Kansas City – The Pioneers opened the 2024 NCCAA Baseball World Series with a 12-6 loss to 5-seed Mission University (Mo.). Wayland Baptist had the offense going early but couldn't get enough runs down the stretch against the Patriots.
Mission got the scoring going in the opener after an RBI single made it 1-0 in the top of the 2
nd, but the Pioneers would answer immediately in their half of the 2
nd after
Jan Rollon Jr. ripped an RBI single to score
Arcadio Frausto and tie the game at 1. The Patriots offense erupted against the Pioneers in the top of the 3rd, scoring six runs with the most damage coming from two two-run doubles, making it 6-1 Mission. The Patriots added another run in the top of the 4
th on an RBI single to extend their lead over the Pioneers to 8-1.
Wayland Baptist needed a big inning at the plate to get back into this game, and they got exactly that in the bottom of the 4
th.
Brayden Peyton drove in the first Pioneer run of the inning with a single that scored
Delvis Claudio to make it 8-2.
Hayden Ingram then hit into a fielder's choice that scored
Vann Johnson to make it an 8-3 game.
Cooper Jauz then had the big hit of the inning, a two-run double that scored Rollon Jr. and Ingram, making it an 8-5 ballgame after four innings of play.
After a few scoreless innings, Wayland Baptist trimmed their deficit to two runs after
Gustavo Nava slapped a single to right to score
Edgard Bermudez, making it 8-6 in favor of Mission heading to the final frames.
In the top of the 9
th, the Patriots had another offensive eruption, scoring four runs on four hits and a sacrifice fly to make it 12-6 heading to the final frame. The Pioneers went down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the 9
th and suffered the 12-6 loss in the NCCAA Baseball World Series opener.
Peyton finished the opening game going 2 for 3 with a double, an RBI, and a walk. Rollon Jr went 1 for 3 with an RBI, a hit by pitch, and a run scored. Nava finished 1 for 4 with an RBI and a hit by pitch. Jauz went 1 for 5 with two RBIs.
Juan Gil-Franco was the opening round starter for Wayland Baptist, and he threw four innings, allowed eight runs, no walks, and struck out five Patriots.
Grayson Soukup threw four solid innings in relief, allowing two runs, one walk, and two strikeouts.
The Pioneers will play in an elimination game against the 9-seed Kansas Christian College on Monday morning with first pitch scheduled for 11:00 AM. Kansas Christian College fell in the opening game of the 2024 NCCAA Baseball World Series, 3-0, to 8-seed Trinity Christian College.
For more information regarding scores, bracket, and schedules, please visit
here.
