KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Garrett Crochet allowed one run on seven hits over seven innings, Rafael Devers was 4 for 4 with three RBIs and the Boston Red Sox beat Kansas City 10-1 on Saturday night to end the Royals' winning streak at seven.

Crochet (4-2) struck out nine and walked one. He struck out Bobby Witt Jr. with the bases loaded to end the seventh.

Trevor Story blew open a close game with a three-run homer.

Cole Ragans (2-2) took the loss. He allowed four runs on seven hits through five innings. He struck out eight and walked two.

The Red Sox got to Ragans in the third. With two outs, Jarren Duran singled and scored on Devers' double.

The Royals answered with a run in the bottom of the third. Witt stroked a one-out single, stole second, went to third on a balk and scored on a looping hit by Mark Canha.

The Red Sox scored three runs in the fifth on four consecutive hits. Duran, Devers and Alex Bregman each delivered RBI singles.

Story's home run came with two outs in the seventh, and Carlos Narvaez added a two-run shot in the eighth.

After the Red Sox took a 4-1 lead in the fifth inning, Crochet got the shut-down inning he needed. Even with an error by shortstop Trevor Story, Crochet didn't allow a runner to reach second base.

Kansas City’s Salvador Perez celebrated his 35th birthday Saturday. With a first-inning single, Perez had a hit for the seventh time in the last 10 years on his birthday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746932904194.jpeg" alt="\Kansas City Royals relief pitcher Chris Stratton throws during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Saturday, May 10, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)" />
 <figcaption>\Kansas City Royals relief pitcher Chris Stratton throws during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Saturday, May 10, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Garrett Crochet allowed one run on seven hits over seven innings, Rafael Devers was 4 for 4 with three RBIs and the Boston Red Sox beat Kansas City 10-1 on Saturday night to end the Royals' winning streak at seven.Crochet (4-2) struck out nine and walked one. He struck out Bobby Witt Jr. with the bases loaded to end the seventh.Trevor Story blew open a close game with a three-run homer.Cole Ragans (2-2) took the loss. He allowed four runs on seven hits through five innings. He struck out eight and walked two.The Red Sox got to Ragans in the third. With two outs, Jarren Duran singled and scored on Devers' double.The Royals answered with a run in the bottom of the third. Witt stroked a one-out single, stole second, went to third on a balk and scored on a looping hit by Mark Canha.The Red Sox scored three runs in the fifth on four consecutive hits. Duran, Devers and Alex Bregman each delivered RBI singles.Story's home run came with two outs in the seventh, and Carlos Narvaez added a two-run shot in the eighth.<h2>Key moment</h2>After the Red Sox took a 4-1 lead in the fifth inning, Crochet got the shut-down inning he needed. Even with an error by shortstop Trevor Story, Crochet didn't allow a runner to reach second base.<h2>Key stat</h2>Kansas City’s Salvador Perez celebrated his 35th birthday Saturday. With a first-inning single, Perez had a hit for the seventh time in the last 10 years on his birthday.<h2>Up next</h2>

⚾ Crochet, Red Sox beat KC to end Royals' winning streak

TOURNAMENT LINKS: <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/c1b6c27d-a050-469f-bf5a-c10791eba486?elinkdata=26583">Upland Bracket 2025</a> | <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/252044a3-7d9f-4071-a96b-98e6cf34308e?elinkdata=26583">NAIA Tournament Central</a> | <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/b392e356-3fa8-4fa4-8871-ede51ffa2c79?elinkdata=26583">Tickets</a> | <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/28dced0b-78a3-4a3f-8658-6d8c79e8b9b2?elinkdata=26583">Watch Live</a> | <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/b1a8d2cd-1118-484e-b67c-55e664114092?elinkdata=26583">Live Stats</a> | <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/5d511c13-423a-4c74-b67d-ca4c8a7bfa20?elinkdata=26583">Photos</a>

UPLAND, Ind. - It will be a sea of purple this week in the Upland Bracket of the NAIA Baseball National Championship Opening Round at Taylor University.

Three of the four institutions playing in the tournament use purple as their primary color (Taylor, KWU, Bellevue) including a first round match-up between Kansas Wesleyan and Bellevue (Neb.).

