GRAPEVINE, TX. -- The 4-seed Wayland Baptist Pioneers opened the 2026 NCCAA Softball World Series with a split on Monday in Grapevine, earning a 5-2 victory over 5-seed Alice Lloyd College before falling in a tightly contested 2-1 matchup against 1-seed Columbia International University.

Wayland showed balance throughout the day with strong pitching performances, timely hitting, and aggressive baserunning as the Pioneers finished Day 1 with a 1-1 record.

Against the Eagles, the Pioneers struck early and controlled the game behind a dominant outing from Kynleigh Kirby in the circle. Kirby tossed five scoreless innings while allowing just one hit and striking out four to earn the win.

Wayland wasted little time getting on the board in the bottom of the first inning when Reagan Davis-Pena tripled to right field and later scored on a sacrifice fly from Mikayla Carrillo for a 1-0 lead.

The Pioneers added two more runs in the third inning after Carrillo singled and Yaneli Jaramillo followed with a base hit. Berkley Bradley reached on an error that allowed Carrillo to score before Mikenzi Carlo drove in another run with an RBI groundout to extend the advantage to 3-0.

Wayland continued to apply pressure offensively in the fifth and sixth innings. Bradley delivered an RBI single in the fifth to score Davis-Pena, while Brooke McLaurin added an RBI groundout in the sixth after Kailee Sanchez stole second and advanced to third.

Jaramillo led the offense with two hits, including a double, while Davis-Pena scored twice and added a triple. Bradley drove in a run and Carlo collected two RBIs.
Brooklyn Ray closed out the final two innings as the Eagles pushed across two unearned runs in the sixth before the Pioneers sealed the win with a scoreless seventh.

In the nightcap, Wayland found itself locked in a pitcher's duel against CIU. Logan Schultz delivered an efficient complete-game effort, allowing just two runs on five hits across six innings.

The Pioneers threatened multiple times early, including in the third inning when Lia Lozano and Reagan Davis-Pena both singled to put runners at second and third with two outs, but CIU escaped the jam to keep the game scoreless.

Wayland also stranded a runner in the fifth after Brooke McLaurin singled to open the inning before CIU turned a double play to erase the threat.

The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the sixth inning when CIU used back-to-back singles and a two-run double from Lilli Petty to take a 2-0 lead.

The Pioneers battled back in the seventh. Mikenzi Carlo drew a leadoff walk before Kynleigh Kirby walked and McLaurin singled to load the bases. Lozano lifted a sacrifice fly to left field to score Carlo and cut the deficit to one, but Wayland was unable to complete the comeback.

McLaurin finished 2-for-3 at the plate, while Lozano collected a hit and an RBI. Davis-Pena also added a hit for the Pioneers.

Wayland Baptist will continue play at the NCCAA Softball World Series on Tuesday when they take on the winner of 7-seed Kentucky Christian against 5-seed Alice Lloyd College. Those two teams will play at 10:30 AM, then the Pioneers will take the field for their game at 1:00 PM.