Oklahoma City – Science & Arts used a pair of outstanding pitching performances and timely hitting to remain the only undefeated team in the 2025 SAC baseball Championship after the opening day of the four-team double elimination tournament.
No. 1 Wayland Baptist 11, No. 5 Oklahoma City 1 (7 innings)
The Pioneers used a strong pitching performance from Tyson Potts and timely hitting to advance in the winner’s bracket with an 11-1 victory over Oklahoma City in the opening round.
Wayland Baptist scored in five of the seven innings while scattering 11 hits in the win. Felix Polanco paced the Pioneers with three hits, which included a double, while driving in three runs and scoring twice himself. Potts limited the Stars’ offence to two hits in the complete game outing while striking out 11. Hunter Lenochan had one of Oklahoma City’s hits and scored the run of the day for the Stars.
No. 3 Science & Arts 11, No. 2 Mid-America Christian 5
The Drovers broke out to an early lead and never looked back as Science & Arts had 14 hits in an 11-5 victory over Mid-America Christian in first-round action to advance to the winner’s bracket final.
Science & Arts scored seven runs in the third, fourth, and fifth frames to take a 7-1 advantage and then added four insurance runs in the last two innings of the contest to secure the win. Corey Morro paced the Drovers with three hits, while Gage Ninness chipped in with two hits as he drove in four runs. Tyson Noel earned the victory on the hill as he went 5.1 innings with four strikeouts. Carlos Medina led the Evangels’ attack with three hits in the defeat.
No. 2 Mid-America Christian 7, No. 5 Oklahoma City 5 (OCU Eliminated)
After falling behind in the top of the first inning, the Evangels scored the next seven runs to advance to play on Sunday with a 7-5 victory over Oklahoma City in an elimination contest.
The Stars grabbed the early lead as Trent Kiraly ripped a three-run blast to give the Stars a 3-0 lead in the first frame. Mid-America Christian cut the deficit to 3-2 after scoring two unearned runs in the bottom of the first. The Evangels evened the contest at 3-3 with a run in the third and gained the advantage in the fifth with a two-run single by Carlos Medina to take a 5-3 lead. MACU scored insurance runs in the seventh and eighth innings to secure the win.
Christopher Munoz paced the Evangel’s attack with three hits and a run batted in, while Medina added two hits as he drove in four runs in the win. Fabian Hernandez earned the win on the bump by throwing seven innings and striking out four batters. Kiraly was one of four Stars with two hits as he drove in a team-high three runs.
No. 3 Science & Arts 6, No. 1 Wayland Baptist 3
Science & Arts battled back after falling behind early and received an outstanding pitching performance from Brian Ereu to defeat the No. 1 seed Wayland Baptist 6-3 in the nightcap as the Drovers are the lone undefeated team remaining in the tournament.
The Pioneers grabbed a three-run lead in the top of the second as Sinclair Pimetel hit a sacrifice fly to score the first run of the game before Brayden Peyton hit a two-run homer to give Wayland Baptist a 3-0 advantage. The Drovers cut the deficit to one in the bottom of the second as Nolan Herchock had a two-run single to make the score 3-2. Science & Arts took the lead for good in the fourth as they put up a crooked number as Peyton McDowell highlighted the three-run outburst with a home run as the Drovers took a 5-3 lead. Science & Arts added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth the claim the victory.
Ian Ortiz paced the Drovers with three hits and a run batted in, while Herchock added two hits with two runs batted in. Ereu went the distance for Science & Arts by allowing six hits and striking out six batters. Peyton and Samuel Fabian paced the Pioneers with two hits apiece in the loss.
Action in the tournament will start on Sunday at 1 p.m., as Mid-America Christian will take on Wayland Baptist in an elimination game, with the winner of that contest set to take on Science & Arts at 5 p.m.