Games begin on Monday, May 12 and run through May 15 at Winterholter Field at Taylor University. KWU takes on No, 17 ranked and No. 2 seed in the bracket, Bellevue at Noon Eastern, 11 a.m. Central, followed by top-seeded Taylor taking on fourth-seeded Grand View at 4 p.m. Eastern, 3 p.m. Central.

Tickets are available for purchase online at <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/b6b90277-f553-4ac4-879f-91a435a72a97?elinkdata=26583">TaylorTrojans.com/UplandBracket25</a>. Day passes are $10 for adults and $5 for students ages 18 and under, while tournament passes are $25. Tickets can also be purchased on-site with cash only.

Every game will be streamed live at no cost on the <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/1514721c-1573-4ed4-9f5b-2b9b74d90bd7?elinkdata=26583">Taylor Athletics YouTube page</a> and live stats will be available on the <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/8137e432-3797-47a1-8278-f36136d1cce6?elinkdata=26583">NAIA Live Stats page through StatBroadcast</a>

Kansas Wesleyan earned the spot in the Opening Round after sharing the KCAC Regular Season Championship with Oklahoma Wesleyan with a 30-6 record in conference play. The Coyotes continued on to win the KCAC Tournament with a 7-4 win over Tabor College in the championship game. It's KWU's second KCAC Tournament win since 2022.

KWU is making its fourth straight appearance in the Opening Round and seventh appearance all-time. KWU earned its first NAIA World Series berth in 2024 winning the Shreveport Bracket. KWU has twice been one win away from the World Series in Opening Round play in 2009 and 2011.

The Coyotes hit a collective .306 as a team, which ranks No. 54 nationally. KWU has 514 hits overall which ranks No. 43 nationally. KWU's team slugging average of .556 ranks No. 14 in the NAIA. KWU ranks No. 8 in the NAIA in homeruns with 93 and No. 11 in total extra base hits with 215. KWU ranks No. 6 in the NAIA in walks with 312.

<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/375f63cb-1c0d-4c42-89db-70ac6a147ead?elinkdata=26583">Tyler Favretto</a> leads the Coyote hitters with a .432 batting average and is tied for the NAIA lead in walks with 61 on the season. He leads the NAIA in on-base percentage at .591 and has a .781 slugging average highlighted by 14 homeruns and a total of 34 extra base hits.

Wesleyan's pitching staff is anchored by <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/3d787d3e-499c-4320-aeb6-024a088cdec2?elinkdata=26583">Brett Maddock</a> with an 11-2 record overall, tossing 98.1 innings and a 4.03 ERA. Maddock ranks No. 71 in the NAIA in WHIP at 1.37 among all pitchers who have thrown at least one inning per team game. He ranks No. 30 in the NAIA in strikeouts with 74.

Taylor University Trojans enter the Opening Round with a No. 9 NAIA ranking in the final poll and a 46-9 record. Taylor won the Crossroads League Regular Season and Tournament titles and are making their fourth straight appearance in the Opening Round.

As a team, Taylor hits .335 and has hit 81 homeruns and boasts a .553 slugging average. Taylor ranks third in the NAIA in walks as a team with 354 which is third best in the NAIA.

Kaleb Kolpien leads Taylor with a .428 batting average with 92 hits on the season and 70 RBI.

Gabel Pentecost leads the Taylor pitching staff with a 2.75 ERA and a 12-1 record. In 75 innings pitched. He has a 1.06 WHIP and 108 strikeouts on the season which ranks fifth in the NAIA.

Bellevue University Bruins enter the Opening Round coming off of winning the North Star Athletic Association Regular Season and Conference Championships. Bellevue is ranked No. 17 in the NAIA Final Poll, and is 40-13 heading into Monday's first round games.

The Bruins hit .324 as a team which ranks No. 35 in the NAIA. They carry a .553 slugging average and have hit 91 homeruns on the season which ranks No. 9 in the NAIA. Their 563 hits ranks No. 16 in the NAIA.

Bellevue's pitching staff has a team ERA of 4.47 on the season, ranking No. 14 nationally. Their 1.38 WHIP ranks No. 14 nationally.

Steven Elsner leads Bellevue with a .378 batting average and a .835 slugging average. His 23 homeruns ranks fourth best in the NAIA. Scott Hansen leads Bellevue with 72 hits.

