Wayland Baseball Logo
Pioneer Baseball

 

2007 NEWS

KNOBBE NAMED ALL-AMERICAN SCHOLAR ATHLETE

Pioneer senior shortstop Matt Knobbe was named to the 2007 Daktronics/NAIA All-American Scholar Athlete team announced by the NAIA at the conclusion of last week's NAIA Baseball World Series.  NAIA Scholar Athletes must carry a cumulative 3.5 grade point average or better.

Knobbe, an Exercise and Sports Sciences major from Phoenix, AZ, started in all 49 games for the Pioneers in 2007, hitting .287..  He was second on the team in doubles with 11 and tied for second in home runs with seven.

 

back to top

PIONEERS SEASON COMES TO A CLOSE

About 30 minutes prior to Saturday night’s regular season finale at Wilder Field, the Wayland Baptist Pioneers learned that their contest against Lubbock Christian would, in fact, be the final game of the 2007 season.  Northwestern Oklahoma State University won two of three games from the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma to capture the final spot in next week’s Sooner Athletic Conference tournament.  With that disappointment in the back of their minds, the Pioneers fell to the 14th-ranked Chaparrals 5-1.

“I am really proud of the fact that we were in the final weekend of the season with something to play for, given all the adversity we went through this year,” said head coach Brad Bass.  “These last three weeks the guys competed hard and battled with everything that they had.”

Prior to the game’s first pitch, 11 senior Pioneers were honored in an emotional ceremony.  One of those seniors was starting pitcher Darren Davis, who established a new strikeout mark this year.

The Clovis, NM native struck out four LCU batters in his final appearance as a Pioneer, giving him 110 for the season.  In his two years at WBU, Davis struck out 198 hitters, moving him into fourth place in Wayland history.

Davis took the loss in the game, giving up five runs on nine hits over eight-and-one-third-innings.  Another senior, Mike Irby of Claude, Tex., came in to get the final two outs in the top of the ninth.

On the other side, seven Chaparral pitchers held the Pioneers to just four hits, recorded 14 strikeouts, and walked just one Wayland batter.  Eric Brown’s lead-off triple in the second inning resulted in the team’s lone run when Matt Knobbe hit a sacrifice fly to right field. 

WBU had only two baserunners in the final seven innings.  Knobbe singled to center in the fifth, and pinch hitter Blake Burrow drew a lead-off walk in the eighth.

Senior Adam Jones got the win for the Chaps, striking out the side in his one inning of work.  Raymond Ravago had two hits for the visitors, including a double in the fifth.  Clay Britton and Karlton Banks also had two hits a piece for LCU, which ends the regular season 33-13 and 18-3 in the SAC. 

The Pioneers finish the season with a record of 21-18 and 6-15 in conference play.

back to top

SIX RUN EIGHTH DOOMS PIONEERS

On Friday night, the Pioneers got an outstanding pitching performance from starter Gary Gates, who pitched seven strong innings against Lubbock Christian, allowing just six hits and two earned runs, but was saddled with the 8-2 loss after the WBU bullpen allowed six straight runs to score before finally recording an out in the eighth inning.

 The Chaps were up 2-0 in the top of the eighth inning when Johnathan Torres blasted a home run over the left centerfield fence off of reliever P.J. Trevino to tie things up at two. Gates was replaced after walking the lead-off hitter in the bottom of the inning, and that’s when the bottom fell out for the Pioneers.

Freshman Bobby Curtis and Eric Brown had two hits each in the game, but the Pioneers could never take advantage of runners on base until Torres's shot in the eighth.

About the same time that the Chaparrals broke the game open, the Pioneers got some bad news on another front.  Needing to stay at least one game in front of Northwestern Oklahoma State in the conference standings, WBU found out that the Rangers had upset USAO, 11-1 Friday night, pulling one half game ahead of the Pioneers in the conference standings.  NWOSU and USAO meet again on Saturday with double-header scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. in Chickasha.  Wayland must win on Saturday night against LCU, and needs USAO to sweep the double dip in order to advance to the SAC tournament next week in Bethany, Okla.

back to top

PIONEERS FALL TO LCU

Two weeks ago the Wayland Baptist Pioneer baseball team was in the midst of an offensive slump and third ranked Oklahoma City University was coming to town.   The Stars swept the Pioneers, but Wayland competed well in all three of the contests.  In the five games since that series, including last night's 11-6 loss to #14 Lubbock Christian University at Wilder Field, WBU has averaged 10.8 runs and 13.4 hits.

Senior catcher Brian Bueno, who went three-for-four with two runs batted in against LCU, credits a new team spirit for the turn around. 

"I can't pinpoint exactly what caused it, but there's a new attitude on the team," says Bueno.  "When we're hitting, the guys are up in the dugout making noise.  Everyone is fired up and ready to go from the very beginning of the game and we don't quit until the game's over."

Lubbock Christian jumped out early when designated hitter Richard Orange, a transfer from Texas Tech, hit a three-run homer in the top of the first.  The Chaps made it 4-0 in the second when Pioneer starting pitcher Stephen Anderson walked the bases loaded, then was victimized by a two-out bad hop single to first off the bat of Clay Britton.

Armando Garza, a senior from Plainview, got Wayland on the board in the third with a run-scoring single to left, but the Chaps got three unearned runs in the fourth.

The Pioneers answered with three runs of their own in the bottom of the inning.  Jonathan Reynoso and Johnathan Torres drew back-to-back walks off LCU starter Chris Holguin.  Eric Brown singled to right to load the bases, followed by Bobby Curtis's RBI ground out.  Bueno hit a shot up the middle to score two more and close the gap to 7-4.

LCU scored another run in its half of the fifth, while WBU put up another crooked number when two runs crossed the plate to make the score 8-6.  Brett Cook, who had four hits in the game, led off the Pioneer frame with a double down the left field line, advanced to third on a wild pitch, and scored on Torres's ground ball to third.  Eric Brown followed that up with a double to the wall in centerfield and scored on Matt Knobbe's single.

"We battled the whole way.  We got down early, but kept competing and were able to get back in it," added Wayland coach Brad Bass.  "We went through a period midway through the season when we were down as a team, but something has finally clicked and we're ending things up on a positive note."

Anderson retired the side in order in the sixth, and the Pioneers just missed taking the lead when Reynoso's long fly ball to left was caught at the fence, stranding two runners.

"I thought Stephen did an excellent job," Bass said the game.  "He kept us in the game.  It was defensive mistakes that made the difference."

After the Chaps got another run across the plate in the seventh, Torres greeted new pitcher P.J. Trevino with a double down the left field line.  Trevino, a senior from Lubbock High,  retired eight of the next nine batters he faced to pick up his second save of the season.

Holguin, the conference ERA leader, got the win for the Chaps (31-13, 16-3) to improve his season record to 8-2.  The Pioneers got to the Lubbock Estacado product for 11 hits, tying his season high, and six runs, but struck out eight times. 

Anderson (4-5) took the loss for Wayland, which fell to 21-16 and 6-13 in Sooner Athletic Conference play.  The two teams will meet up again on Friday in Lubbock, then will finish up the series on Saturday back at Wilder Field.  Both games will start at 6:30 p.m. 

back to top

FIVE RUN EIGHTH GIVES WBU THE WIN

Pioneer catcher B.J. Myers's three-run homer highlighted a five-run eighth inning in WBU's 11-8 win over Eastern New Mexico at Wilder Field on Monday in front of over 700 raucous guests from Thunderbird and Edgemere Elementary Schools.

Down 8-6, Matt Knobbe led the eighth off with a triple.  Bobby Curtis walked to set up Myers, who hammered the 1-0 pitch over the left centerfield wall.  Jonathan Reynoso later doubled down the left field line to score two more runs.

Mario Canales got the win, pitching the final two innings.  Darren Davis, who started the game for the Pioneers, struck out six in his three innings of work, increasing his record-breaking season strikeout total to 106.

Myers ended up with a team-high four RBI in Wayland's 21st victory of the season.  Brett Cook had a game-high three hits, including a solo home run.  Armando Garza and Johnathan Torres also went yard for the Pioneers, who had 15 hits, but committed four errors leading to four unearned runs by ENMU.

WBU closes out the regular season this week with an important three-game series against Lubbock Christian University, beginning Thursday evening at Wilder Field.  The series moves to Lubbock on Friday, then ends on Saturday back in Plainview for Senior Day.  All three games will begin at 6:30.

back to top

WILD GAME ENDS IN PIONEER LOSS

In a game more reminiscent of a Tuesday non-conference contest than a key league match-up between a team playing for playoff seeding and a team fighting for its postseason life, the Southern Nazarene University Crimson Storm outlasted the Pioneers of Wayland Baptist, 18-16. The game featured a combined 31 hits, including 11 home runs, off nine different pitchers.

Eric Brown and Matt Knobbe had two homers each for the Pioneers. The two seniors hit back-to-back bombs in the second to give WBU a 3-1 lead, then Brown knocked in three more runs with another long ball in the third.

The Storm chased Pioneer starting pitcher Stephen Anderson with consecutive solo home runs to lead off the bottom of the third. SNU scored six runs during the inning to pull ahead 9-6. Brett Cook’s two-run double in the fourth made it a one run game, but the Storm answered with another solo homer in their half of the inning.

WBU crossed the plate four times in the fifth on three hits, two walks and a SNU error, but the home team put up six more runs in the bottom of the frame to make it 16-12.

Knobbe made it 16-15 with a three-run blast in the sixth. Mike Irby held the Storm scoreless in the next two innings, but a Pioneer error in the eighth led to two unearned runs.

