Baseball drops opening games against Central Baptist
The Wiley University baseball team could not string hits together in a 3-2 loss in the opener and struggled to field the ball in a 9-6 loss in Game 2 against Central Baptist College Friday at Airport Park.
The Wildcats (2-10) fall to 1-3 at Airport Park and drop their sixth consecutive game.
GAME 1
After being held scoreless in its last 14 innings, Wiley ended the drought in their first at-bat. Eddie Garza led off with a walk and advanced on Jacob Perez's sacrifice bunt. Kai Woodard singled and a misplay by the right fielder brought home Garza. Woodard advanced to second on the error. He would score on a wild pitch to put the Wildcats ahead by two.
In the next two innings, Wiley only had one runner reach base. It tried to rally with two outs in the fourth on singles by Garza and Perez. A strikeout ended the inning.
A two-out error put Central Baptist on the board in the second inning. It tied the game in the fourth inning with an infield single and a double. The Wildcats fell behind in the fifth inning after allowing a two-out base hit.
In the bottom of the fifth, Wiley had an opportunity as Jhan Carlos Javier doubled with one out and Orenthal Lewis got hit by a pitch. A double play ended the inning. Jacob Perez led off the seventh inning with a base hit. Ajari Camp pinch ran and advanced when Ready got hit by a pitch. A strikeout and a force out at second sealed the game.
Perez went 2-for-2 with a walk. Javier went 2-for-4 with a double. Burciaga made his third start of the season. He allowed three runs on five hits and struck out two. Ivan Del Villar pitched the last innings, allowing a hit, a walk and striking out three.
GAME 2
The Wildcats scored in the first inning after Keyon Guillory escaped a bases loaded situation with three strikeouts. Perez hit the ball down the right field line for a triple. Woodard knocked in Perez with a double to right.
The Mustangs (7-5) responded in the second with two runs on three hits and an error. Javier led off the second with a single. He scored on a double by Anthony Castaneda to tie the game at two. The Wildcats were unable to take the lead as a flyout and strikeout ended the inning.
Central Baptist took the lead with two runs in the third. It added a run in the fourth and four in the fifth to take a commanding 9-2 advantage. Wiley rallied in the sixth inning. With one out, Ryan Ready singled and Emanuel Gutierrez walked. Castaneda walked with two outs to load the bases. An error brought home Gutierrez. Smauri Abram, who came in as a defensive replacement, cleared the bases with a double to right field. A lineout ended the rally.
Ivan Del Villar struck out with one out in the seventh but reached base on a wild pitch. A single by Ryan Ready brought the tying run to the plate. A double-play ended the hopes of a last-inning comeback.
Four Wildcats had multiple hits. Woodard went 2-for-4 with a RBI double. Ready went 2-for-4. Javier went 2-for-2 with a run. Guillory went 2 1/3 innings in his fifth start of the season. Only two of the four runs he allowed were earned. Guillory struck out four batters. Nick Rodriguez, Corey Grant, Chance Guidry and Coren Lewis threw the last 4 2/3 innings.
The series will resume on Saturday with the first pitch at noon.
For more coverage on the Wildcats visit Baseball - Wiley University (wileyathletics.com)
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