Posted: Mar 30, 2026
Baseball comes up short against SUNO
NEW ORLEANS - Wiley University baseball rallied to take the series opener but fell short in a pitcher's duel in Game 2 and was out-slugged in the finale, dropping their second Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) series to Southern University at New Orleans on Saturday and Sunday.
The Wildcats (15-15, 9-6 HBCUAC) move to 4-10 away from Coker Field and 0-2 in road HBCUAC series. The losses drop them a game behind Huston-Tillotson University for the West Division lead. Wiley was without key players. Starting outfielder and occasional pitcher John Barajas didn't play in the series. Starting left fielder Eddie Garza only briefly played in the second game. Kaleb Gilner, starting centerfielder, left the second game with injury and didn't play in the third.
SATURDAY
GAME 1
WILEY 4, SUNO 3
GAME 1
WILEY 4, SUNO 3
The Wildcats overcame a two-run deficit in the seventh inning. It was its second victory when trailing after six innings.
Three walks, a hit batter and an error gave the Knights a two-run lead after the first inning. Amir Mason pulled Wiley within one with an RBI double in the third. Southern University at New Orleans scored on a fifth-inning error to push the margin to two.
Ajari Camp led off the seventh with a walk and Jaziel Martinez followed with a single. Deekota Johnson loaded the bases after being hit by a pitch with one out. SUNO changed pitchers, but Kaleb Gilner drew an RBI-walk to cut the lead to one. Mason picked up his second and third RBI to give Wiley the lead.
Juan Pena retired the Knights in order to secure the win. He pitched four innings in relief and struck out four. The run he allowed was unearned. Nick Rodriguez made his first start since March 5. He allowed two runs on one hit and struck out one. Ten of the Knights' baserunners reached via walk, hit by pitch or error.
GAME 2
SUNO 2, WILEY 1
SUNO 2, WILEY 1
Ethan Jones delivered a career performance on the mound but didn't receive any run support. He threw his second straight complete game and struck out a career-high 10 batters.
The game was scoreless through the first three innings. Wiley's leadoff hitters reached base but were unable to make it home. The Knights took the lead on a two-out double in the fourth. Camp evened the score with his third home run of the season in the fifth.
The Wildcats were unable to hold the momentum. They went down in order in the sixth. A single and a double allowed the go-ahead run to score. Jones got the last two batters out with a flyout and a strikeout. Wiley couldn't get anything in the seventh. Gilner, Ivan Del Villar and Devin Gladney got the other hits.
SUNDAY
GAME 3
SUNO 9, WILEY 5
GAME 3
SUNO 9, WILEY 5
For the first time in the series, Wiley struck first. Mason doubled with one out and scored on a single by Trey Clark. The momentum was short-lived. Wiley allowed a hit batter with two outs. A throwing error allowed both runners to score, putting the Wildcats behind.
With one out in the fourth, Marshel Herman singled to short. Cameron McCoy walked and Martinez singled to load the bases. Ben Hamilton tied the game with an RBI single to the pitcher. The Wildcats struggled again to close out an inning. After getting a groundout and a flyout, a single extended the inning. A triple and an error brought home two runs, which put Wiley in a two-run deficit.
Two runs in the sixth and three in the seventh extended the margin to seven. With one out in the eighth, Del Villar was hit by a pitch. Herman doubled and a ground ball by McCoy brought home Del Villar. Martinez hit an RBI single. Del Villar hit an RBI single in the ninth.
The Wildcats out-hit the Knights 13-9 but allowed 11 runners to reach via walk, hit by pitch or error. Estevan Baca suffered his first loss. He went 5 1/3 innings and gave up four earned runs on six hits.
Wiley will return home to face No. 25 Nelson University on Tuesday.
For more coverage on the Wildcats, visit https://wileyathletics.com/sports/bsb/index
About Wiley University Athletics
Wiley University sponsors 13 varsity sports: women's volleyball, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's indoor track and field, men's and women's outdoor track and field, baseball and softball. It competes in the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC).
Wiley University sponsors 13 varsity sports: women's volleyball, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's indoor track and field, men's and women's outdoor track and field, baseball and softball. It competes in the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC).
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