Westin Rhoads led off the ninth with a solo shot to start a late-inning rally. Then with two down, Jonathan Reynoso and Armando Garza hit back-to-back singles, but the rally fizzled and the Pioneers fell to 20-25 overall and 6-12 in SAC play. WBU is currently in sixth place in the conference standings. Southern Nazarene improved to 31-15 and 12-6 and are alone in third place.

back to top

DAVIS GETS STRIKEOUT RECORD IN DOUBLEHEADER SPLIT

Darren Davis needed three strikeouts in Thursday afternoon’s key Sooner Athletic Conference series at Southern Nazarene University to break the Pioneer single season strikeout record of 95 set by Joel Klapprodt back in 1997. The Pioneers need at least two more wins to have a shot at a berth in the SAC Tournament in two weeks. Davis had the strikeout record by the second inning of the first game of the doubleheader, and the Pioneers got one step closer to post-season play with an important 17-3 victory. The nightcap didn’t turn out as well, and WBU fell 11-4.

The Pioneers belted out 18 hits, including a season-high six home runs, in the opener. Wayland jumped out early with six runs in the first. Deacon Lucas started the barrage with a one out double. Brett Cook followed with a walk and Jonathan Reynoso hit the first of his two homers to give the Pioneers a 3-0 advantage. After a single by Johnathan Torres, Matt Knobbe belted out a two-run shot, and then Bobby Curtis made it 6-0 with a solo homer to right center.

Davis struck out two batters in the bottom of the first inning to tie Klapprodt’s record. SNU led off the second with a single, but Davis got right fielder Nathaniel McClellan swinging in the next at bat to make the record his. The senior from Clovis, NM, recorded seven strikeouts on the afternoon, giving him 100 on the season.

The WBU offense scored five more runs in the fourth inning. Catcher Brian Bueno managed to get hit twice by a pitch in the inning, the first of which led things off. Lucas and Cook drew back-to-back walks to load the bases for Reynoso, who doubled in two runs, and then Torres hammered out a three-run home run of his own.

Bueno picked up a RBI in the sixth with a bases-loaded single that scored Torres, who led the inning off with a single, stole second and advanced to third on consecutive walks by Knobbe and Curtis.

The Pioneers piled on five more runs in the seventh on back-to-back home runs by Cook and Reynoso. Eric Brown picked up a double in the inning and scored on Curtis’s sacrifice fly to right. Armando Garza ended the scoring with a two run single that plated courtesy runner Blake Burrow and Knobbe.

Reynoso had three hits and six RBI in the game. Torres and Brown also had three hits each.

In the nightcap, four Crimson Storm pitchers combined to hold Wayland to just six hits. Knobbe had two of those hits on a run scoring single in the fourth and a double in the sixth. Reynoso picked up his team-high 12th home run of the season with a two-run shot in the fifth. The homer moved Reynoso into a tie for third place in career home runs with 27. The senior center fielder is just two long balls away from moving ahead of Michael Reyes (1992-94) into second place.

SNU struck early in game two, scoring four runs in the first off Pioneer starter Gary Gates. The Pioneers had a chance to make things interesting in the top of the fourth when they had bases loaded with no outs, but could produce just the one run.

The Storm took advantage of the lack of key hitting by WBU, putting four more runs on the board in the fourth to make it 9-1, then closed things out with two runs in the sixth.

Wayland is now 20-24 on the season and 6-11 in conference play. Southern Nazarene improves to 30-15 and 11-6.

back to top

PIONEERS HANG TOUGH AGAINST STARS

The final game of the three-game Sooner Athletic Conference series between third ranked Oklahoma City University and Wayland Baptist was certainly worth the price of admission on a beautiful sunny Sunday afternoon at Wilder Field.

Stephen Anderson, the Pioneer's senior pitcher from Tucson, Ariz., held the Stars scoreless for the first three innings and the Pioneer bats came out blazing.  Lead off hitter Deacon Lucas started things off the right way for WBU, hammering the first pitch he saw over the left field bullpen to give the Pioneers their first lead of the series.  After a one out walk by Brett Cook, OCU starting pitcher Tony Snow got a strikeout, but then hit Johnathan Torres and Eric Brown to load the bases for senior shortstop Matt Knobbe.

Knobbe came through in the clutch, lining a 1-2 pitch down the left field line for a three-run double.  He then scored on a Bobby Curtis double that went over the outstretched glove of the Star left fielder to give Wayland a 5-0 lead.

OCU picked up its first hit of the game in the third on a single to right.  Centerfielder Ryan Rachal got a run on the board for the Stars in the fourth on a solo homer to left.  A three-run shot with one out in the fifth by Kody Kaiser closed the margin to 5-4 and put an end to Anderson's afternoon.

Wayland's Mike Irby came in to get the final two outs of the fifth, but was pulled in the sixth after surrendering back-to-back hits.  The Stars tied the score with an unearned run on a passed ball later in the inning.

A Pioneer error and a questionable call opened the flood gates in the seventh.  With one down, Kaiser hit a ground ball to short that Knobbe bobbled.  The WBU shortstop recovered quickly and made a good throw to first, but the speedy Kaiser just beat the throw.  Kaiser was forced out at second on the next play, but then Bobby Spain singled and Brian Joynt  doubled to give the Stars a 6-5 lead.   On the very next pitch, OCU's David Dennis hit a long ball to left that appeared to hook foul, but was called fair and the Stars had a 9-5 advantage.

WBU (19-23, 5-10) had the bases loaded with one out in the bottom of the seventh on two walks and a hit batsmen, but two strikeouts ended the threat.

Mario Canales (1-4) took the loss for the Pioneers who have now lost seven straight.  The junior reliever gave up just three hits in three innings of work and did not walk a batter, but was charged with five unearned runs.   Tony Snow (7-1) picked up the win, going six-and-a-third innings.  After giving up the five runs on three hits in the first, the senior allowed just one other hit, a single by Armando Garza in the fifth. 

back to top

OCU SWEEPS DOUBLEHEADER

Third ranked Oklahoma City University (39-7, 14-0) came into Wilder Field on Saturday leading the Sooner Athletic Conference in every statistical category.   Offensively, the Stars were averaging just over 10 runs and 12 hits a game, but Wayland Baptist pitcher Darren Davis held the high-powered Stars in check in the first game of the conference doubleheader.  The senior from Clovis, NM  limited OCU to three runs on six hits and struck out 12 batters, but the Pioneers were unable to produce any offense of their own, saddling Davis with a 3-1 loss.

Davis, who kept the Star hitters off balance the entire game mixing a high fastball inside with a hard breaking ball down low, struck out the first two batters he faced in the game before Star junior shortstop Bobby Spain sent an 0-1 pitch over the fence in right field.  OCU added single runs in both the third and fourth innings. 

WBU didn't pick up its first hit until the fourth inning when Plainview's Armando Garza recorded an infield single with one out.  Brett Cook followed with a single through the left side, but the next two Pioneer batters popped up and struck out looking.

Garza got another hit in the sixth, but was again left stranded.  The Pioneers finally put a run on the board in the seventh when Jonathan Reynoso led off with a walk.  Johnathan Torres hit a blooper that landed in left centerfield that advanced the runner to third, and then Reynoso crossed home plate on a wild pitch by OCU reliever Jared Swart.  With Torres on second, WBU second baseman Eric Brown hit a long fly ball to left field that on any normal spring day in Plainview would have tied the score at three.  Unfortunately for the Pioneers, the wind was blowing out of the north rather than the west or southwest and Brown's ball fell into the glove of the Star left fielder at the warning track.

Oklahoma City scored seven runs on six hits in the first two innings of the nightcap on its way to a 10-2 win.  Designated hitter Brian Joynt had the hot bat for the Stars, hitting a two-run triple in the first and a two-run homer in the second.  The senior, who hit a double in the fourth, missed hitting for the cycle when he drew a walk his final at bat.  

The Pioneers (19-22, 5-9) scored their runs on a RBI ground out by Garza in the third and a solo home run by Reynoso in the sixth.  Westin Rhoads and Eric Brown got the only other WBU hits.

The two teams conclude the three-game series this afternoon at Wilder Field with the first pitch to be thrown at 2:00.

back to top

RAIN POSTPONES OK CITY SERIES

The Pioneer's Sooner Athletic Conference series against Oklahoma City University has been postponed due to rain.  Friday's scheduled doubleheader at Wilder Field has been moved to Saturday beginning at 2 p.m.  The final game of the three-game series will take place Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m.

A make-up game with College of the Southwest that had been scheduled for Sunday afternoon, April 15, has been cancelled.

back to top

PIONEERS BELT OUT 25 HITS AND STILL LOSE

One would think that after struggling at the plate in last weekend's series at Northwestern Oklahoma State, the Pioneers could be happy with the 25 hits they belted out on an extremely windy Tuesday at Wilder Field against McMurry University.  Unfortunately, McMurry had 26 hits of its own, including six home runs, and Wayland Baptist lost its fourth game in a row, 20-18.

WBU had a 12-2 lead after three innings.  Jonathan Reynoso had a grand slam in the six-run second, then the Pioneers scored five more in the third on a double by Armando Garza, walks to Reynoso and Matt Knobbe, and RBI singles by Johnathan Torres, Eric Brown and Bobby Curtis.

McMurry tied the game up at 12 with five runs in both the fourth and fifth innings, then took the lead with five more in the sixth.  The visitors scored 12 of their 20 runs on six home run balls, including two by second baseman Weston Franco, who had a three-run shot in the sixth and a two-run blast in the eighth.

