giving the Pioneers a 4-0 lead. The Drovers got a bases-clearing double and an RBI groundout as part of a 6-run top of the 2
nd inning to take a 6-4 lead.
Wayland Baptist immediately tied the game up in the bottom of the 2
nd after
Felix Polanco and
Delvis Claudio hit back-to-back home runs to make it a 6-6 ballgame. It was Polanco's 8
th homer on the year, and Claudio's 6th homer on the season. The Pioneers took a 7-6 lead in the bottom of the 3
rd after an RBI triple by
Jan Rollon Jr. scored Fabian from first. The Drovers retook the lead 10-7 after scoring four runs in the top of the 5
th with a 3-run homer doing most of the damage.
Rollon Jr. hit the Pioneers 5
th home run of the game in the bottom of the 5
th with a solo bomb to center field over the batter's eye to make it 10-8 in favor of the Drovers. USAO answered in the top of the 6
th with four runs after a solo blast and two RBI singles made it 14-8. The Pioneers scored on a wild pitch in bottom of the 6
th, but the Drovers tacked on 6 more runs thanks to two more home runs to make it 20-9 going to the bottom of the 7
th.
Cooper Jauz hit his first home run of the season, an opposite field solo shot, to make it 20-10, but the Pioneers were unable to score anymore and fell in the final game of this 3-game series, 20-10, capping off their home Sooner Athletic Conference schedule.
Nathan Baca got the start for the Pioneers, and he allowed six runs over 1.1 innings with 3 walks and no strikeouts.
Tyson Potts threw 2.2 innings in relief allowing 3 runs, 6 walks, and two strikeouts. Both pitching staffs had a tough time finding the zone in large part to the extreme wind as there were 17 combined walks between the two pitching staffs this afternoon.
Rollon Jr. enjoyed a solid day at the plate in his final home game as he finished 2-3 with a home run, a triple, two RBIs, and reached on a hit by pitch. Polanco finished 2-4 with a home run and a stolen base. Fabian finished 1-3 with a home run, two RBIs, two runs scored, and a walk. Frausto went 1-4 with a two-run home run. Jauz ended 1-2 with a solo home run and two walks.
Hayden Ingram finished 2-4 with a triple, a run scored, and a stolen base.
The Pioneers will travel to Hobbs, New Mexico on Wednesday for a midweek non-conference game at the University of the Southwest (NM.) First pitch is set for 2:00 PM.
