PLAINVIEW --- Wayland Baptist baseball earned a hard-fought doubleheader sweep over Nelson on Friday afternoon at Plainview, capturing a dramatic 7–6 walk-off win in the opener and a pitching-led 3–2 walk-off victory in Game Two.
Game One: Wayland Walks It Off, 7–6
The Pioneers opened the afternoon with a thrilling comeback victory in an eight-inning battle that showcased resilience and timely hitting.
Wayland struck first in the bottom of the first when
Adonis Bernal reached base, stole second, and later scored on a fielder's choice by
Sinclair Pimentel to give the Pioneers an early 1–0 lead. After Nelson tied the game in the third and jumped ahead 3–1 in the fourth, Wayland answered with steady pressure at the plate.
Raphael Beltre's RBI double in the fourth trimmed the deficit, and the Pioneers continued to chip away in the fifth.
Cesar Ibarra scored on a wild pitch, and
Arcadio Martinez followed with an RBI single to pull Wayland within one at 5–4.
Nelson added an insurance run in the seventh, making it 6–4, but the Pioneers refused to go quietly. In the bottom of the seventh, Bernal singled to spark the rally, and with runners aboard,
Rafaeleduardo Garcia delivered a clutch two-run single to tie the game at 6–6.
With the momentum swinging, Wayland's bullpen held firm.
Wellington Vargas and
Garrett Moseley combined to stabilize the game late, and Moseley shut down Nelson in the top of the eighth.
In the bottom half, the Pioneers manufactured the winning run. After drawing walks and loading the bases,
Christian Toledo lifted a sacrifice fly to left field, allowing
Ben Kasparie to score the game-winning run and seal the 7–6 walk-off victory.
Bernal led the offense with three hits, while Garcia and Beltre each drove in key runs. Moseley earned the win with a scoreless final inning.
Game Two: Seibert Shines in 3–2 Victory
The nightcap featured a pitchers' duel, highlighted by a dominant performance from starter
Branin Seibert.
After three scoreless innings, Wayland broke through in the bottom of the third when Kasparie launched a solo home run to left field, putting the Pioneers ahead 1–0. Nelson tied the game in the fifth, but Wayland quickly responded.
In the bottom of the fifth, Ibarra singled and stole second before Bernal delivered an RBI single to restore the lead at 2–1. Nelson again answered in the seventh with an unearned run, knotting the game at 2–2.
Once more, the Pioneers came through in the clutch. In the bottom of the seventh, Ibarra worked a walk and advanced into scoring position. With two outs, Toledo lined a walk-off double into center field, driving in the go-ahead run and giving Wayland a 3–2 victory.
Seibert made the lead stand. The left-hander went the distance, throwing seven strong innings while allowing just two runs, one earned, and striking out a batter while inducing 10 groundouts. His composure on the mound anchored the Pioneers throughout the game.
Kasparie's home run and Toledo's walk-off double provided the offense, while Seibert earned his third win of the season.
Up Next
The Pioneers will conclude their three-game SAC opening series against Nelson on Saturday, February 21
st. The two teams will play a nine-inning game at Wilder Field that is set to begin at 1:00 PM.