Trailing 17-14 after five and a half innings, Westin Rhoads and Garza started things off in the bottom of the sixth with back-to-back doubles to the gap in left centerfield.  Brett Cook followed with an infield single, and Torres tied the game back up with a two-run single down the line in left.

Neither team was able to cross home plate in the seventh, but Franco's second homer of the day and three straight singles in the top of the eighth that gave McMurry a 20-17 advantage.  WBU was able to plate one run in the bottom half of the inning after Reynoso picked up his fourth hit of the day on a lead-off single through the left side then scored on pinch hitter Javier Garcia's sacrifice fly to left.

With Brown and Knobbe on first and second and two down, Pioneer catcher Brian Bueno stroked a single through the left side.  Knobbe was waved around third and appeared to beat the throw home, but the home plate umpire called him out, putting an end to the WBU threat.

Pioneer pitcher B.J. Myers held McMurry in check in the top of the ninth, so the Pioneers came up in the their half of the inning needing two to tie and three to win.  Rhoads led off with a single to left and advanced to third on two wild pitches, but two strikeouts and a ground ball to short gave McMurry (18-14) the victory.

Left-handed pitcher Kyle Martin pitched three innings of relief for McMurry to pick up his first win of the season.  Brent Voorhees pitched the ninth for the save.  Wayland's Mario Canales was saddled with the loss.

The Pioneers (19-20) take to the field again on Friday with a Sooner Athletic Conference doubleheader against third-ranked Oklahoma City University.  First pitch will be thrown at 4:00 p.m.

back to top

WBU LOSES FIFTH STRAIGHT SAC CONTEST

Wayland Baptist starting pitcher Stephen Anderson threw just three pitches Saturday afternoon in the Sooner Athletic Conference series finale at Northwestern Oklahoma State University.  Unfortunately for Anderson, that third pitch came right back at him, bouncing off his knee and putting him out of the game.  That produced what turned out to be the winning run in the Pioneer's 3-0 loss to the Rangers.  It was the fifth straight conference loss for WBU, which is now 19-19 overall and 5-7 in SAC play.

Mike Irby and Mario Canales pitched well in relief of Anderson, but the Wayland bats could produce nothing for the second straight Saturday.  NWOSU's Matt Stratton, who was 1-4 with an earned run average over eight going into the game, held the Pioneers to six hits, struck out 10 and did not walk a batter.  There were no extra base hits in the game by either team.  Senior second baseman Eric Brown was the only Pioneer with multiple hits, going two-for-three. First baseman Luis Garcia went three-for-four for Northwestern Oklahoma, which saw its record improve to 6-18 overall and 3-9 in conference play after the three-game series sweep over the Pioneers.

Wayland had runners on the corners with no outs in the third inning after back-to-back singles by Brown and Bobby Curtis, but Brian Bueno reached on a fielder's choice that got Brown out in a run down between third and home.  Jonathan Reynoso followed up with a pop-up to second and Armando Garza struck out. 

The only other Pioneer threat came with one out in the sixth when Garza singled up the middle and advanced to second on an error by the shortstop off the bat of Brett Cook.  Clean-up batter Johnathan Torres popped to second and Westin Rhoads hit a ground ball back to the pitcher to end the WBU hope.

WBU returns to Wilder Field for its next five games.  The Pioneers take on McMurry University on Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. in a non-conference match-up.  On Friday,  #3 Oklahoma City University comes to town for a three-game SAC series.  Friday's doubleheader begins at 4:00 p.m. with a single game on Saturday starting at 1:00 p.m.  Next Sunday, April 15, Wayland hosts College of the Southwest in a make-up game that begins at 2:00 p.m.

back to top

ERRORS PLAGUE PIONEERS AGAINST NWOSU

Seven Wayland Baptist errors committed over the course of Thursday afternoon's doubleheader against Northwestern Oklahoma State in Alva, Okla. resulted in two one-run losses for the Pioneers.   Two miscues in the bottom of the seventh of the opener produced two unearned Ranger runs and a 5-4 Wayland loss.  In the nightcap, Northwestern Oklahoma scored two more unearned runs in the top of the first and WBU lost its fourth straight Sooner Athletic Conference contest, 6-5.

WBU jumped out early in the first game.  Plainview's Armando Garza scored the day's first run on a one-out double in the first.  The senior right fielder advanced to third on a wild pitch and crossed home plate on a sacrifice fly by Brett Cook.  Sophomore Johnathan Torres gave the Pioneers three more runs in the third on a home run over the left field fence that also scored Garza and Cook.

The Rangers closed the gap to 4-3 in the sixth with a two-run homer off Wayland starter Darren Davis.  The Pioneers had a chance to score an insurance run in the top of the seventh when Cook hit a one out triple in the left center gap, but a strikeout and a ground out left him stranded. 

Davis (3-5), who gave up just five hits in the game and recorded 11 strikeouts, walked the lead-off batter in the bottom of the seventh.   A sacrifice bunt moved the runner to second, but a Pioneer throwing error caused the hitter to reach first safely and allowed the baserunner to advance on to third.   Another bunt moved the runner at first to second, but Davis was able to check the man at third before getting the out at first.  WBU intentionally walked the bases loaded to set up the doubleplay.  Davis got a strikeout for the second out, but two pitches later a routine grounder to second was mishandled and two runs scored, giving Northwestern Oklahoma its first conference win of the season.

The momentum carried over into the second game for the Rangers (5-18, 2-9).  NWOSU had a 5-1 advantage over the Pioneers after three innings.  WBU scored single runs in the fourth and fifth to make it 5-3, and then Westin Rhoads tied it up with a two-run blast in the top of the seventh.     A double down the left field line, a sacrifice bunt and a single in the bottom of the inning won the game for the Rangers.

Mike Irby (1-1) took the loss for the Pioneers (19-18, 5-6) in relief of Gary Gates, who went 5.2 innings.  Gates allowed five runs (three earned) on eight hits and struck out five.  Rhoads went three-for-four in the game with the two RBI.  Deacon Lucas and Matt Knobbe also had two hits each.

back to top

COACH BASS PICKS UP CAREER WIN #600

Coach Brad Bass picked up his 600th career win in the Pioneer's 12-8 victory over West Texas A&M University on Tuesday afternoon at Wilder Field.   Mario Canales pitched five scoreless innings for his first win of the season, and senior Eric Brown and freshman Bobby Curtis each homered in the game.

The Pioneers jumped on top early.  Brett Cook scored the game's first run after a two-out double in the first.  The sophomore third baseman advanced to third on a wild pitch then scored when the Buffalo pitcher attempted to pick off Johnathan Torres at first and the ball got away from the first baseman.

In the second, WBU scored five times.  Brown walked and scored on Curtis's second home run of the season, a two-run shot over the right field fence.  After Brian Bueno was hit by a pitch, Jonathan Reynoso doubled.  A balk scored courtesy runner Blake Burrow and then Armando Garza's infield single brought home Reynoso.  WTA&M's starting pitcher Alan Trayler was pulled after Cook singled through the right side, but Torres greeted the new pitcher with a RBI double.

WBU went ahead 7-0 in the third after Brown led off with a walk, stole both second and third and crossed home plate on a ground ball out.  Brown put the Pioneers up 9-0 in the fourth with his fifth home run of the season, a two-run blast that also scored Westin Rhoads who had singled earlier in the inning.

Things got interesting in the sixth when the Buffaloes scored four runs without getting a hit.  Two WBU pitchers combined for six walks in the inning and there was one Pioneer error.

Cook helped get two of those runs back in the bottom half of the inning.  After Deacon Lucas walked, Cook hit the left center field gap for his team-leading 13th double and 27 RBI of the season.  He later scored on another balk.

Relief pitcher B.J. Myers got the Buffaloes in order in the seventh, but ran into some trouble in the eighth when West Texas put four more runs on the board.  Wayland added one of its own in the inning when Bueno singled to right.  Courtesy runner Donny Duke later scored on a wild pitch to give the Pioneer's the 12-8 advantage.

Myers went back to the mound in the ninth, again retiring the Buffs in order, but not without a "Nuke LaLoosh" moment.  With two down, the freshman from Bridge City, Tex. somehow threw the first pitch to WT right fielder Justin Graham up and over the cover of the Wilder Field grandstand.  Graham later flew out to Reynoso in center to end the game.

Bass, who is in his 12th season as skipper of the Pioneers, has coached at the collegiate level for the past 23 years.  His record at WBU is 339-335-2.   

"I feel humbled and very fortunate to be where I'm at, doing what I've been doing for as long as I have," says Bass, who was 261-184 during 11 seasons at Texas Wesleyan University, prior to coming to Wayland.  "There have been some really good kids involved along the way." 

back to top

BATS STAY SILENT IN SECOND STRAIGHT CONFERENCE LOSS

The Pioneers scored the first 12 runs in the three-game series against USAO at Wilder Field, but unfortunately the Drovers picked up the next 22, winning the final game of the series, 11-0, on a gorgeous Sunday afternoon.  WBU took game one, 10-0, but lost game two 11-2 on Saturday.  Wayland falls to 18-16 on the season and 5-4 in SAC play, while USAO improves to 17-17-1 and 4-5.

On Sunday, USAO jumped out early, scoring five runs on two homers in the top of the first.  Wayland didn't even record their first hit until Bobby Curtis singled up the middle in the third.  Eight of the first nine Pioneer outs were by strikeout. 

