Rich's Game One Walk-Off Lifts Pioneers to Split with Lions to Begin Final Home Series of '25 Season

Plainview --- Addy Rich's walk-off double lifted the Pioneers to a 1-0 win in game one of today's doubleheader against the Lions of Nelson University, but game two went the Lions way, 13-5, in a five-inning run-rule to split the first two games of this four-game set.
 
 
GAME ONE
 
Game one was a pitchers dual from start to finish – both teams combined for five hits and eight total baserunners across seven innings of play.
 
The only offensive action in this one came in the bottom of the 7^th after Kailee Sanchez worked a two-out walk. Pinch-runner Sierra Rojas was able to swipe second and get to scoring position, which turned out to be massive for the Pioneers, because Rich laced a double to the left center field gap for a walk-off double to clinch the 1-0 win for Wayland Baptist.
 
Pioneer starting pitcher Adriana Armstrong had one of her best starts of the season in game one – throwing a complete game shutout with one walk and three strikeouts. Armstrong earned the win and improved her record to 9-6 on the season with a 2.65 ERA.
 
Rich finished 1 for 3 with an RBI double. Christian Moyers finished 1 for 2 with a single. Berkley Bradley went 1 for 3 with a single.
 
 
GAME TWO
 
The Lions weren't going to be shut out in game two, and they opened the game in a big way by scoring three first-inning runs to take the early lead over the Pioneers.
 
Makayla Sanchez got a run back for the Pioneers in the bottom of the 1^st with an RBI double that scored Brooklyn Araujo from first to make it 3-1, Nelson.
 
A costly error by the Pioneers in the top of the 2^nd allowed the Lions to add a run and increase their lead back to three runs.
 
After a short lightning delay stalled the Lions momentum, the Pioneers answered back resoundingly in their half of the second.
 
The Tigers committed a costly error that allowed the Pioneers to score a run and make it 4-2. Mikayla Carrillo would deliver the big hit of the inning – a three-run bomb to center that gave the Pioneers a 5-4 lead after two innings of play.
 
However, Nelson would begin to take command of this one and score nine unanswered runs to clinch a 13-5 win in five-innings.
 
Carrillo went 1 for 3 with a three-run home run. Rich finished 2 for 2 with a double and a run scored. Makayla Sanchez went 1 for 3 with an RBI double. Zubia finished 1 for 3 with a run scored.
 
 
UP NEXT
 
The Pioneers will celebrate Senior Day tomorrow, April 25^th with their final two home games of the 2025 regular season. They will play a doubleheader against the Lions with game one set to begin at 12:00 PM.