Chickasha, Okla. – Science & Arts took advantage of three extra base hits, with two of those being home runs en route to claiming their first Sooner Athletic Conference Baseball Tournament Championship since 2021, as the Drovers defeated top-seeded Wayland Baptist 11-1 in a rain-shortened game that was stopped in the sixth inning Monday afternoon at Bill Smith Ballpark.
 
The Pioneers scored their only run in the top of the first inning as Samuel Fabian singled to left field to score Delvis Claudio as it gave Wayland Baptist a 1-0 lead. The Drovers answered in the home half of the inning as they plated four runs on three hits, as Peyton McDowell highlighted the frame with a three-run blast over the left field wall to give Science & Arts a 4-1 advantage. 
 
After adding a run in the second on a sacrifice fly by Ian Ortiz that made the score 5-1, Ortiz added to the lead in the fourth with a two-run double to left field that pushed the score to 7-1. Nolan Herchock finished the scoring for Science & Arts in the bottom of the fifth with a grand slam home run to make the score 11-1.
 
The game was called in the top of the sixth as a light rain turned heavier, making the field unplayable for the remainder of the day.
 
McDowell finished the day with two hits and three runs driven in, while Ortiz had three more RBIs. Kyler Denton earned the victory on the mound by going four innings with a strikeout while surrendering four hits.
 
Fabian paced the Pioneers with a hit and a run batted in, while Claudio also had a hit and a run scored. Tyson Potts suffered the loss in the contest by allowing five runs with a strikeout.
 
Both teams will advance to the NAIA National Baseball Tournament and will await to hear where they will go on Wednesday, May 7, at 4 p.m., when the National Office will announce the tournament field.