Drovers Win Fifth Consecutive Conference Series with Double-Header Sweep Against WBU

CHICKASHA, Okla. – Friday evening, the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma (26-15, 12-5 SAC) opened the three-game series with a double-header sweep against Wayland Baptist University (24-16, 9-8 SAC). The Drovers earned a 3-2 victory in the hard-fought pitcher's duel to start the evening, followed by a 9-6 triumph in game two.

With the pair of wins, the Drovers are now 38-14 all-time against the Pioneers, a series which dates to March 31, 2007. Furthermore, Science & Arts has won 20 of the last 21 meetings against Wayland Baptist since May 9, 2016.

Science & Arts has now won 13 of their last 15 games overall, and they have outscored opponents 167-64 during that span. Additionally, USAO has won each of their last five conference series' (MACU, TX WES, CCC, SCU, WBU).

The Drovers now sit in a tie for first place in the Sooner Athletic Conference standings with a 12-5 conference record, alongside Texas Wesleyan University. Despite the Drovers being tied with TX Wes at the top team in the standings, the Drovers hold the tiebreaker over the Rams due to USAO sweeping the head-to-head series earlier this season. 

-GAME 1-

After a scoreless first inning, the Pioneers captured an early lead with one run in the top of the second.

However, the lead was short-lived as the Drovers struck for a pair of runs in the bottom of the third, courtesy of Christopher Martinez's two-run homerun.

Wayland Baptist managed to even the score at 2-2 in the top of the fifth, but once again the Drovers reclaimed the lead with Ben Lawson's RBI-double in the bottom of the sixth inning, prior to Alden Norquist shutting down WBU in the seventh.

Drew Shaver continued to be lights-out on the mound, allowing only two runs in 5.0 innings of work. Shaver struck out four batters as he improved his record to 3-0.

Boone Lasater relieved Shaver in the sixth and delivered a scoreless inning and he struck out a batter. Norquist recorded his fifth save of the year as he tossed a scoreless seventh inning.

Both teams concluded with seven hits, and the Drovers committed one error, while the Pioneers did not commit any.

Seven different Drovers recorded hits in the win, highlighted by Christopher Martinez's 1-3 performance, which included his seventh homer of the year, as well as a pair of runs batted in.

Antonio Hrynkiw and Ben Lawson each finished 1-2 with a double. Nick Fleckenstein, Peyton McDowall, Gage Gaunt, and Gunnar Hansen each provided singles. 

-GAME 2-

The Drovers captured an early lead with Christopher Martinez's second two-run homerun of the day, in the bottom of the first inning. 

However, the lead didn't last long, as Wayland Baptist pushed across a trio of runs in the top of the second inning. Science & Arts quickly knotted the score at 3-3 with one run in the bottom of the second.

The score remained 3-3 until the bottom of the fourth when the Drovers scored a pair of runs, followed by four more runs in the fifth.

WBU rallied for three more runs in the sixth and cut the deficit to 9-6, but it was too little, too late for the Pioneers.

At the conclusion of the contest, the Pioneers had produced 12 hits, while holding the Drovers to only six, but USAO did a great job at capitalizing on WBU's four fielding errors. 

Nick Fleckenstein and Peyton McDowall led the Drovers at the plate, with a pair of two-hit performances. Fleckenstein went 2-3 with three runs scored and a run batted in, while McDowall went 2-3 with four runs batted in.

Martinez blasted his eighth homer of the year as he finished 1-3 with a pair of RBIs, and Gabriel Arroyo went 1-3 with a run scored and a pair of runs batted in.

Reed Butz improved his record to 7-2 as he delivered six strikeouts in 5.0 strong innings. Boone Lasater made his second appearance of the day, prior to Claudio Rodriguez picking up his first save of the season. Rodriguez pitched 1.2 scoreless innings and struck out a pair of batters.

WHAT'S NEXT?

The three-game series will conclude on Saturday, April 15 and the Drovers will be celebrating their senior class with their annual Senior Day ceremony following the game. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 PM at Bill Smith Ballpark.

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