Trailing 11-0 in the sixth, WBU mounted a temporary rally.  Jonathan Reynoso and Armando Garza lead the inning off with back-to-back singles up the middle.  Brett Cook followed with a single to right to load the bases with no outs.  Two more strikeouts and a groundout to second negated the scoring opportunity, however.

Stephen Anderson (4-3) took the loss for the Pioneers. Mario Canales pitched the final inning and a third, allowing just one baserunner on a hit batsmen. WBU returns to action Tuesday afternoon with a 1 p.m. home match-up against West Texas A&M University. 

back to top

PIONEERS AND USAO SPLIT DOUBLEHEADER

It was a tale of two games Saturday evening at Wilder Field. The opener of the Sooner Athletic Conference doubleheader between Wayland Baptist and the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma was all Wayland. Darren Davis pitched a three-hit complete game shutout and the Pioneer batters belted out 11 hits, including three homers in the 12-0 WBU victory.

In the nightcap, USAO sophomore Nate Hammons gave up four hits and struck out 12, and his offense produced five doubles among their 14 hits in an 11-2 USAO win.

The Pioneers exploded for eight runs in the third inning of the first game. Jonathan Reynoso started things off with a double in the gap to left center. Back-to-back singles by Armando Garza and Brett Cook scored Reynoso and Johnathan Torres drew a walk to load the bases. Sophomore leftfielder Weston Rhodes, who went three-for-three in the game, picked up his first RBI of the day on a single through the right side.

After Matt Knobbe walked to load the bases once again, Eric Brown hit a grand slam over the right center field fence to make it 7-0. One out later, catcher Brian Bueno hit a line drive over the left field fence for his first home run of the season.

Cook scored an unearned run in the fourth, and then Reynoso closed out the game with a walk-off three run homer in the fifth that gave WBU the run-rule victory.

Davis (3-4), the SAC’s strikeout leader, struck out eight in the game. He got into trouble just one time, giving up a lead off double in the second. The senior from Clovis, NM, retired that runner at third on a fielder’s choice.

“Darren did an incredible job,” says Pioneer head coach Brad Bass. “He threw like a quality number one pitcher in the SAC. He figured out early what was working and he stuck with it.  Offensively, we put together several hits and were able to score some runs, which we don’t always do when Darren pitches.”

WBU struck first in game two when Reynoso blasted his second homer of the day, a two-run shot to left field in the third. The Drovers came back to take the lead in the fourth, scoring three unearned runs after one questionable call by the field umpire following a great diving play in the hole by Knobbe who appeared to have a force out at second on a throw from his knees, and a Pioneer error on the very next play.

USAO (16-17-1, 3-5) got two more in the fifth off Pioneer starter Gary Gates (6-3), who struck out seven batters in four-and-two-thirds innings of work.

The Pioneers (18-15, 5-3) had the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth with one out, but a strike out and a ground out ended the threat.

The two teams finish out the three-game series with a single game Sunday afternoon beginning at 1:30 p.m. at Wilder Field.

back to top

USAO SERIES POSTPONED

Rain has caused the postponement of this weekend's Sooner Athletic Conference home baseball series against the University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma.  The first two games of the series will now be played on Saturday, March 31 beginning at 1:00 p.m.  The final game will be played on Sunday, April 1 with the first pitch scheduled to be thrown at 1:30 p.m.

back to top

GATES EARNS PITCHER OF THE WEEK HONORS

Wayland Baptist University pitcher Gary Gates has been named Sooner Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week for March 19-25.

Gates, a junior from Shallowater, scattered six hits over seven innings in the Pioneer's 1-0 victory over Kansas Wesleyan on Friday.  He had two walks and six strikeouts in the game, picking up his team-high sixth win of the season. It was the first shutout of Gates' WBU career.

back to top

REYNOSO'S GRAND SLAM LEADS PIONEERS PAST KWU

Senior Jonathan Reynoso hit a grand slam with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning to give the Pioneers a 17-6 run-rule win over Kansas Wesleyan on Saturday afternoon at Wilder Field.  The win gave WBU the series and improved its record to 17-14 on the season.

"I was very pleased with our pitching this weekend," said Pioneer coach Brad Bass.  "We didn't hit the ball very well, but pitching and defense allowed us to win the series.  Darren (Davis) pitched well enough to win in the first game, we just didn't score any runs for him.  Gary (Gates) did a phenomenal job in his game.  When you win 1-0 you have to play a perfect game, and that's what we did.  Today Stephen did his job.  He got us into the sixth inning with the lead, and we got the key hits when we needed to."

The visitors had the early advantage with a solo home run in the top of the first.  Brett Cook put the Pioneers on the board in their half of the inning with a two-run shot that landed in the left field bullpen.   WBU got two more runs in the second when Matt Knobbe hit a lead-off double down the left field line and came home on catcher Javier Garcia's single to center.  Garcia advanced to second on the throw home, and then a wild pitch moved courtesy runner Blake Burrow to third.  With the suicide squeeze on, Eric Brown laid a beautiful bunt down the first base side that scored Burrow and put the Pioneers up 4-1.

KWU got another solo homer in the fourth, then made it 4-3 in the fifth.  The Pioneers, who had managed just three hits in the first five innings, broke the game open after two costly KWU errors led to seven Wayland runs in the sixth.  Armando Garza started things off with a single up the middle.  After Cook and Jonathan Torres walked to load the bases, Westin Rhoads hit a sharp grounder that the Coyote third baseman fielded cleanly.  The throw home went off the catcher's glove, allowing both Garza and Cook to score.  Knobbe walked to load the bases once again, and Bobby Curtis hit two-run double to right center.  A passed ball, a sacrifice fly by Reynoso and a RBI single by Garza finished out the scoring for Wayland. 

Kansas Wesleyan got three runs in the top of the seventh to close the gap back to five at 11-6, but WBU ended it in the bottom of the inning.  Torres picked up his second walk of the game with one out, followed by Rhoads's single to left.  After a wild pitch advanced both runners, Knobbe got a RBI ground out.  Rhoads scored on another wild pitch, and three straight walks loaded the bases for Reynoso, who drove a 1-2 pitch over the left centerfield wall, ending the game.

Stephen Anderson picked up his fourth win of the season, going 5-2/3 innings.  The senior struck out a career-high 12 batters.  Mario Canales retired all three batters he faced in the seventh.

back to top

WBU SPLITS DOUBLEHEADER WITH KWU

The Pioneers wasted a good pitching performance by Darren Davis in game one of a 3-2 loss to Kansas Wesleyan University, but Gary Gates earned his first career shutout in a 1-0 win in the nightcap. 

Davis (2-4) allowed just five hits and struck out 10 in seven innings of work, but the Pioneers could muster just five hits themselves in the game.  Johnathan Torres had a double and a single to record two of the five hits.   Torres also had the lone RBI for Wayland, singling home Jonathan Reynoso in the third inning.   Brett Cook scored the only other run in the first when he singled, advanced to third on Torres's double down the left field line, and then crossed home plate on a balk.

The score was knotted at two going into the seventh, but the Coyotes scored what would be the winning run after an infield single, a sacrifice bunt, and a RBI single through the right side with two outs.  WBU threatened in the bottom of the inning when Bobby Curtis reached first on a lead-off walk.  Eric Brown reached safely with a bunt single, but a fielder's choice, a strikeout and a fly out ended the game. 

Cook got three of the five Pioneer hits in the second game and scored the only run with two outs in the bottom of the sixth when he doubled down the right field line.  Cook advanced to third when the throw back in from the right fielder bounced off the second base bag into shallow left field.  WBU coach Brad Bass waved Cook on home, and the sophomore from Kearny, Ariz., slid under the tag at home.

Gates (6-2) pitched the complete game, allowing six hits and striking out six batters.  Torres and catcher B.J. Myers picked up the other two Pioneer hits.  Myers also made the defensive play of the day when he dove full-length across the bag to catch a pop-up in the fifth inning.

The Pioneers (16-14) and Coyotes (8-17) play the final game of the three game series Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m., weather permitting.

back to top

PIONEERS DEFEAT ENMU 10-5

The Pioneers came from behind to defeat Eastern New Mexico 10-5 at Greyhound Field in Portales.  The non-conference win improved the Pioneer’s season record to 15-13 overall. 

ENMU jumped to a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a sac fly to left field.  WBU responded with a four-run outburst in the third.  Eric Brown started things off with a two-out walk, stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by the catcher.  After another walk by Jonathan Reynoso, Matt Knobbe reached on a fielding error, scoring Brown.  Brett Cook walked to load the bases, and then Johnathan Torres had a two-run single to left.  Weston Rhoads followed that up with another single to score Cook.

The Pioneers scored again in the fifth after a lead off double by Cook and a RBI single by Torres.  In the sixth, WBU got two more on an infield single by Cook, which scored Bobby Curtis and Reynoso.

Rhoads led the seventh inning off with a double, followed by a walk to Deacon Lucas.  Curtis singled home Rhoads, and Lucas crossed the plate on a fielder’s choice by Brown.

Cook scored his third run of the game in the eighth after another infield single.  The sophomore third baseman then stole second, advanced to third on a groundout and came home on a balk.

Stephen Anderson (3-2) went five innings to get the win for the Pioneers.  The senior allowed three runs on five hits and struck out four. 

