Pioneers Advance in 2025 SAC Baseball Championships after taking down Texas Wesleyan

Plainview --- Despite a weekend filled with delays and inclement weather, the Pioneers overcame Texas Wesleyan to win the Opening Round series of the Sooner Athletic Conference Baseball Championships, 2-1.
 
The Pioneers were forced to finish game two of the series earlier today and fell short 6-4, but they responded nicely in the rubber match for a 5-1 win to clinch the series victory.
 
 
GAME TWO OF SERIES
 
Game two began on Friday, April 25^th, but due to severe thunderstorms in the Plainview-area, the game had to be delayed and moved to Saturday, April 26^th.
 
Before the delay went into effect, the Rams jumped out to a 3-0 lead and had the Pioneer offense guessing at the plate.
 
Coming out of the delay this afternoon, the Pioneers were able to get two runners on base for Samuel Fabian, who promptly crushed a three-run blast to left – his 21^st home run of the season – to tie the game up at 3-3 and give the Pioneers all the momentum.
 
Unfortunately, the Rams answered back with a three-run home run of their own in the top of the 9^th to jump back in front 6-3 late.
 
Delvis Claudio put the Pioneers within two runs after driving in Vann Johnson with an RBI single in the bottom of the 9^th, but the Pioneers were unable to score anymore runs and fell short 6-4 in game one.
 
Fabian went 1 for 3 with a three-run homer and a hit by pitch. Felix Polanco went 3 for 4 with a double and a run scored. Claudio went 1 for 4 with an RBI, a stolen base, and a hit by pitch.
 
Polanco also worked as the starting pitcher in game two for the Pioneers, and he had a gritty performance to give the Pioneers a chance to win the game. He threw 8.0 innings, allowing three runs, five walks, and nine strikeouts.
 
 
GAME THREE OF SERIES
 
The series finale remained scoreless across the first three innings of play, but the Rams opened the scoring in the top of the 4^th with an RBI single that made it 1-0.
 
The Pioneers were finally able to crack the scoreboard in the bottom of the 6^th, and in a big way. After a lead-off single from Polanco, Fabian mashed a two-run go-ahead bomb to left to push the Pioneers ahead 2-1.
 
The Pioneers then had runners on second and third before the Rams balked in a run that made it 3-1, WBU. Claudio capped off the huge inning with a two-run single to center that extended their advantage to 5-1 and gave them all the momentum.
 
The Rams threatened to score a few times throughout the remainder of the game, but Juan Gil-Franco slammed the door on their season and clinched the 5-1 win for the Pioneers to send them on in the SAC Baseball Championships.
 
Fabian finished 2 for 4 with a home runs, a double, two RBIs, and a run scored. Polanco went 3 for 4 with three singles and a run scored. Claudio finished 2 for 4 with a two RBIs, a walk, and a stolen base.
 
Tyson Potts was the starting pitcher for the Pioneers in the rubber match, and he played a massive role in the Pioneers advancing. Potts threw 7.0 complete innings, allowing one run, with five walk, and eight strikeouts. With the win, Potts improved to 4-3 on the season.
 
 
UP NEXT
 
The 1-seed Pioneers will face-off against the 5-seed Stars of Oklahoma City University on Friday, April 26^th at 11:00 AM. The final rounds of the SAC Baseball Championships will be played on the campus of Science & Arts (Okla.).
 
To see the full bracket and more information on the 2025 Sooner Athletic Conference Baseball Championships please visit:
 
https://soonerathletic.org/tournaments/?id=823