Wyatt Perfect, Drovers Beat Bobcats

CHICKASHA – Brian Wyatt delivered five innings of perfection on the mound as the University of Science and Arts rolled past Peru State Monday afternoon at Bill Smith Ballpark.

In an unusual finish, USAO won 9-6 after a late PSC home run made the score closer than the game actually was as 18 USAO players saw action.

Wyatt, a senior who earned a Big 12 Co-Pitcher of the Week award last season, retired all 15 batters he faced with six strikeouts before taking a seat in preparation for this weekend’s conference series at Lubbock Christian. A native of Amarillo, Texas, Wyatt notched a strikeout in each inning except the fifth and struck out the side in the third inning.

In a game that turned out to have just about everything a baseball game could have, Wyatt’s perfect five innings earned him his first win of the season as USAO improved to 4-6 on the season. Dale Bellamy hit his first home run of the season, which was one of two grand slams on the day.

And after the Drovers led 9-0 and were only one run away from a victory by mercy-rule in the seventh inning, Matt Mallory had to come into the game in the ninth to collect his first save of the season after PSC’s Jayson Taynon hit the game’s second grand slam to pull the Bobcats to within three runs.

Matt Lively added to Wyatt’s performance with a hitless sixth inning, and PSC only managed two hits from that point. PSC scored its six runs due in large part to the two hit batters and five walks given up by USAO’s Matt Lovelady and Cody Peacock in the seventh and ninth inning, respectively.

The Drovers look for the team’s third and fourth wins in a row as they host a doubleheader against Mid-America Christian at 1 p.m. Tuesday. USAO opens Sooner Athletic Conference play at 3 p.m. Friday at Lubbock Christian.

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