Pioneers Take Out OPSU, Upset of #1 USAO Falls Short as 2025 Season Concludes

Chickasha, Okla. --- The 8-seed Pioneers pulled off another upset win after taking down 5-seed Oklahoma Panhandle State, 5-1, but their terrific effort came up just short in game two against 1-seed and #1 ranked Science and Arts (Okla.), 2-1, to bring their 2025 season to a close.
 
 
Game One vs. Oklahoma Panhandle State
 
Wayland Baptist fell behind 1-0 early in this elimination game after the Aggies scored on a second-inning double.
 
The Pioneers wasted no time answering back in the top of the 3^rd after Mikayla Carrillo knocked an RBI single to even the score at 1-1. Brooklyn Araujo followed next up with an RBI single that put the Pioneers ahead 2-1.
 
After a couple of scoreless innings went by, the Pioneers continued to apply pressure on the basepaths in the top of the 5th. They loaded the bases and later scratched across another run after an Aggie wild pitch allowed Arianna Zubia to score and make it 3-1, WBU.
 
Kailee Sanchez would deliver a massive hit for the Pioneers to cap off the scoring in the top of the 5^th after a two-run single extended their lead to 5-1 late.
 
Adriana Armstrong kept the Aggie hitters off the board and clinched the 5-1 to eliminate Oklahoma Panhandle State from the tournament.
 
Armstrong went all 7.0 innings, allowing the one run, no walks, and seven strikeouts.
 
Araujo finished 2 for 4 with an RBI, a stolen base, and a run scored. Zubia finished 2 for 4 with two runs scored and a stolen base. Kailee Sanchez went 1 for 3 with two RBIs. Carrillo finished 1 for 4 with an RBI, a stolen base, and a run scored.
 
 
Game Two vs. #1 Science and Arts (Okla.)
 
After taking down the Aggies to keep their 2025 SAC Softball Championship hopes alive, the Pioneers found themselves in a showdown with the #1 team in the NAIA, Science and Arts (Okla.).
 
Wayland Baptist opened the scoring in the top of the 3^rd after Araujo crushed an RBI double to left that scored Carrillo from first to make it 1-0.
 
After keeping the Drovers off the scoreboard for the first three innings, USAO eventually came through in the bottom of the 4^th for two runs to take a 2-1 lead over the Pioneers.
 
The Pioneers battled until the last out was recorded, but the #1 Drovers sunk the Pioneers 2-1 to eliminate them from the 2025 Sooner Athletic Conference Softball Championships and end their 2025 season.
 
Addy Rich was the starting pitcher for the Pioneers, and she battled all afternoon to give her team a chance to pull off the upset. Rich threw 6.0 innings, allowing two runs, no walks, and one strikeout.
 
Araujo finished 1 for 3 with an RBI double. Carrillo went 1 for 3 with a single, a walk, and a run scored. Berkley Bradley went 1 for 3 with a double.
 
The Pioneers wrap-up their 2025 season with a 22-30 overall record and 14-22 in Sooner Athletic Conference play. They have also qualified for the Sooner Athletic Conference Softball Championships in both seasons of the program's existence.


Thoughts from Head Coach Enrique Villa:

"I'm extremely proud of our team and their effort. Our pitchers, Adriana and Addy, each pitched great games and our defense played well behind them. We managed to get people on base all day and we did a little bit better driving them in against OPSU than USAO. But credit to USAO's pitching and defense too.

We're going to miss our Seniors for sure. We are thankful for their leadership over these last two years. They have helped us get our program off to a good start. Ari, Addy, Brooklyn, Abcde, Amber, and Mo have each made their own mark on our program. We hope that Wayland was as big of a blessing to them as they have been to us."


For more information about the 2025 Sooner Athletic Conference Softball Championships, please visit: https://soonerathletic.org/tournaments/?id=828