The Basics
Game 1 Score: MNU 6 - Wayland Baptist 7
Game 2 Score: MNU 5 - Wayland Baptist 4
Game 3 Score: MNU 28 - Wayland Baptist 10
Game 4 Score: MNU 23 - Wayland Baptist 24
Records: MNU (2-2), WBU (2-2)
Location: Wilder Field | Plainview, Texas
PLAINVIEW, Texas - MNU lost Games 1 and 4 on walk-offs, but salvaged a split in a thrilling 4-game series at Wayland Baptist this weekend. The venue, Wilder Field, lived up to its name. In Game 1, MNU trailed 1-0 until a rally in the 3rd turned the game around.
Randy Fernandez singled and stole second, and
Will Morris walked.
Austin Healy was hit by a pitch to load the bases, and one out later,
Adam Rellihan's fielder's choice grounder tied the game.
Joshuan Sandoval followed with a 3-run homer, and MNU led 4-1.
Wayland tied it in the 4th with a 3-run shot, but MNU pushed across single runs in the 6th and 7th to take a 6-4 lead. In the bottom of the 7th, a leadoff double was followed by a groundout and a walk to bring the winning run to the plate. Wayland's leadoff man then homered over the left field fence to win the game.
Game 1 Turning Point
Wayland's walk-off 3-run homer turned a deficit into a victory.
Game 1 Individual Leaders
Easten Garrett struck out 2 in a 4-inning no decision.
Tommy Castro struck out 2 in 2.1 innings in the loss. And
Jacob Jenkins (2-4),
Joshuan Sandoval (1-3, R, HR, 3 RBI, BB),
Randy Fernandez (1-3, R, 2 SB),
Will Morris (1-2, 2 R, 2B, BB), and
Austin Healy (1-2, R, RBI, HBP) led the offense.
In
Game 2, MNU took a 2-0 lead in the top of the 3rd, and rallied for 3 more in the 4th to take a 5-0 advantage. Wayland fought back with a run in the 4th and 2 more in the 5th, but MNU held the 5-3 lead into the 7th. A double and a single put the tying runs on base with no outs, but a lineout and groundout left Wayland trailing 5-4 with the tying run on 2nd and 2 outs. The game seemingly ended with a soft liner back to the pitcher
Jhon Vargas, but the ball came loose during the celebration and it was ruled an error. Vargas recovered to retire the next hitter and preserve the victory.
Game 2 Turning Point
MNU's 3-run 4th made it 5-0.
Game 2 Individual Leaders
Jhon Vargas struck out 10 in a complete game victory. And
Adam Rellihan (1-3, BB),
Ryan Leo (1-2, R, RBI, BB),
Randy Fernandez (1-3, R), and
Austin Healy (1-3) collected MNU's 4 hits.
In
Game 3, MNU started fast and didn't stop in a record-setting offensive display. Five straight hits started the game for a 4-0 lead. Wayland responded with a 2-run bottom of the 1st, but MNU kept pouring it on. A single run in the 2nd was followed by another big rally in the 3rd.
Jackson Berck and
Austin Healy singled with one out, and
Jacob Jenkins doubled them home.
Adam Rellihan's 2-run homer made it 9-2, but MNU didn't stop there.
Joshuan Sandoval,
Daunte Freeman, and
Brycen Sherwood recorded extra base hits, and MNU led 11-2.
Josh Torrance led off the 4th with a pinch hit homer, and
Adam Rellihan launched a 3-run homer to add on. Seven runs scored in the frame for an 18-2 lead. RBIs in the 5th inning from Sherwood and
Ryan Leo made it 20-3, and a 2-run double from Sandoval in the 6th made it 22-5. Six more runs scored in the top of the 7th, highlighted by a 3-run homer from Berck and a 2-run double by Freeman, and MNU won 28-10.
The 28 runs on 32 hits are MNU records.
Game 3 Turning Point
MNU's 4-run 1st set the tone.
