Pioneers Drop Doubleheader at #17 Texas Wesleyan, Look to Steal Series Finale on Friday

FORT WORTH, TX. -- The Wayland Baptist Pioneers battled throughout a tough road doubleheader against #17 Texas Wesleyan on April 16, but ultimately came up short in both contests, falling 7-4 in game one and 5-2 in game two at Sycamore Park.
 

Game 1: Early Surge Not Enough in 7-4 Loss

Wayland Baptist came out aggressive in the opener, striking first in the top of the first inning. Cesar Ibarra set the tone with a leadoff single and later scored on an RBI knock from Arcadio Martinez to give the Pioneers a 1-0 advantage.

Texas Wesleyan responded immediately, capitalizing on defensive miscues to plate three runs in the bottom half of the inning, then added two more in the second to stretch the lead to 5-1. Four Pioneer errors proved costly, allowing the Rams to generate momentum early.

Despite the deficit, Wayland Baptist showed resilience in the third. Rafaeleduardo Garcia delivered an RBI single before Christian Toledo launched a two-run home run to left, pulling the Pioneers within one at 5-4.

However, Texas Wesleyan answered once again with two runs in the bottom of the third, and the Pioneer offense was unable to generate another breakthrough the rest of the way. The Rams' pitching staff settled in, holding Wayland Baptist scoreless over the final four innings.

Ibarra and Garcia each recorded two hits to lead a nine-hit effort, while Toledo's home run accounted for a key spark in the middle innings.
 

Game 2: Fourth-Inning Rally Falls Short
In the nightcap, Wayland Baptist found itself in another early hole as Texas Wesleyan manufactured a run in the first inning.

The Pioneers responded in the fourth with their best offensive stretch of the game. Kanade Honda ignited the rally with a double, and Arcadio Martinez followed with an RBI double to tie the game. Moments later, Garcia came through again with an RBI single to give Wayland Baptist a 2-1 lead.

Texas Wesleyan quickly flipped the momentum in the fifth inning. A solo home run from Jonathan Pena tied the game before a two-RBI single later in the frame pushed the Rams back in front, 4-2. They added an insurance run in the sixth to seal the 5-2 decision.

Wayland Baptist finished with six hits in game two, with Ben Kasparie leading the way with a pair of singles. The Pioneers put runners on base but were unable to capitalize in the late innings.
 

Up Next

The Pioneers will conclude their three-game series against #17 Texas Wesleyan on Friday, April 17^th at 1:00 PM, and this will be the final regular season game of the season before the 2026 SAC Baseball Championships begin next weekend.