PLAINVIEW, Texas— The Aggies felt some heartache after falling in a three-game series to Wayland Baptist over the weekend at Wilder Field. All three games were one-run losses, one in extra innings and two in walk-off fashion.
The Pioneers bested the Aggies 2-1 in Friday night's Game 1 and were into the fifth inning of Game 2 with the score 4-2 in favor of the Pioneers when a weather delay forced both teams to retire for the night. Starting back up at noon on Saturday, the Aggies rallied back through the sixth when DH
Claytin Beaver powered a three-run homer run over left center to take the Aggies up 5-4 and
Jared Mayeda singled to plate another run and advance the lead, 6-4. The Pioneers' Ozuna slapped a two-run home run of his own over left field to bring in the tying run and force an eighth inning. A single from the Pioneers got a runner on who then advanced to second on a passed ball and a roped single up the middle brought the winning run in to leave the Aggies with the loss.
Joey Goetze would take the loss in Game 1 for his five innings pitched, giving up two runs, issuing four walks and striking out two Pioneers before
Charlie Marini came in to close, dealing out two strikeouts of his own. In Game 2,
Yesiel Valdez pitched five innings, giving up four runs- just three earned- and doled out seven strike outs. Marini entered in relief and gave up two runs off two hits, but
Tyler Bryant would take the loss, giving up the final Pioneers' run of the game.
Game 3 saw the Aggies on the board as
Kasey Leatherwood homered to left center to bring in three runs and get the early lead in the top of the first, but the Pioneers answered back with two runs of their own in the bottom of the frame, and they evened the score 3-3 in the fourth. A double and a sac bunt in the seventh pulled the Pioneers ahead 5-3, but the Aggies would not give up. In the top of the eighth, a single from
Jaylon Burnett scored
Aaron Moreno and a sac fly from Beaver brought in the tying run, and the Pioneers gave the Aggies the go ahead with a bases loaded walk, 6-5. The Pioneers continued to battle, plating a run off an RBI double in the bottom of the eighth to once again tie the score, 6-6, before a bases-loaded squeeze would bring in their winning run.
The Game 3 starter
Nicholas Virdo would give up three runs off seven hits and issue four walks, and
Corey Ley would take the loss on the day after giving up four runs off five hits.
After this series the Aggies have dropped to sixth in the SAC, holding a 17-18 record on the season and sitting 8-10 in conference. The team will look to gain back some momentum as they return for a home field advantage week of play. The Aggies will host North Western Oklahoma University for a non-conference midweek on Tuesday (Apr. 9/ 1 p.m.) before taking on Southwestern Christian (Kan.) in a SAC three-game series with a double header on Friday (Apr. 12/ 12 p.m., 3 p.m.) and a single on Saturday (Apr. 13/ 12 p.m.).
Live stats and video of all four games will be available on opsuaggies.com, or follow us on social media via Facebook @OPSUAggieAthletics or Twitter @OPSUAthletics for live game updates.