Parker McMan has Bellevue's best ERA among starters at 2.38 in 79.1 innings, while Jace Wessels has the team best ERA at 2.25 in 60 innings, 14 appearances and seven starts. McMan leads the Bruins in strikeouts with 77.

Grand View comes into the Opening Round as the only school that was not in the 2024 Opening Round field. The Vikings got an at-large bid this season after winning the Heart of America Regular Season Championship.

The Vikings hit .358 as a team which ranks No. 7 in the NAIA and leads all teams in the bracket. They slug at .449 which ranks No. 20 in the NAIA. Their 61 homeruns ranks No. 34 in the NAIA.

Erik Broekemeier leads Grand View with a .478 average, which is fourth best in the NAIA. He leads the team in slugging average at .770 and is second in RBI with 50.

Grand View ranks No. 32 in the NAIA in ERA at 5.18 in 323 innings pitched. Their team WHIP of 1.52 ranks No. 52 in the NAIA.

Kaleb Krier leads the Vikings in ERA among starters at 2.87 in 62.2 innings pitched. Devin Doyle has nine saves as Grand View's closer in 18.2 innings and 17 appearances. Krier's 1.05 WHIP leads the team.

TOURNAMENT LINKS: <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/c1b6c27d-a050-469f-bf5a-c10791eba486?elinkdata=26583">Upland Bracket 2025</a> | <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/252044a3-7d9f-4071-a96b-98e6cf34308e?elinkdata=26583">NAIA Tournament Central</a> | <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/b392e356-3fa8-4fa4-8871-ede51ffa2c79?elinkdata=26583">Tickets</a> | <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/28dced0b-78a3-4a3f-8658-6d8c79e8b9b2?elinkdata=26583">Watch Live</a> | <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/b1a8d2cd-1118-484e-b67c-55e664114092?elinkdata=26583">Live Stats</a> | <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/5d511c13-423a-4c74-b67d-ca4c8a7bfa20?elinkdata=26583">Photos</a>UPLAND, Ind. - It will be a sea of purple this week in the Upland Bracket of the NAIA Baseball National Championship Opening Round at Taylor University.Three of the four institutions playing in the tournament use purple as their primary color (Taylor, KWU, Bellevue) including a first round match-up between Kansas Wesleyan and Bellevue (Neb.).Games begin on Monday, May 12 and run through May 15 at Winterholter Field at Taylor University. KWU takes on No, 17 ranked and No. 2 seed in the bracket, Bellevue at Noon Eastern, 11 a.m. Central, followed by top-seeded Taylor taking on fourth-seeded Grand View at 4 p.m. Eastern, 3 p.m. Central.Tickets are available for purchase online at <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/b6b90277-f553-4ac4-879f-91a435a72a97?elinkdata=26583">TaylorTrojans.com/UplandBracket25</a>. Day passes are $10 for adults and $5 for students ages 18 and under, while tournament passes are $25. Tickets can also be purchased on-site with cash only.Every game will be streamed live at no cost on the <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/1514721c-1573-4ed4-9f5b-2b9b74d90bd7?elinkdata=26583">Taylor Athletics YouTube page</a> and live stats will be available on the <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/8137e432-3797-47a1-8278-f36136d1cce6?elinkdata=26583">NAIA Live Stats page through StatBroadcast</a>Kansas Wesleyan earned the spot in the Opening Round after sharing the KCAC Regular Season Championship with Oklahoma Wesleyan with a 30-6 record in conference play. The Coyotes continued on to win the KCAC Tournament with a 7-4 win over Tabor College in the championship game. It's KWU's second KCAC Tournament win since 2022.KWU is making its fourth straight appearance in the Opening Round and seventh appearance all-time. KWU earned its first NAIA World Series berth in 2024 winning the Shreveport Bracket. KWU has twice been one win away from the World Series in Opening Round play in 2009 and 2011.The Coyotes hit a collective .306 as a team, which ranks No. 54 nationally. KWU has 514 hits overall which ranks No. 43 nationally. KWU's team slugging average of .556 ranks No. 14 in the NAIA. KWU ranks No. 8 in the NAIA in homeruns with 93 and No. 11 in total extra base hits with 215. KWU ranks No. 6 in the NAIA in walks with 312.