OKLAHOMA CITY, OK: The 22nd ranked Texas Wesleyan University baseball team (39-17) came up on the short end of a 10-8 decision against No. 24 Wayland Baptist (44-14) in the Sooner Athletic Conference Semifinals on Sunday.
With the win, Wayland Baptist advances to Monday's SAC Championship game where they will meet 16th ranked University of Science & Arts (OK). The Rams meanwhile, will have to await a possible at-large bid to the NAIA National Championship Opening Round.
Semifinal Game
The Rams found themselves playing catchup against the Pioneers as Wayland Baptist scored in each of the first four innings. Wayland led 4-0 after getting a run in the first and three more in the second.
Runs continued to come in bunches for the Rams. Texas Wesleyan took the lead with six runs on six singles, a walk, and two errors in the top of the third. However, Wayland came right back with two in the bottom of the third and three more in the fourth to take control at 9-6.
Alex Gudac ripped his school record 8th triple of the season to lead off the sixth inning, and
Blake Seaton promptly brought him in with a sac fly. Wayland got that run back with an RBI single from Gregg Veneklasen in the bottom of the inning.
A two-out RBI double from
Casey Moses cut the margin to 10-8 in the eighth inning.
Wade Regas held the Pioneers in check for the final two innings, but the Rams were unable to muster a ninth inning comeback.
Avery Sullivan made just his second career start in his 56th career appearance for the Rams. The senior righty allowed four runs on three hits in two innings of work, but exited with a 6-4 lead.
Dusty Cloud (0-1) took the loss after allowing six runs, five earned, on seven hits in four innings pitched. Regas allowed a hit and a walk in the final two innings.
Logan Evans (3-1) picked up the win after allowing two runs, one earned, on two hits in 4.1 innings of relief work.
Alex Gudac and
Erick Quesada each collected three of the Rams' 12 hits, going 3-for-5 with an RBI, and a run scored. Quesada posted multi-hit games in all four tournament games.
Casey Moses was 2-for-5 with a double, RBI, and a run scored, and
Chandler Schoelkopf was 2-for-5 with a double and run scored.
Up Next
The Rams await the release of the final regular season NAIA Coaches' Top-25 Poll on Friday, May 13, and the subsequent announcement of the 45 National Championship Opening Round qualifiers. The Opening Round features nine, five-team double-elimination tournaments which will play out May 17-20. The nine Opening Round Champions and World Series host Lewis-Clark State make up the field for the 2016 Avista-NAIA Baseball World Series May 27 – June 3.
Ramblings
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Alex Gudac currently holds the school's single season record with eight triples, one ahead of his teammate
Ryan Adam.
- The Rams' 32 triples on the season are tied for the lead in the NAIA with LSU-Shreveport and Georgia Gwinnett.
- The Rams are 12-8 all-time (3-2 this season) against Wayland Baptist. They are 3-6 all-time in the SAC Tournament and 81-82 in postseason play.
- The Rams remain one of the hottest teams in the country at 29-5 in their last 34 games.
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Erick Quesada hit .588 (10-for-17) in four tournament games, while Gudac was an even .500 (9-for-18).
Casey Moses hit .421 (8-for-19) with eight RBI in the tournament.
- The Rams have reached the National Championship Opening Round six times in the last ten seasons. In four of those six appearances, they reached the final of that tournament falling just shy of the NAIA World Series.
