KWU Athletics
Zach Olson’s (SO/Red, Alta.) home run leading in the bottom of the eighth inning and stellar work from the bullpen propelled Kansas Wesleyan to a 3-2 win in the opener of a program Kansas Conference doubles on Senior Day Saturday afternoon at Dean Evans Stadium.
Saint Mary won the second game 3-0.
The games were the last at Evans Stadium in 2022 for the Coyotes, who are playing their final seven regular season games on the road.
Olson’s homer capped a late comeback after KWU fell 2-1 in the sixth inning. Haydn Brown (SR/Gardnerville, Nevada) walked with an out in the seventh and Dusty Sipe followed with a double to left center field that scored Brown and tied the game 2-2.
Cale Fields relieved Saint Mary starter Yanthony Navarro to start the ninth inning and Olson greeted him with a blast to left center field in the north wind. It was his fifth homer of the season and his second in two days.
Ryan Sandoval (JR/El Paso, TX) pitched a perfect ninth inning, striking out the first two batters, to end the game and earn a stoppage.
Ethan Wilson (SR/Thackerville, Okla.), who relieved KWU starter Branden Voytko (JR/El Paso, Texas) with two outs in the sixth inning, was the winning pitcher. Wilson pitched 2.1 shutout innings, allowed no hits, struck out three and walked none.
Voytko also had a solid outing, pitching 5.2 innings while allowing two runs on nine hits, seven strikeouts and a walk.
The Coyotes had seven hits in Game 1 with Olson going 2-for-2 and scoring twice. Brown was on base four times with a single and three walks.
Navarro threw seven good innings and allowed two runs on five hits with seven strikeouts and five walks.
Saint Mary starter Peyton Garvin pitched a full seven innings in the last drink, limiting the Coyotes to four singles while striking out six and walking one.
The loss eclipsed a strong effort by Coyote starter Oscar Sanchez (JR/Celina, TX), who allowed one run on two hits in five innings with five strikeouts and three walks. Reliever KT Gearlds (JR/Ingram, Texas) allowed two runs on two hits two-thirds of the way in the sixth inning. Caden Diccion got the final in the sixth and Cesar Rodriguez (SO/Houston, TX) shut out the Spiers in the seventh.
Saint Mary scored her first run in the second inning on a loaded walk. The Spiers’ two runs in the sixth came on a hit, four walks and an error.
The Coyotes (25-23 overall, 13-13 KCAC) play just one game against York on Tuesday starting at 4 p.m. in York, Neb. They travel to Lindsborg for a three-game series against rival Bethany next weekend starting with just one game. at 3 p.m. Friday followed by a doubleheader at 1 p.m. Saturday.
-kwucoyotes.com-
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