Plainview – The Pioneers took care of business in their home opener on Tuesday afternoon by sweeping their doubleheader against University of the Southwest (NM). After securing an 8-2 victory in game one, the Pioneers used a massive fifth inning offensively to down the Mustangs 13-5 in five innings.
GAME ONE
After Wayland Baptist game one starter
Addy Rich shut down the Mustangs threw the first two innings, the Pioneer offense would provide some run support in the bottom of the 2
nd.
Berkley Bradley drove in the first run of the game for the Pioneers with a nice RBI double to right center to make it 1-0. Rich would then provide herself some support after driving in Bradley with an RBI single to make it 2-0. The hit parade continued as
Abcde Garcia smoked an RBI double to right center to give the Pioneers a 3-0 lead after two innings.
The Mustangs battled back in the top of the 3
rd with two runs to make it 3-2, Pioneers. In the bottom of the 4
th, the Pioneers would get a run back after Garcia ripped an RBI triple to center – making it 4-2, WBU.
After a couple of scoreless innings, the Pioneer bats found another spark in the bottom of the 6
th.
Mikayla Carrillo began the surge with an RBI single that pushed the Pioneer lead up to 5-2. The Pioneers worked the bases loaded for
Brooklyn Araujo, who promptly drove a bases-clearing triple to right that ballooned their lead to 8-2. Rich sealed the 8-2 victory for the Pioneers with a scoreless seventh inning,
Rich did a solid job as the game one starter this afternoon – finishing with 7.0 innings pitched, two runs (one earned), one walk, and two strikeouts. Rich kept the Mustang hitters off balanced and generated tons of soft contact. With the win, Rich now owns a 1-1 record this season.
Araujo finished 2 for 4 with a triple and 3 RBIs. Garcia finished 2 for 2 with two triples, two RBIs, a walk, and a run scored. Bradley went 2 for 3 with a double, and RBI, and two runs scored. Rich went 2 for 3 with an RBI and a run scored.
GAME TWO
The Pioneers did not replicate the game one start in game two – falling behind 4-0 after the Mustang bats got hot early. Carrillo led off the bottom of the 1
st with a single and came around to score on an Araujo RBI groundout that trimmed the Pioneer deficit to 4-1. The Mustangs got that run back in their half of the 2
nd after working a bases-loaded walk to make it 5-1, USW.
The Pioneer offense got things rolling in the bottom of the 2
nd after Garcia clubbed a two-run double to left to make it 5-3. The Pioneers then attempted a double steal that resulted in the runner being thrown out between first and second, but the throw to second allowed Garcia to rush home and make it a 5-4 ballgame after two innings. Carrillo then tied the game up for the Pioneers in the bottom of the 4
th with an RBI double that scored
Cayman Ivins from second to make it 5-5.
The bottom of the 5
th was an exciting inning for the Pioneer offense.
Amber Poorbaugh started it off with an RBI single to give Wayland Baptist a 6-5 lead. Poorbaugh would later cross home plate after a Mustang wild pitch put the Pioneers ahead, 7-5. Garcia then knocked in two more runs thanks to a Mustang error to extend the Pioneer lead up to 9-5.
Mikenzi Carlo then stepped to the plate for the Pioneers in her first at-bat of the game, and she drove a sacrifice fly to center that scored
Kailee Sanchez from third to make it 10-5.
Araujo continued the hot-hitting with another two-run double that pushed the Pioneer lead to 12-5. Poorbaugh then sealed the victory for the Pioneers with an RBI single that made it 13-5 – putting the eight-run lead after five inning run-rule into effect.
Erin Trevino entered into the game with two outs in the top of the 2
nd inning, and she was lights out this afternoon. Trevino threw 3.1 scoreless innings, only allowing one hit, one walk, while striking out three Mustang hitters. With the win, Trevino is now 1-0 on the season.
Araujo capped off her strong afternoon by going 2 for 4 with a triple, a double, and three RBIs. Poorbaugh went 3 for 4 with three singles, two RBIs, and a run scored. Carrillo finished 2 for 3 with a double, an RBI, a walk, a stolen base, and a run scored.
UP NEXT
The Pioneer softball team will travel to Dallas, Texas for a two-game set at Dallas Christian College beginning Friday, February 8
th. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 PM.