WBU returns home for a three-game series on Friday and Saturday against Kansas Wesleyan University.  The Friday doubleheader begins at 4 p.m.  

back to top

WBU ENDS LONG ROAD TRIP AT OKLAHOMA BAPTIST

The Pioneers wrapped up a week-long road trip by dropping two of three Sooner Athletic Conference games to Oklahoma Baptist.  The teams split Friday with Wayland taking the first game, 6-5, in eight innings, and OBU coming back in the nightcap to win, 6-3.  The Bison took the series with a 7-2 victory on Saturday.

In the victory on Friday, Wayland had a big second inning, scoring three runs on three hits.  Westin Rhoads started things off with a one out single through the left side, and then advanced to third when Deacon Lucas hit a ball that rolled through the legs of Bison shortstop Frank Avilla.  Rhoads scored when Brian Bueno singled down the right field line and  Lucas moved to third.   A walk by Bobby Curtis loaded the bases for Eric Brown, who hit a two-run single through the left side.

The Pioneers went up 4-2 in third when Brett Cook beat out a throw to first on an infield hit, then advanced to second on the throw by the Bison second baseman.  Johnathan Torres then picked up the RBI with a single through the left side.  OBU came back to retake the lead with a three-run fifth, but Wayland tied things up in the sixth after a lead-off double by Curtis, a sacrifice bunt by Brown and a RBI single to left by Jonathan Reynoso.

Senior relief pitcher Mike Irby kept the Bison off the board in the sixth and seventh.  Brown led off the eighth with a walk, then advanced to third on Brett Cook's two out single to center.  Brown scored what would be the game-winning run on a wild pitch.  Irby retired the Bison in order in the bottom of the eighth to pick up his first win of the season.

In game two, Wayland took an early 2-0 lead on a two-run single by catcher B.J. Myers, but OBU got two in the third, three more in the fourth and one in the fifth to take a 6-2 lead.  The Pioneers threatened in the sixth when they loaded the bases with one out, but a weak grounder back to the pitcher and a routine fly ball ended the inning with just one run scored.

On Saturday, the WBU hitters apparently took the day off.   The Pioneers collected just two hits in the finale and struck out a season-high 16 times.   Matt Knobbe, the only WBU batter without a strikeout in the game, doubled in the first and recorded the team's lone RBI with a sacrifice fly in the sixth.  Johnathan Torres picked up the only other Pioneer hit, also a double, in the seventh.

Wayland is now 14-13 overall and 4-2 in the Sooner Athletic Conference play.  The Pioneers return to the road on Tuesday for a 6 p.m. game against Eastern New Mexico University in Portales.

back to top

BASEBALL TEAM GOES 1-2 IN ABILENE TOURNAMENT

Rainy weather on Monday in Abilene forced some shuffling of Tuesday's games in the Abilene City Tournament.  The Pioneers were originally scheduled to play Southwestern (TX) University at noon on Tuesday and Hardin Simmons at 4 p.m.  Instead, WBU faced College of the Southwest at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, then matched up at 6:30 that evening against HSU. 

Wayland got its first road win of the season in the opener, getting 23 hits in a 16-8 victory over CSW.  The bats got ten more hits against Hardin Simmons, but could plate only four runs in an 11-4 loss.   On Wednesday, the Pioneers were held to just four hits in a 13-3 loss to McMurry.

The top of the order finally got their sticks working against CSW.  Jonathan Reynoso and Matt Knobbe had four hits a piece, including three doubles, a home run and four RBI for Reynoso.  Knobbe had three RBI and a double.  Brett Cook and Johnathan Torres had three hits and a couple of RBI each in the three and four holes, as did nine hole hitter Eric Brown, who recorded two doubles.

Reynoso and Knobbe got things started with back-to-back doubles.  Cook sacrificed home Knobbe to make it 2-0.  The Pioneers got another in the second after a lead off double by Brown, a stolen base, and a single by Knobbe.  WBU brought 11 hitters to the plate in the third, scoring six runs.  Westin Rhoads got on with an infield single.  Deacon Lucas followed with a single to center, then Brian Bueno knocked in Rhoads with a hit to left center.  After Bobby Curtis walked, Brown brought home Lucas with a single.  Reynoso got his first RBI of the game on a fielder's choice, then Knobbe singled in Curtis.  Cook hit one through the right side that scored Brown, and Torres hit one to left field which concluded the scoring.

The Pioneers scored two each in the fourth, fifth and sixth.  Reynoso hit his fourth homer of the season in the eighth with a solo home run.  Gary Gates improved to 5-1, pitching seven innings.  Kody Bueermann, making his first varsity appearance, threw the final two innings.

Torres, Rhoads and Armando Garza had two hits each in the loss to HSU.  Torres and Garza had the only two extra base hits for the Pioneers, both doubles.  The Pioneers made four errors in the game and used five pitchers.  Gary Zacher started and got the loss, going four-and-a-third innings.

Six pitchers made an appearance in the loss on Wednesday to McMurry.  Rodolfo Olavarria started and earned the loss.  Mike Irby pitched three-and-two thirds, allowing just one run. 

Rhoads got two of the four Pioneer hits.  Torres picked up two RBI on a sacrifice fly in the sixth and an RBI single in the eighth.  Brown scored two of the three runs and had the only other hit. 

The Pioneers were within striking distance after scoring two in the top of the eighth to make it 5-3, but McMurry broke the game open in the bottom half of the inning with eight runs on six hits and three hit batsmen.

WBU has a day off before resuming Sooner Athletic Conference play with a three-game series at Oklahoma Baptist beginning Friday afternoon.    

back to top

PIONEERS REMAIN WINLESS AWAY FROM HOME

The Pioneers played the first of seven games in six days, all on the road, Monday afternoon in Alpine, Tex. against Sul Ross State University.  Unfortunately for Wayland, the road trip didn't get off to a good start as the Pioneers could muster only five hits in an 8-2 loss.

The game began promisingly enough.  Jonathan Reynoso led off the game with a single to right center and eventually scored on a RBI groundout by Brett Cook.  Freshman Bobby Curtis made it 2-0 in the second with a solo home run, his first of the season, but SRSU pitcher Michael Otero shut things down from that point, allowing just three more Pioneer base runners over the course of the next seven innings in getting a complete game win.

Mario Canales (0-2) took the loss for WBU, which fell to 12-9 on the season.   

back to top

DAVIS EARNS PITCHER OF THE WEEK HONORS

Wayland Baptist University pitcher Darren Davis has been named Sooner Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week for March 5-11.

Davis, a senior form Clovis, N.M., shut out St. Gregory's University 4-0 in the first game of a three-game series last Friday on four hits and a walk, while striking out nine batters.  He threw just 93 pitches in the seven-inning complete game.

It was the first shutout of Davis' WBU career.

back to top

COOK LEADS PIONEERS TO SERIES SWEEP

Sophomore third baseman Brett Cook went four-for-five with three doubles and a home run to help lead the Pioneers to a 12-5 Sooner Athletic Conference win over St. Gregory's on Saturday afternoon at Wilder Field.  The victory gives WBU the series sweep over SGU.

As they did in game two on Friday night, the Pioneers gave up a run in the first inning of Saturday’s contest to fall behind, 1-0.  Westin Rhoads got the home team on the board in the second with his second home run of the season.  Wayland took the lead for good in the third when Cook hit a two-out double and designated hitter Johnathan Torres, who returned to the lineup this week after undergoing wrist surgery just prior to the start of the season, got his first hit and first RBI of the spring.

The Pioneers broke the game open in the fifth when they scored seven runs, all with two outs. WBU added two more in the sixth on Cook’s two-run homer, and then Cook scored the final run in the eighth after leading the inning off with his third double of the game.

Senior Stephen Anderson (2-1) got the win for the Wayland, which has won six straight and is 12-8 on the season.  Torres had three hits in the game, while Rhoads and Eric Brown got two hits each.  Brown had the only other extra base hit in the game for the Pioneers, a double.

In the three game series, Cook hit .700 in the three-game series with eight hits and seven runs scored.  Six of his eight hits went for extra bases, including five doubles and a home run.  The Kearny, Ariz. native had a slugging percentage of 1.455 and an on base percentage of .750.   

The Pioneers are on the road for the next seven games beginning Monday in Alpine when they take on Sul Ross State. They follow that single game up with two games on Tuesday and one on Wednesday in a tournament in Abilene. The team concludes the week in Shawnee, Okla. for a three-game conference series against Oklahoma Baptist University.

back to top

PIONEERS BEGIN CONFERENCE WITH DOUBLEHEADER WIN

The Pioneers of Wayland Baptist got Sooner Athletic Conference play off to a good start with a double-header sweep of St. Gregory's University on day one of their two day series Friday afternoon at Wilder Field.  In the opener, the Pioneers' senior Darren Davis won a pitching duel with SGU senior Chris Kuch.  The Clovis, NM native threw his first career shutout at WBU, allowing just four hits and striking out nine in a 4-0 victory. 

The Pioneers scored all four of their runs in the fourth inning.  Shortstop Matt Knobbe led the inning off with a walk, then advanced to third on a base hit to right center by Brett Cook.  Knobbe stole home with Westin Rhoads at the plate.  After a wild pitch advanced Cook to second, Rhoads brought the sophomore third baseman in with a single to left center.  Deacon Lucas pounded the first pitch he saw off the light standard in right field to record his third homer of the season and give his team the four run lead. 

WBU had eight hits in the game, led by Cook and freshman Bobby Curtis who had two each.  Curtis had the only other extra base hit in the game, a double down the right field line. 

 The Cavaliers scored their first run of the series in the first inning of the nightcap, but the Pioneers responded with 11 runs on 10 hits in an 11-2 victory.   Gary Gates got his fourth win of the season and his second straight complete game.  The Shallowater junior gave up five hits and struck out eight in his seven innings of work.