<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/375f63cb-1c0d-4c42-89db-70ac6a147ead?elinkdata=26583">Tyler Favretto</a> leads the Coyote hitters with a .432 batting average and is tied for the NAIA lead in walks with 61 on the season. He leads the NAIA in on-base percentage at .591 and has a .781 slugging average highlighted by 14 homeruns and a total of 34 extra base hits.Wesleyan's pitching staff is anchored by <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/3d787d3e-499c-4320-aeb6-024a088cdec2?elinkdata=26583">Brett Maddock</a> with an 11-2 record overall, tossing 98.1 innings and a 4.03 ERA. Maddock ranks No. 71 in the NAIA in WHIP at 1.37 among all pitchers who have thrown at least one inning per team game. He ranks No. 30 in the NAIA in strikeouts with 74.Taylor University Trojans enter the Opening Round with a No. 9 NAIA ranking in the final poll and a 46-9 record. Taylor won the Crossroads League Regular Season and Tournament titles and are making their fourth straight appearance in the Opening Round.As a team, Taylor hits .335 and has hit 81 homeruns and boasts a .553 slugging average. Taylor ranks third in the NAIA in walks as a team with 354 which is third best in the NAIA.Kaleb Kolpien leads Taylor with a .428 batting average with 92 hits on the season and 70 RBI.Gabel Pentecost leads the Taylor pitching staff with a 2.75 ERA and a 12-1 record. In 75 innings pitched. He has a 1.06 WHIP and 108 strikeouts on the season which ranks fifth in the NAIA.Bellevue University Bruins enter the Opening Round coming off of winning the North Star Athletic Association Regular Season and Conference Championships. Bellevue is ranked No. 17 in the NAIA Final Poll, and is 40-13 heading into Monday's first round games.The Bruins hit .324 as a team which ranks No. 35 in the NAIA. They carry a .553 slugging average and have hit 91 homeruns on the season which ranks No. 9 in the NAIA. Their 563 hits ranks No. 16 in the NAIA.Bellevue's pitching staff has a team ERA of 4.47 on the season, ranking No. 14 nationally. Their 1.38 WHIP ranks No. 14 nationally.Steven Elsner leads Bellevue with a .378 batting average and a .835 slugging average. His 23 homeruns ranks fourth best in the NAIA. Scott Hansen leads Bellevue with 72 hits.Parker McMan has Bellevue's best ERA among starters at 2.38 in 79.1 innings, while Jace Wessels has the team best ERA at 2.25 in 60 innings, 14 appearances and seven starts. McMan leads the Bruins in strikeouts with 77.Grand View comes into the Opening Round as the only school that was not in the 2024 Opening Round field. The Vikings got an at-large bid this season after winning the Heart of America Regular Season Championship.The Vikings hit .358 as a team which ranks No. 7 in the NAIA and leads all teams in the bracket. They slug at .449 which ranks No. 20 in the NAIA. Their 61 homeruns ranks No. 34 in the NAIA.Erik Broekemeier leads Grand View with a .478 average, which is fourth best in the NAIA. He leads the team in slugging average at .770 and is second in RBI with 50.Grand View ranks No. 32 in the NAIA in ERA at 5.18 in 323 innings pitched. Their team WHIP of 1.52 ranks No. 52 in the NAIA.Kaleb Krier leads the Vikings in ERA among starters at 2.87 in 62.2 innings pitched. Devin Doyle has nine saves as Grand View's closer in 18.2 innings and 17 appearances. Krier's 1.05 WHIP leads the team.

⚾️ Kansas Wesleyan will face No. 2 seed Bellevue in Upland Bracket of NAIA Opening Round

Kansas Wesleyan women's golf coach <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/96f4317a-a03a-4968-adbc-9099bdb1189e?elinkdata=26552">Wes Lawhorn</a> has a specific and special goal in mind for his team in next week's 30th annual NAIA National Championship at Eagle Crest Golf Club in Ypsilanti, Mich.

"Our ladies have always been very competitive by nature," he said. "They've had a taste of winning at the (Kansas) Conference level and I think they're all very hungry to go out there and make the cut for the first time in program history. It's going to be exciting to watch."

The Coyotes qualified for nationals by winning the KCAC Tournament last week in Joplin, Mo. They easily defended their 2024 title with a 40-shot victory at Twin Hills Golf and Country Club.

