Canyon, Tex. – The Oklahoma City University Baseball team was eventually able to get their three-game series against the Wayland Baptist Pioneers underway after multiple days of weather delays. The Stars and the Pioneers played the opening game of their Sooner Athletic Conference series at West Texas A&M University on Sunday night. The contest featured a back-and-forth affair with a dramatic ending—WBU ultimately walked the game off in the bottom of the ninth inning. Small ball played a role in both teams' offenses during the game, which featured a final score of 6-5 in favor of the Pioneers. The Stars dropped their fifth straight game Sunday against WBU and fell to 7-12 during SAC play.
 
WBU 6, Oklahoma City 5


Top Performers
Hunter Lenochan: 3-5, R, SB
Jacob Burkett: 6 IP, 7 K, 2 ER
 
OCU started the scoring off with two runs in the first inning after Barrett Daniel rocked a 2 RBI triple to center field, scoring Trent Kiraly and Hunter Lenochan. The Stars took a 2-0 lead into the third inning before WBU was able to score a run of their own to cut into the OCU lead.
 
Cooper Jauz hit an infield single to starting pitcher Jacob Burkett that brought a run home for the Pioneers.   

Although both offenses were able to score runs relatively early in the ballgame, the starting pitchers dominated. The Pioneers' starting pitcher, Felix Polanco, and Burkett combined for 14 innings pitched and 20 strikeouts.
 
In the fourth inning, OCU was able to add another run of offense via a Hunter Brown solo shot. The Pioneers proceeded to answer with a run of their own in the bottom of the fifth inning, scoring on a Stars' error in the infield and cutting the OCU lead to 3-2.
 
The Stars were able to score on a return gift in the form of a WBU error. Daniel scored on a misplay by the Pioneers' right fielder.  
 
During the sixth inning, the OCU lead was trimmed from 4-2 to 4-3 when Riley Watson drove in a run on his RBI single that he hit to Stars' shortstop, Ethan Rhodes. WBU scored their first four runs of the game by putting the ball into play in the infield.
 
No runs were scored in the seventh inning, but WBU was able to cobble together a strong eighth inning that gave them the lead. Watson collected another RBI with a SAC fly to second base—the SAC fly tied the game at four runs apiece. Following the SAC fly, an RBI single by Christian Toledo brought Arturo Nunez across home plate to give the Pioneers a 5-4 lead.
 
A dramatic ninth inning started when OCU tied the game. Aiden Van Rensum hit a pinch-hit home run to left field. The theatrics continued when WBU right fielder Samuel Fabian walked the game off with an RBI double to right field, scoring Jauz.


Next Up
Oklahoma City will continue its series against WBU on Monday with a doubleheader. Game one is scheduled for 1 PM, with game two slated to begin at 3 PM.   

 
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