Gates was helped out early in the game by some outstanding defense.  SGU had the bases loaded with one out in the second and had runners on first and third with one out in the third, but second baseman Eric Brown and Knobbe rolled up an inning ending double play in each instance.  Senior Jonathan Reynoso made the play of the day in the fifth when he slipped and fell while chasing a long fly ball in center.  Reynoso made the catch from his backside, robbing Cavalier first baseman Chris Brown of at least a double.

Reynoso and Lucas each homered in the fourth inning.  Lucas led off with a towering blast to left, while Reynoso's was a two-run shot to right field.  Cook again recorded two hits, both doubles.  Lucas and B.J. Myers also had two hits each, and Rhoads and Curtis each doubled.

The completion of the three-game series takes place Saturday afternoon at 1:00 on Wilder Field.

back to top

PIONEERS TURN AWAY WEST TEXAS A&M

Senior second baseman Eric Brown went three-for-three with a double and a two-run homer to lead the Pioneers to a 13-6 win over West Texas A&M Tuesday evening at Wilder Field. 

WBU had 14 hits in the game.  Brett Cook went two-for-three with a double and a team-high three RBI.  Westin Rhoads and Deacon Lucas also had two hits each.  Jonathan Reynoso got things going with a double to lead-off the game.  The Pioneers scored two unearned runs in the 1st to take a 2-1 lead, then went up 4-1 in the second on Cook's two-run double.

The Buffaloes tied it up with two runs in the fourth, but WBU got back on top to stay with an unearned run in the bottom of the inning.  Back-to-back singles by Lucas and catcher Brian Bueno to lead off the fifth resulted in another run on Bobby Curtis's sacrifice fly.  The Pioneers got another run in the sixth and two more in the seventh after Curtis started the inning off with a double then scored on Brown's third home run of the season.

Three straight singles in the eighth, a WT error, Brown's double, and a two-run single by Armando Garza closed out the Wayland scoring.

Senior Stephen Anderson (1-1) got the win in relief of starter Mario Canales.   Anderson pitched three scoreless innings, giving up three hits and striking out two.

The Pioneers open Sooner Athletic Conference play on Friday at Wilder Field with a doubleheader against St. Gregory's University beginning at 4 p.m.

back to top

THIRD GAME IN CSW SERIES CANCELLED

The Pioneer's final game of the three-game series against College of the Southwest has been cancelled due to cold weather.

back to top

HOME SWEET HOME

The Pioneers won the first two games of a three-game series against College of the Southwest at Wilder Field on Friday by scores of 4-3 and 11-1.  Senior Darren Davis and junior Gary Gates each pitched complete game four-hitters in earning the victories.   Davis picked up his first win of the season in the opener, allowing two earned runs and striking out 11 in seven innings of work.  In the nightcap, Gates won his third game, striking out a career high 13 in six innings.

WBU fell behind 2-0 in the first game, but tied it in the fourth when Brett Cook and Matt Knobbe drew back-to-back walks to start the inning.  Freshman Paul Rodriguez hit a single to shallow center to load the bases, and Westin Rhoads picked up the Pioneer's first RBI on a fielder's choice.  Deacon Lucas evened things up with a single to right.

The Mustangs regained the lead in the sixth with a solo home run to left by Tony Salazar, but the Pioneers put together a two out rally in the bottom half of the inning.  Senior second baseman Eric Brown got things started with a solo shot to left field.  After Jonathan Reynoso was hit by a pitch, Brian Bueno singled up the middle.  Cook walked to load the bases and Knobbe got the game-winning RBI with another walk.

The Wayland batters came alive in the second game, collecting seven extra base hits including five doubles, a triple and Cook's third homer of the season.  Reynoso started the hit parade off with a lead off double to left in the bottom of the first.  Cook traded places with Reynoso with one out, then Rhoads got the third double of the inning with two down.  Deacon Lucas brought home Cook with a RBI single.

The Pioneers got two more runs in the second, one in the third on Brown's RBI triple, and another in the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Rhoads.  They ended the game early with a four-run sixth highlighted by Cook's homer, a ground rule double in the left field corner by Knobbe, and a double by freshman catcher B.J. Myers.

The two teams will complete the series with a nine-inning game beginning at 1 p.m. on Saturday. 

back to top

JEFFRESS SUFFERS SEASON-ENDING INJURY

Todd Jeffress, a 2006 All-Sooner Athletic Conference pitcher for the Wayland Baptist University Pioneers, will miss the remainder of the 2007 baseball season. The 6’3 junior from Plainview has a partial tear of the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his right elbow.

Jeffress made two appearances on the mound this season for the Pioneers, giving up four hits without allowing an earned run and striking out 18 in 11.2 innings. He was named SAC Pitcher of the Week after throwing a no-hitter in his first start against Northwood University.

“The bad news is that Todd was throwing better than he ever has, and his loss will definitely be felt,” says WBU head coach Brad Bass. “The good news, if there is such a thing in this situation, is that the injury does not require surgery, and it happened early enough in the season that he can apply for a medical red-shirt and we’ll have him back for two more years.”

Junior Gary Gates (2-1) of Shallowater is expected to take Jeffress’ spot in the WBU rotation.

The injury is the second to hit the Pioneer pitching staff this season. Bullpen ace Richard Cruz, a senior who was 5-2 with a 2.84 ERA last spring, suffered a similar injury during preseason workouts in January.

WBU begins a seven game home stand this weekend. The Pioneers take on College of the Southwest in a three-game series beginning with a doubleheader on Friday at 4 p.m. The third game of the series is Saturday afternoon at 1:00.

back to top

PIONEERS LOSE AT HARDIN SIMMONS

The Wayland Baptist baseball team lost its fourth straight road game Tuesday afternoon in Abilene when Hardin Simmons came back from a nine run deficit to beat the Pioneers, 14-13.  

The Pioneers jumped out on top in the third inning with seven runs on six hits. Sophomore left fielder Westin Rhoads had a two-run single in the inning.  Matt Knobbe highlighted the four-run sixth with a two RBI single that put the Pioneers up 11-2.  Things began to fall apart for WBU in the sixth when three walks, an error and one big hit, a grand slam, resulted in five unearned runs for the Cowboys.

Deacon Lucas, who had three hits in the game, belted his second home run of the season in the seventh, a two-run shot that put the Pioneers back up, 13-7.

HSU plated another run in the bottom half of the inning, added two more in the eighth, and scored four in the ninth to hand the Pioneers their eighth loss of the season.

Wayland returns to Wilder Field for a seven game home stand beginning Friday with a three-game series against College of the Southwest. The doubleheader on Friday begins at 4 p.m.

back to top

WBU SWEPT BY RAMS

The Wayland Baptist Pioneers were swept in the final two games of a three-game series at Texas Wesleyan University on Monday in Ft. Worth.  The Pioneers were held to just three hits in a 3-0 loss in game one, then fell 11-4 in the nightcap.

Darren Davis, a senior, pitched a complete game in game one, allowing just one earned run on six hits and recording seven strikeouts.  The earned run came on a home run ball that just cleared the short fence in right at LaGrave Field.

Sophomore third baseman Brett Cook picked up two of the three WBU hits.   Paul Rodriguez, the freshman designated hitter, also singled.

Jonathan Reynoso, the senior centerfielder, went 3-for-4 with a home run in the second game of the day.  Eric Brown picked up his first homer of the year, a solo shot in the third inning.  Sophomore left fielder Westin Rhodes had two hits in the game.

The Pioneers are now 6-7 on the year.  They play a single nine-inning game Tuesday afternoon against Hardin Simmons University in Abilene.

back to top

KNOBBE HITS THREE-RUN BLAST IN LOSS

Texas Wesleyan University (7-2) used a two-out rally in the fifth inning to defeat the Pioneers (6-4) by a score of 4-3 at LaGrave Field in Ft. Worth on Sunday.

WBU's Mario Canales and TWU's Caleb Thomas dueled early, putting up zeros through the first four innings, although the Pioneers threatened in both the second and third.

Freshman DH Paul Rodriguez led off the second with a single, and then advanced to third on Bobby Curtis's one-out double down the right field line, but a strike out and a ground out ended that threat.  In the third, Matt Knobbe reached on an error with one out.  After Brett Cook walked, Knobbe advanced to third on an error by the Ram's catcher.  Cook then stole second, but again the runners were left in scoring position.

The Pioneers finally got to Thomas in the fifth when Knobbe launched his fourth homer of the year, a three-run blast to left.   Canales got two quick outs in the bottom of the fifth, but a walk and four singles plated four runs for TWU.

Senior Mike Irby pitched the final three innings for the Pioneers, giving up just one hit.  Wayland got seven hits off the Rams, but struck out eight times and left seven men on base.

The two teams meet again Monday for a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.

back to top

PIONEERS GET DOUBLEHEADER SPLIT WITH 10TH INNING WIN

Sophomore leftfielder Westin Rhoads hit a little ground ball past a diving first baseman in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the Pioneers a 4-3 win in the second of  a doubleheader with #9 Bellevue University Friday afternoon at Wilder Field.  Rhoads' ball was softly hit, but took a funny bounce and it was just enough to bring home Bobby Curtis at second base for the game's winning run.

Gary Gates started game two for the Pioneers, pitching six strong innings, allowing five hits and just one run while striking out nine.  Rudy Melendez pitched the top of the tenth to earn his first collegiate win.  Matt Knobbe was 2-for-3 with a double in the game.  Catcher Brian Bueno also had a pair of hits.