NAIA play begins on Tuesday with the opening round followed by the second round on Wednesday. Following the first two rounds the field will be cut to the top 15 teams (plus ties) and six individuals who have not already made the cut with their teams (plus ties).

The Coyotes tee off on hole No. 10 at 11:50 a.m. Central time on Tuesday and hole No. 1 at 6:50 a.m. on Wednesday. They are paired with Coastal Georgia and Our Lady of the Lake (Texas) both days.

Lawhorn is confident his team is ready for the challenge.

"We have a great group of student-athletes who day in, and day out put in time, dedication and hard work to allow themselves to be prepared at that stage to compete and showcase their abilities," he said. "We've been working the last few weeks on the mental side of the approach to the game. How can we play to our strengths and how can we try to avoid some of our weak areas? The main thing is just go out and compete."

Senior <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/f47d297b-9214-416c-aa55-9b2d913cdcf9?elinkdata=26552">Abby Donovan</a>, the KCAC Player of the Year, leads the way. She won the individual conference championship with a 54-hole 234 score and was the lone player to shoot in the 70s in all three rounds.

"Her work ethic, time, dedication," Lawhorn said of Donovan's attributes. "You never have to wonder if Abby is going to be at practice or if she's not going to be working on her craft outside of practice. She eats, sleeps and breathes golf and it's very evident by her success both on and off the golf course. She's finishing up her master's degree here and has been in the top five every single tournament this year."

Senior Sara Krenowicz, junior <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/fd4e0ba6-ad44-453c-9003-2fdd4dd0843b?elinkdata=26552">Chaney Littell</a> and sophomore <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/783e40ba-073e-41bf-b710-41a69cde6d75?elinkdata=26552">Ryann Warren</a> round out the top four. Sophomores <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/c0328c9d-48d3-4f2e-916a-c72781b006ac?elinkdata=26552">Kelsey Essex</a> and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/a159b809-7b8c-4bbc-982c-f84660638b08?elinkdata=26552">Emily Stamper</a> contributed as well.

"All six of those ladies, whether they were coming in as a substitute or were part of our top four all year played really well," Lawhorn said. "It was a huge success to go out there and repeat as KCAC champions."

Sophomore <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/178ba0f9-9c63-4b0b-94ad-bb5b8225ac36?elinkdata=26552">Savanna Nickum</a> also will travel to Michigan.

Lawhorn is proud he was able to continue KWU's success.

Kansas Wesleyan women's golf coach <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/96f4317a-a03a-4968-adbc-9099bdb1189e?elinkdata=26552">Wes Lawhorn</a> has a specific and special goal in mind for his team in next week's 30th annual NAIA National Championship at Eagle Crest Golf Club in Ypsilanti, Mich."Our ladies have always been very competitive by nature," he said. "They've had a taste of winning at the (Kansas) Conference level and I think they're all very hungry to go out there and make the cut for the first time in program history. It's going to be exciting to watch."The Coyotes qualified for nationals by winning the KCAC Tournament last week in Joplin, Mo. They easily defended their 2024 title with a 40-shot victory at Twin Hills Golf and Country Club.NAIA play begins on Tuesday with the opening round followed by the second round on Wednesday. Following the first two rounds the field will be cut to the top 15 teams (plus ties) and six individuals who have not already made the cut with their teams (plus ties).The Coyotes tee off on hole No. 10 at 11:50 a.m. Central time on Tuesday and hole No. 1 at 6:50 a.m. on Wednesday. They are paired with Coastal Georgia and Our Lady of the Lake (Texas) both days.Lawhorn is confident his team is ready for the challenge."We have a great group of student-athletes who day in, and day out put in time, dedication and hard work to allow themselves to be prepared at that stage to compete and showcase their abilities," he said. "We've been working the last few weeks on the mental side of the approach to the game. How can we play to our strengths and how can we try to avoid some of our weak areas? The main thing is just go out and compete."Senior <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/f47d297b-9214-416c-aa55-9b2d913cdcf9?elinkdata=26552">Abby Donovan</a>, the KCAC Player of the Year, leads the way. She won the individual conference championship with a 54-hole 234 score and was the lone player to shoot in the 70s in all three rounds."Her work ethic, time, dedication," Lawhorn said of Donovan's attributes. "You never have to wonder if Abby is going to be at practice or if she's not going to be working on her craft outside of practice. She eats, sleeps and breathes golf and it's very evident by her success both on and off the golf course. She's finishing up her master's degree here and has been in the top five every single tournament this year."Senior Sara Krenowicz, junior <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/fd4e0ba6-ad44-453c-9003-2fdd4dd0843b?elinkdata=26552">Chaney Littell</a> and sophomore <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/783e40ba-073e-41bf-b710-41a69cde6d75?elinkdata=26552">Ryann Warren</a> round out the top four. Sophomores <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/c0328c9d-48d3-4f2e-916a-c72781b006ac?elinkdata=26552">Kelsey Essex</a> and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/a159b809-7b8c-4bbc-982c-f84660638b08?elinkdata=26552">Emily Stamper</a> contributed as well."All six of those ladies, whether they were coming in as a substitute or were part of our top four all year played really well," Lawhorn said. "It was a huge success to go out there and repeat as KCAC champions."Sophomore <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/178ba0f9-9c63-4b0b-94ad-bb5b8225ac36?elinkdata=26552">Savanna Nickum</a> also will travel to Michigan.Lawhorn is proud he was able to continue KWU's success.

