GOODWELL, Okla. -- The Wayland Baptist Pioneers closed out the 2026 regular season on Saturday with a hard-fought doubleheader split against Oklahoma Panhandle State at Jim Quimby Field, completing the four-game road split against the Aggies.
 

Game 1: Late Rally Falls Just Short

Wayland Baptist battled throughout the opener but came up just shy in a 6-5 loss despite outhitting OPSU 12-10.

The Pioneers struck first in the opening inning when Berkley Bradley delivered an RBI single to bring home Yaneli Jaramillo. However, defensive miscues proved costly early, as OPSU capitalized with a three-run first inning to take control.

Wayland continued to chip away. An RBI groundout from Brooke McLaurin in the second inning and a run-scoring triple from Mikayla Carrillo in the fourth tied the game at 3-3. But OPSU responded with two runs in the fourth and another in the fifth to stretch the lead to 6-3.

Refusing to go quietly, the Pioneers mounted a rally in the seventh. Reagan Davis-Pena sparked the comeback with an RBI triple, and Bradley followed with a run-scoring double to cut the deficit to one. The tying run, however, was left stranded as OPSU held on.

Bradley led the offensive effort, going 3-for-4 with two RBIs, while Kynleigh Kirby added three hits in the loss. Despite the strong showing at the plate, four defensive errors loomed large in the one-run defeat.
 

Game 2: Pioneers Respond with Grit

Wayland Baptist answered in game two with a 4-3 victory, showing poise and timely execution to secure the split.

The Pioneers wasted no time getting on the board, as Kynleigh Kirby roped a two-run triple in the first inning to give Wayland an early 2-0 advantage. They added another run in the third on an RBI single from Mikayla Carrillo.

After a quiet stretch offensively, Wayland tacked on an important insurance run in the sixth when Kirby delivered again with an RBI single, extending the lead to 4-0.
OPSU made things interesting in the bottom half of the sixth, scoring three unearned runs to cut the deficit to one. But the Pioneers' pitching staff held firm down the stretch.

Logan Schultz earned the win with 5.2 innings of work, allowing just three runs—none earned—while Brooklyn Ray closed the door to record the save, her first of the season.

Offensively, Reagan Davis-Pena and Yaneli Jaramillo each recorded two hits and scored twice, while Kirby drove in three of Wayland's four runs in a standout performance.
 

Turning the Page

The split moves Wayland Baptist to 27-21 overall heading into postseason play. The Pioneers showed both offensive firepower and resilience on Saturday—traits they'll look to carry into the conference tournament.

With the regular season complete, Wayland now shifts its focus to the games that matter most, aiming to turn late-season momentum into a deep postseason run.

The Pioneers clinched the 6-seed in the 2026 SAC Softball Championships presented by Netting Pros/Stadionic. They will take on 3-seed Texas Wesleyan in the tournament opener on Thursday, April 30^th, at 1:00 PM in Oklahoma City.