Game 3 Individual Leaders
Kyle Waller struck out 8 in 4.1 innings for the win.
Eric Navarette struck out 5 in 2.2 innings. And
Jacob Jenkins (2-6, 5 R, 2B, 2 RBI, BB),
Adam Rellihan (5-6, 6 R, 2 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, BB),
Joshuan Sandoval (5-6, 3 2B, 4 RBI, BB),
Daunte Freeman (5-6, R, 3 2B, 6 RBI, HBP),
Brycen Sherwood (4-6, 2 R, 2B, 3B, 3 RBI, BB),
Ryan Leo (4-6, 2 R, RBI),
Jackson Berck (4-4, 3 R, HR, 4 RBI, BB),
Josh Torrance (1-1, R, HR, RBI), and
Austin Healy (2-4, 2 R, HBP) had big games at the plate.
In
Game 4, MNU jumped out to a big lead, but the prevailing winds kept no one comfortable. An unearned run in the 1st gave MNU a 1-0 lead, and a rally in the 2nd pushed across 7 more. Six straight hits from Sherwood, Healy, Jenkins, Rellihan, Sandoval, Freeman, and Leo led to a 7-run inning and 8-0 lead, but Wayland dwarfed MNU in the bottom of the inning. Eight runs scored before the first out was recorded, and 6 more crossed before the 2nd out. Fourteen runs on 12 hits, including 4 homers, put the Pioneers down 14-8, but the game was far from over. Both teams scored a single run in the 3rd, but MNU rallied to take the lead in the top of the 4th.
Austin Healy and
Jacob Jenkins hit back-to-back homers for 3 runs, and
Ryan Leo's 2-out 3-run shot tied the game at 15. Wayland took the lead right back in the bottom of the 4th with a solo shot, and the game was relatively calm for the next 2 innings. MNU failed to score in the 5th and 6th, while Wayland managed 3 in the 5th and 0 in the 6th for a 19-15 advantage heading to the final inning.
Austin Healy led off the top of the 7th with a homer, and
Will Morris followed with a single. A couple of fielding miscues kept the inning alive, and MNU capitalized.
Daunte Freeman singled home a run and
Ryan Leo was hit by a pitch to load the bases with 1 out. Pinch hitter
Kyle Waller singled to left for a run, and pinch hitter
Josh Torrance singled home 2 more for a 20-19 lead. After a walk, a strikeout, and an infield single loaded the bases again,
Adam Rellihan gave MNU a 4-run cushion with a 2-run single. But Wayland rallied once more. With 1 out, a single, double, and homer made it 23-22. After a lineout, a double put the tying run on 2nd, and an intentional walk brought up a hitter who was a pinch runner in the 6th with 0 at bats in the series. With 2 strikes, he lofted a slicing fly ball into center field which drifted just out of reach for a game-winning triple, and Wayland celebrated a 24-23 victory.
Game 4 Turning Point
Wayland's walk-off triple was the difference.
Game 4 Individual Leaders
Caleb Jonas hung in the longest with 4 strikeouts over 3.2 innings. And
Jacob Jenkins (2-4, 3 R, HR, BB),
Adam Rellihan (3-4, 4 R, 2B, 3 RBI, BB),
Joshuan Sandoval (3-6, R, 2B, RBI, BB),
Will Morris (2-2, 2 R, RBI),
Daunte Freeman (3-5, 2 R, 2 RBI, HBP),
Ryan Leo (4-5, 2 R, HR, 4 RBI, HBP),
Kyle Waller (1-1, R, RBI),
Josh Torrance (2-3, 2 R, 3 RBI),
Brycen Sherwood (3-5, 3 R, 2 2B, RBI, BB, SB), and
Austin Healy (3-6, 3 R, 2B, 2 HR, 4 RBI) led the offense.
Up Next
The next game is Friday at Oklahoma City (0-0) at 2:00.