Stephen Anderson took the loss in the first game, won by the Bruins, 10-7.  The Pioneers out-hit the visitors 12-11, but Bellevue took advantage of strong southwesterly wind, hitting three home runs, including a grand slam in the seven-run third.  Rhoads hit his first of the year for the Pioneers, a two-run shot in the bottom of the third.  Rhoads also had a two-run single in the fourth.  Brett Cook went 3-for-4 at the plate with a triple and two runs scored.   Freshman designated hitter Paul Rodriguez got the only other extra base hit for WBU, a run-scoring double in the sixth.

The Pioneers travel to Ft. Worth on Sunday for three games against Texas Wesleyan University, which were originally to be played back on Feb. 2 and 3.  A single nine-inning game will be played on Sunday afternoon at 2:30 p.m.  A doubleheader will be start beginning at 1 p.m. on Monday. 

back to top

ERRORS CONTINUE TO PLAGUE PIONEERS

Last week the Pioneers managed to split a four-game series with Avila University despite committing 14 errors.   The fielding didn't improve any over the past four days as WBU made four fielding miscues in an 11-5 loss to ninth-ranked Bellevue University.

WBU starter Darren Davis kept the Bruins scoreless in the first three innings, but the Pioneers couldn't take advantage at the plate, leaving runners in scoring position with less than two outs in both the first and third innings.

The visitors scored three runs in both the fourth and fifth innings, then one in the sixth.  WBU senior shortstop Matt Knobbe got his third home run of the season in the bottom of the sixth with a two-run shot to left. 

The Pioneers got another run in the seventh when Bobby Curtis led off with a double to left center, advanced to third on pinch hitter Brian Bueno's single up the middle, and scored on a Deacon Lucas sacrifice fly.  Two more Wayland runs crossed the plate in the ninth when the Pioneers got four singles and a bases loaded walk.

Knobbe got three hits in the game, while Lucas and Brett Cook each had a pair.  Bellevue pitcher Tyler Espland pitched seven innings for the win, giving up three runs (one earned) on seven hits and recording 10 strikeouts.

The Bruins and Pioneers face off again on Friday with a doubleheader beginning at 4 p.m. 

back to top

LUCAS HITS WALK-OFF HOME RUN TO GIVE PIONEERS THE SPLIT

Deacon Lucas had a miserable weekend at the plate during the Pioneers four-game series with Avila University, but that all changed with his final at bat.  The senior left fielder from Salem, Ore. took the first pitch he saw to lead off the bottom of the seventh inning and put it over the fence in right field to give the Pioneers a 9-8 win in the second game of the Saturday doubleheader.

Rodolfo Olavarria earned his second win of the weekend, pitching the final inning and a third, allowing just one hit and striking out three.  Matt Knobbe, who had two hits in the game, picked up his third home run of the season, a two-run shot in the second.  Brett Cook also had two hits, including a double, and freshman Paul Rodriguez recorded two RBI.

Cook scored WBU's only run in the first game with a solo homer in the bottom of the first.  The Pioneers fell to Avila in that game 14-1 in five innings.  Todd Jeffress had the only other Wayland hit, a double to lead off the fourth.

The Pioneers are now 5-2 on the season and will take on #9 Bellevue University in a three-game series beginning Thursday at Wilder Field.

back to top

PIONEERS SPLIT WITH AVILA

The weather was beautiful in game one of the Pioneer's Friday afternoon doubleheader with Avila University, temperatures were in the low 60's and the wind was blowing out to left field about 20 mph.   Maybe the good weather was a jinx, because WBU lost that first game by a score of 19-9.  The weather turned bad in the nightcap, and Wayland came from behind to get the split, 8-7. 

The Eagles were up 8-0 before the Pioneers got their first hit in the third inning, and then put another run up in the top of the fourth.  Wayland responded with three runs in their half of the inning when Eric Brown and Matt Knobbe led off with back-to-back singles and Bobby Curtis walked.  An error by the left fielder plated Brown and Knobbe, then Todd Jeffress hit a double to left center to bring in the freshman first baseman.

Avila scored two unearned runs in the top of the fifth, but the Pioneers made it interesting in the bottom half of the inning.  Catcher B.J. Myers got his first hit as a Pioneer with a solo home run to left field.  Brown doubled to right and Knobbe followed with a two-run blast.  After Curtis drew another walk, third baseman Brett Cook hit a three-run bomb to right center field to make the score 11-9.

After a scoreless sixth, the Eagles exploded for eight runs on six hits and three WBU errors in the seventh.

The second game started out as a pitcher's duel, but then gusty north winds blew a cold front through in the fourth turning an otherwise pleasant evening at the ballpark into a fairly miserable one for both players and fans. 

Pioneer starter Todd Jeffress gave up his first hit of the season with two outs in the fourth, then surrendered his first run of the year in the fifth.  WBU finally put a crooked number on the board in the home half of the fifth on a bases loaded walk by Cook and a two-run single by freshman Paul Rodriguez. 

Things got ugly in the sixth.  Avila's lead off batter reached on a throwing error.  Jeffress got his seventh strikeout of the night on the next hitter, then induced the next two batters into potential double-play ground balls.  Unfortunately neither resulted in an out as WBU committed two more errors.   Six runs, five of which were unearned, eventually scored in the inning, putting the visitors up 7-3.

The wind played havoc with the Avila outfielders in the Wayland half of the sixth.  A dropped fly in center to lead off the inning put Deacon Lucas on second.  Brown doubled him home with a double to right center.  Knobbe traded places with Brown on another ball that the wind carried to the right centerfield fence.  Curtis picked up his second hit of the game on a single up the middle.  After Knobbe scored on a wild pitch, Myers launched a triple into the right field corner to tie the game, then scored on a passed ball to give the Pioneers the 8-7 lead.

Rodolfo Olavarria, who came on in relief of Jeffress in the sixth, retired the side in order in the seventh to earn the win for the Pioneers.

 The two teams meet for another double dip on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. at Wilder Field.

back to top

JEFFRESS NAMED PITCHER OF THE WEEK

Wayland Baptist pitcher Todd Jeffress has been named Sooner Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week for Feb. 5-11.  He is the first honoree of the season.

Jeffress, a 6-4 junior from Plainview, hurled a complete-game no-hitter against Region VI foe Northwood University.  Jeffress was an error away from a perfect game and had a career-best 10 strikeouts. He threw 99 pitches in the game, 69 of which were strikes.  The Knights never got the ball out of the infield.

The Pioneers swept the three-game series with Northwood.

back to top

PIONEERS COME FROM BEHIND IN WIN

The series finale against Northwood University was delayed two hours on Saturday in hopes that the cold and damp weather would improve. It didn't, but the Pioneers' late inning heroics warmed everybody up in a 7-6 come-from-behind ten inning victory.

Senior Stephen Anderson got the start on the mound for Wayland. Anderson went four-and-two-thirds innings, allowing five hits and two earned runs with four strikeouts.

Northwood threatened early when leftfielder Nick Littrell led the game off with a double to left, then advanced to third on a fielder’s choice. A nifty double play that started when a ball that looked to be headed up the middle caromed off Anderson’s glove over to shortstop Matt Knobbe, who threw on to second baseman Eric Brown. Brown’s throw to first made it in time, and the top half of the inning was over.

Deacon Lucas got the Pioneer’s on the board in their half of the first on a base hit. He stole second and scored on a Knight error. Northwood tied it up in the fourth on a home run by catcher Chris McGuire.

A five run fifth put the Knights up 6-2, but WBU responded with one run in the bottom of the inning, and three in the eighth. Knobbe got his second RBI of the game in the eighth with a double down the left field line. Sophomore Westin Rhoads, who got the start in left field, tied the game up with a two-RBI single up the middle.

Neither team scored in the ninth. Junior reliever Gary Gates retired the side, but the Pioneers failed to convert with a runner in scoring position and one out. Gates again held Northwood to three-and-out in the tenth, and Wayland had another chance.

Knights pitcher Tyler Marrujo hit freshman catcher B.J. Myers to lead off the inning. Freshman first baseman Bobby Curtis sacrificed courtesy runner Blake Burrow to second. Rhoads grounded out to the shortstop to move Burrow to third, and then Northwood coach Todd Johnson intentionally walked Lucas and Cook to load the bases for designated hitter Todd Jeffress, who slammed Marrujo’s pitch to the wall in right field for the game winner.

Gates picked up his second win of the series with 2-1/3 hitless innings of relief.

The Pioneers return to action this weekend (weather permitting) with a four-game series against Avila College from Kansas City.

back to top

PIONEERS OPEN SEASON WITH DOUBLEHEADER SWEEP

The weather was cold and damp, but the pitching was red-hot as the Pioneers took the first two games of a three-game series against Northwood University on Friday, 3-2 and 10-0.    WBU pitchers Darren Davis and Gary Gates combined to allow just five hits and two runs in the opener, while Todd Jeffress threw a no-hitter in the nightcap.   The three Pioneers walked only one batter in the doubleheader and struck out 18.

Davis, a senior, got the start in game one, allowing two runs on just three hits and striking out seven in five innings of work.    Senior centerfielder Jonathan Reynoso hit a solo home run to lead off the sixth inning to break a 2-2 tie, and Gary Gates pitched two shutout innings to earn the win.  The Pioneers got six hits off Northwood starter Justin Ashford, including doubles by senior leftfielder Deacon Lucas, Reynoso and junior designated hitter Todd Jeffress.  Brett Cook, a sophomore third baseman, was two for three with an RBI in game one.

