Plainview, Texas -- The Mid-America Christian University Evangels dropped a pair of tight games to the Wayland Baptist University Pioneers in a Sooner Athletic Conference doubleheader Friday afternoon (Mar. 23) in Plainview, Texas.  The Pioneers slipped by the Evangels 3-1 in the opener and then 8-5 in the second game.

The Evangels got off to a good start in the nightcap as a two-run double by Austin Hilterbran and run-scoring doubles from Jon Jon Lemos and Nick Whetzell gave the Evangels a 4-0 lead in the top of the second inning. 

WBU answered with two runs in the bottom of the second and then another run in the third to come to make it a one-run game.

In the bottom of the fourth, the Pioneers struck for three runs as a three-run double by  Josh Carroll made it 6-4.  Two errors in the inning led to all three tallies being unearned. 

The Pioneers (12-19, 3-11 SAC) added single runs in the fifth and sixth innings before the Evangels made it a three-run game on an RBI double by Luis Martinez that plated Shane Brinker and advanced Joe Moore to third. 

But with the tying run at the plate, a groundout ended the game. 

In the first game, the Pioneers got on the board with two runs in the first inning.

That proved to be all starter Tom Bailey needed, as he pitched the full seven innings and allowed only one earned run and struck out eight. 

MACU (3-23, 0-14 SAC) trailed 3-0 in the fifth when an RBI groundout by Martinez plated Brinker for the Evangels' lone run of the game. 

Andrew Smith and Mat Owen each pitched three innings for the Evangels, with Owen blanking the Pioneers with three strikeouts over the final three frames. 

Brinker and Kevin Parsons each had two hits in the opener to lead MACU. 

The two schools will wrap up the three-game series with a single game tomorrow at 1 p.m. in Plainview, Texas.