Chickasha, Oklahoma – The Pioneers took care of business against Oklahoma Panhandle State, 14-10, after lightning delayed the conclusion of the game until 11:00 AM this morning, but the University of Science and Arts (Okla.) handed Wayland Baptist a 6-2 defeat in game two of the evening to end their Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament.
Wayland Baptist began the game by working back-to-back walks to put two runners on with no outs.
Delvis Claudio reached on an Aggie error that allowed
Felix Polanco to score, giving the Pioneers an early 1-0 lead. In the top of the 3
rd,
Samuel Fabian put the Pioneers up 3-0 with a two-run bomb - his 15
th home run on the season. OPSU stormed back in the bottom of the 3
rd with an RBI single to center to make it 3-1. The Aggies added another run on a Pioneer error, trimming their deficit to 3-2. A fielder's choice followed, and the Aggies tied the game at 3-3 after 3 innings of play.
Wayland Baptist would retake the lead in the top of the 4
th after
Hayden Ingram ripped a single to score
Gustavo Nava from second to make it 4-3, WBU. Polanco followed that up by driving Ingram in with a single to right field to extend the Pioneer lead to 5-3. OPSU battled back once again as they struck for three runs in the bottom of the 4
th that started with a runner scoring from third on a passed ball and capped off by a two-run single that put the Aggies ahead 6-5.
Arcadio Frausto tied the game up at 6 in the top of the 5
th after he drove a sacrifice fly to center field scoring
Cooper Jauz from third. The Pioneers scratched across another run in the top of the 8
th after
Jan Rollon Jr. smacked a double to right field scoring
Riley Watson to make it an 8-6 ballgame. Polanco followed up with another RBI single, his 2
nd of the game, to extend the Pioneer lead to 8-6.
The game would go on to be delayed due to lightning in the surrounding areas for the rest of the evening, and play resumed this morning at 11:00 AM. The Pioneers added two more runs in the top of the 9
th after Watson singled to left to score
Vann Johnson to make it a 9-6 game. Rollon Jr. followed up Watson's RBI single with an RBI single of his own to extend the Pioneer lead to 10-6.
William Flowers followed up Rollon Jr. RBI single with a 3-run bomb, his 2
nd homer on the season, making it a 13-6 game. Jauz knocked in another run for the Pioneers in the 9
th inning with a double to left to make it 14-6, WBU.
OPSU wouldn't go down without a fight as they loaded the bases with one out and proceeded to hit a bases-clearing triple to make it a 14-9 ballgame. The Aggies would then drive in a run on a sacrifice fly to center to make it 14-10. Wayland Baptist got the final batter to fly out to center to wrap up a 14-10 victory over Oklahoma Panhandle State University to advance in the Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament.
Flowers finished 2 for 4 with a three-run homer and a walk. Polanco went 4 for 5 with two RBIs, a walk, and a run scored. Rollon Jr. went 3 for 5 with two doubles, two RBIs, and two runs scored. Fabian finished 2 for 5 with a two-run home run. Jauz went 2 for 4 with a triple, an RBI, two walks, and two runs scored.
Tyson Potts got the start for Wayland Baptist, pitching 3.2 innings, allowing five earned runs, three walks, and a strikeout.
Branin Seibert was solid in relief for the Pioneers as he went 5.1 innings, allowed three earned runs, three walks, and struck out 7 Aggie batters.
With their victory over OPSU, the Pioneers advanced to play the University of Science and Arts (Okla.) with a berth to the SAC Semis on the line. USAO defeated Wayland Baptist in the opening round of the SAC Championships, 11-5.
USAO opened the scoring in the top of the first with a bases-loaded hit by pitch to make it 1-0 early. The Drovers then added two runs on an RBI single to make it 3-0. The Pioneers would answer back with one run in their half of the 1
st when
Samuel Fabian singled to left to score Polanco from third, making it 3-1. The Drovers got that run back in the top of the 3
rd with another RBI single to make it 4-1, USAO.
Wayland Baptist fell behind 5-1 in the top of the 4
th after the Drovers scored on a Pioneer fielding error.
Arcadio Frausto got a run back for the Pioneers in the bottom of the 7
th with an RBI ground out to make it 5-2, Drovers. USAO knocked another RBI single to right to get that run back immediately, making it 6-2 late in the ballgame. The Pioneers got runners to second and third with two outs, but they were unable to bring them in to score, and Wayland Baptist fell short to USAO, 6-2, to suffer elimination from the Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament.
Nathan Baca got the start for the Pioneers in this elimination game, and we threw four innings, allowed four earned runs, one walk, and one strikeout. Polanco pitched five innings in relief, only allowing one run, one walk, while striking out four Drovers.
Polanco finished 3 for 4 from the dish with two doubles, a walk, and two runs scored. Fabian went 1 for 4 with an RBI and a walk. Jauz went 2 for 4 with a walk.
For updated scores, schedules, and bracket of the Sooner Athletic Conference Baseball Tournament, please visit
here.