The second game  was called with two on and two outs in the bottom of the sixth due to the mercy rule.  Jeffress struck out a career-high 10 batters without a walk in his six innings of work.  Sixty-nine of his 99 total pitches were strikes.  The Knights never got a ball out of the infield off the Plainview native, and their only baserunner came in the fifth inning on a Pioneer error.

Freshman designated hitter Paul Rodriguez went 2-for-4 in the game with two RBI.  Lucas and Reynoso also had a pair of runs batted in each, and sophomore Westin Rhoads scored three runs running for senior catcher Brian Bueno who had a single and was hit by a pitch twice.

The final game of the series takes place at 12 p.m. on Saturday at Wilder Field.

back to top

TEXAS WESLEYAN SERIES POSTPONED ONCE AGAIN

Expected rain in the Ft. Worth area this weekend has resulted in the Pioneers' three-game series at Texas Wesleyan to be postponed once again.  The make-up dates have tentatively been set for Sunday and Monday, Feb. 25 and 26.  The game on Sunday will be a single nine-inning contest beginning at 3 p.m.  Monday's doubleheader will start at 1 p.m.

back to top

WEEKEND SERIES RESCHEDULED

The Arctic cold front that cancelled the Pioneer season opener against Southwestern Assemblies of God University has also forced the rescheduling of the weekend series at Texas Wesleyan which was to have started Friday, Feb. 2.  The three-game series will now begin with a single, nine-inning game on Sunday, Feb. 11 at 2:30 p.m., followed by a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 12. 

back to top

SEASON OPENER CANCELLED

The Pioneer season opener scheduled for Thursday in Waxahachie, Tex. against Southwestern Assemblies of God University has been cancelled due to the expected Arctic cold front headed this direction. 

back to top

PIONEER SEASON PREVIEW

The 2007 Wayland Baptist Pioneer baseball team will be focused on taking up where the ‘06 team left off.  A year ago, the Pioneers reached the semi-final game of the NAIA Region VI Tournament, the deepest a Pioneer team has ever been in the post-season.

Twelve lettermen are back from that squad, which led the NAIA in doubles (175) and was second in home runs (101) and slugging percentage (.580).  New team batting records were  set in doubles, home runs, slugging percentage, and in runs scored (513).

Among that group of returnees are senior centerfielder Jonathan Reynoso and senior shortstop Matt Knobbe.  Reynoso set a new record for doubles in a season (27) and became the first Pioneer in over a decade to hit for the cycle.  The Chandler, Ariz. native also hit 15 homers and was second on the team in runs batted in with 64, despite spending a majority of the season in the lead-off position.

Knobbe, a native of Phoenix, Ariz., was the anchor of the Pioneer defense which set a school record for best fielding percentage in a season.  He also recorded 23 extra base hits and led the team in sacrifice hits.

Hard-hitting Johnathan Torres, a sophomore leftfielder from Lubbock, Tex., was moved up from the junior varsity team in mid-March and finished the season as the only Pioneer to hit over .400.   Torres, who will most likely move into the role of designated hitter this spring, played in 35 games, hitting .402 with 11 doubles.

“You don’t ever expect to hit the way we did last year, with that kind of power.   We expected to hit the ball well, but the guys just got on a power roll and didn’t stop,” says Coach Brad Bass who is in his 12th season as skipper of the Pioneers.  “This year we have the potential to be similar to what we have been the last three or four years.  We are a young team, but the young guys can hit.”

On the mound, the Pioneers return two of their top three starters from a year ago plus their bullpen ace.  Junior All-Sooner Athletic Conference pitcher Todd Jeffress of Plainview was 8-6 with a 3.97 ERA in 90.2 innings of work, while Clovis, NM senior Darren Davis led the team in strikeouts with 88 in 84 innings.  Working out of the bullpen, senior Richard Cruz, a native of Avondale, Ariz., was the Pioneer pitching MVP last year with a 5-2 record and a team-low 2.84 ERA.  Cruz, however, suffered an elbow injury in the preseason and it is uncertain when he will be able to return.

Inclimate weather in the preseason has cost the Pioneers a lot of time on the field during January, so Bass says that there are questions about his team that he won’t be able to answer until some games have been played.  “Pitching wise, we’ll have to staff the games early.    In the field, people will be playing in different positions and in different combinations until we get a feel for all the new guys… same thing at the plate, a lot of experimenting with different lineups.”

Joining Knobbe on the infield will most likely be Eric Brown and Brett Cook at second and third.  Left-handed hitting freshman Bobby Curtis from Allen, Tex. will get a chance at first, while freshman transfer B.J. Meyers, senior Brian Bueno and sophomore Javier Garcia will share the catching duties.

Brown, a senior from Lake Havasu City, Ariz., who was used primarily as a designated runner, led the team and the conference in stolen bases in 2006.  Cook, of Kearny, Ariz., who was a red-shirt freshman last season at Lamar Community College, also has good speed and he hits from the left side.

“Knobbe is steady," says Bass.  "He doesn’t have the best arm or the best range, but he gets the job done.  He’s the ultimate team player.  He doesn’t mind laying down a bunt or putting on the squeeze.  He knows the game, understands it and makes the most of every play.  He’ll most likely hit in the eight or nine hole for us again this season. 

“Eric has worked hard to improve and to hit for a better average.  He could hit several places in the lineup.  Brett will hit for good average, and hits the ball to left really well.  He should hit in the two hole. 

“Going in, we’ll go with Bobby at first.  He will probably hit seventh or eighth.  He gets on a lot, but takes too many pitches.  We’re working on making him more aggressive at the plate.”

A transfer from Northwestern University in Louisiana where he was a red-shirt last season, Meyers is from Bay City, Tex.  He played for Pioneer assistant coach Josh Milner in the Florida Collegiate League over the summer and should provide the Pioneers some pop in the middle of the lineup.  Bueno of Castroville, Cal. caught in 14 games for WBU last spring, and Garcia transferred in from New Mexico Military Institute.

While Reynoso, who recorded eight outfield assists last spring, will once again be at his post in centerfield, the corners of the Pioneer outfield are not yet set.  Among the candidates are Torres who was the starter in left during the latter half of the season last spring; speedy newcomer Westin Rhoads, a transfer from South Mountain Community College; Jeffress, who batted .339 a year ago; senior Deacon Lucas, who is back after a year layoff; and senior Armando Garza, who can play all three outfield positions;.

“Reynoso is a potential All-American for us in center.  He started out really slow at the plate last season, but came on at the end.  He will probably start out hitting clean-up until we get a look at some of the newcomers.  With the depth we have in the outfield this year, Torres will have more chances to DH.  He will move up from seven to the middle of the order. 

“Westin is new to the loop.  He has a lot of potential and runs really well.  Todd has matured a lot at the plate and had a really good fall.  He could bat as high as the three hole, and play in the outfield or at first.   Deacon understands he needs to get on base, and he has been working really hard in the cages.  Armando has improved every year.  I think his expectations of self have gone up and now he wants and needs a role.”

 Another potential power-hitter in the Pioneer lineup is freshman pitcher T.J. Cordero, according to Bass.

“T.J. wants to be a hitter.  He hasn’t swung in two years, because the baseball academy he attended worked with him only as a pitcher, but when he hits the ball, people duck.  Mechanically he’s not as advanced as he should be, but he will make an impact at the plate at some point.”

Joining Jeffress and Davis in the starting rotation will be Cordero, a 6’5, 240 pounder from the Dominican Republic.  Cordero, who has been clocked in the low 90’s, has spent the past couple of years in a baseball academy sponsored by the Los Angles Angels, and turned down multiple offers from professional teams in order to get a college education from a Christian university.

“Our three starters are interchangeable, physically.  During the recruiting process I wanted a number one so Todd could play in the field the first two games of a series, and then pitch the third.  We found T.J., who is still very young, and I think Darren will be more comfortable in the #1 role.  When Darren is in the zone with his fastball down, there is nobody better.”

Senior Stephen Anderson, who recorded the first WBU no-hitter in over three years last April, was the fourth starter in 2006 with a 4-3 record in 44 innings of work.  The Tucson, Ariz. native is expected to once again fill that role, while Gary Gates will see action both as a starter and in relief.   Gates, a junior from Shallowater, Tex., tied Cruz in appearances last year with 25.

“Stephen Anderson is a dependable fourth starter and Gary Gates has worked really hard to improve and will give us some quality starts.  Those two will also get a lot of work out of the bullpen."

The Pioneer pitching staff suffered a blow with the injury to their closer.  "Richard was our Most Valuable Pitcher last year.  He came up big against some really big teams.  It seemed that the tighter the game was, the more adrenaline he had flowing, the harder he was to hit.  Whether his elbow can handle that role this year is still up in the air."

Playing in the always-tough Sooner Athletic Conference, Coach Bass and the Pioneers know that they have their work cut out for them.  Lubbock Christian finished in third place at the NAIA World Series a year ago and is ranked seventh in the NAIA preseason poll.  Perennial powerhouse Oklahoma City is ranked fourth, and Oklahoma Baptist, who has reloaded its pitching staff with numerous Division I and top junior college transfers, is 28th.  The Pioneers do have 32 of their scheduled 53 games in the friendly confines of Wilder Field, including a big conference series against Oklahoma City on April 13 and 14.  Two of the three games against LCU are also at home the final weekend in April.

“All we can do is take care of ourselves.  The potential is there.”

back to top