NAIA
[Baseball] #14 Drovers Improve to 35-4 in Last 39 Meetings Against MACU
CHICKASHA, Okla. – Saturday afternoon, the No. 14 ranked University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma (21-8, 11-4 SAC) used a double-header sweep to win the three-game series against Mid-America Christian University (22-10, 10-5 SAC). After losing the series opener at MACU on Thursday, the Drovers won by final scores of 4-1 and 7-1 on Saturday at Bill Smith Ballpark in Chickasha.With the sweep, the Drovers improve to 42-7 all-time against the Evangels, which includes a stretch of 35 wins in the last 39 games against MACU. GAME 1 – The Drovers quickly took the lead in the first game of the day, bringing across one run in the bottom of the first inning.The score remained 1-0 until the bottom of the fourth inning, when USAO added another run. In the bottom of the fifth inning, Luis Pelayo (SR/Santa Cruz, Aruba) blasted a two-run homerun to extend the Drovers lead to 4-0.The Evangels scored once in the top of the seventh, but it was too little, too late for MACU. Kaden Alexander (JR/Broken Arrow, OK) was stellar on the mound, out-dualling Frensly Leito, who was previously unbeaten this season. Alexander went all 7.0 innings, allowing just three hits and one earned run, while striking out nine batters. As a team, USAO compiled six hits, coming from five different players. Luis Pelayo led the Drover offense, going 2-3 with a double and his sixth homer of the season.Joey Pena (SR/Mustang, OK) concluded 1-2 with a run batted in. Gage Gaunt (SO/Clinton, OK) and Brock Henderson (JR/Chickasha, OK) each tallied a single and a run scored. Gabriel Arroyo (SO/Arecibo, Puerto Rico) finished 1-3 with a single. GAME 2 – After MACU took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning, the Drovers responded with seven unanswered runs in route to the series clinching victory. USAO scored a pair of runs in the third inning, followed by one in the fourth, two in the fifth, and two more in the sixth.Drew Shaver (JR/Sante Fe, TX) was lights out on the bump for the Drovers, going all 7.0 innings and allowed just one earned run. Shaver improved to 6-2 as he struck out seven batters.The Drovers strung together 11 hits to score their seven runs, with four different players recording multiple hits. Luis Pelayo and Brock Henderson led the way, each tallying three hits. Pelayo finished 3-3 with a walk, a stolen base, two runs scored, and a run batted in, while Henderson went 3-4 with a run scored.Gage Gaunt contributed a 2-4 performance that included a double, a run scored, and a pair of RBI's. Gabriel Arroyo also concluded 2-4 with a double, a stolen base, and a run batted in.Joey Pena finished the game 1-2 with a walk and a RBI. WHAT'S NEXT?The Drovers will return to action on Tuesday, as they battle No. 4 ranked LSU-Shreveport in Dallas, Texas. USAO will aim to snap the Pilots' 20-game win-streak, as first pitch is scheduled for 3:00 PM CT. Stay up to date on all Science & Arts Athletics news by following us on our media platforms!Athletics Website: www.usaoathletics.comLive-stream: www.sacsportsnetwork.com/usao/YouTube: Drover AthleticsTwitter: @DroverAthleticsFacebook: @DroverAthleticsInstagram: @drover_athleticsGIPHY: www.giphy.com/USAODrovers