KWU Women's Golf ready for challenges of NAIA National Championships

Kansas Wesleyan quarterback <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/7da49f1c-6bd6-4d85-9e14-f05ba95ac84d?elinkdata=26521">Chihiro Iwata</a> was named as the KCAC Flag Football Co-Player of the Year headlining KWU's picks to the All-KCAC Flag Football teams as selected by conference coaches and announced by the conference office.

Iwata was named Co-Player of the Year along with Ottawa's fifth-year quarterback Madysen Carrera. In conference play, Iwata was phenomenal, completing 67.6 percent of passes and throwing for 2044 yards in nine conference games. She averaged 227.1 yards per game, and threw for 38 touchdowns and just two interceptions. She led the KCAC in yards per game, total yards passing, completions, attempts and touchdowns. Her efforts also earned her First Team All-KCAC honors.

Aaliyah Wood was named to the All-KCAC first team both as a receiver and a defensive back, excelling at both positions during the conference season. She led the KCAC in total receiving yards during conference play with 550 and was fourth in the conference in touchdown receptions with eight. Her 48 receptions during conference play ranked second in the KCAC and her 61.1 yards per game led the KCAC and her 11.5 yards per catch ranked No. 24 in the KCAC. Defensively she had four interceptions during conference play that ranked No. 4 in the KCAC and had four pass breakups, ranking No. 14 in the conference.

<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/f0971392-e332-42d2-a19b-25bf5f7ab4bb?elinkdata=26521">Alexis Jimenez</a> was named to the All-KCAC first team as a screen blocker. Jimenez was great for the Coyotes during conference play, helping hold opponents to only two sacks during conference play. She also added a little offense for the Coyotes, catching five passes during the conference season, including one for a touchdown.

<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/0035c33b-2aac-4aa3-9eec-cf6f00b11b84?elinkdata=26521">Alexa Mansur</a> was selected to the All-KCAC first team as a linebacker. She had 28 flag pulls during the conference season, to go along with two interceptions and seven pass breakups. Her seven pass breakups ranked No. 6 in the KCAC during conference play. Her flag pull total ranked No. 16 in the KCAC during conference play. Opposing offenses tried to find ways to neutralize Mansur's excellent defensive skills, but were widely unsuccessful in their efforts.

<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/a3fc4e08-2003-4143-b0df-c145e1fe78b4?elinkdata=26521">Angel Roman</a> was selected to four All-KCAC honors at different positions including two different defensive spots. She was named to the first-team as a wide receiver, the second-team as a defensive back and as a utility player, and the honorable mention team as a linebacker. At the receiver position, she ranked No. 15 in the KCAC in receiving yards per game, averaging 35.4 yards per game. She ranked No. 13 in the KCAC in total receptions with 28 during conference play. She ranked No. 13 in the KCAC in receiving yards with 319 in nine conference games. Defensively she ranked No. 18 in the KCAC with 27 flag pulls during conference play. She ranked No. 11 in the KCAC in interceptions with three during conference play and ranked No. 14 in pass breakups with four.

<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/c4ca3557-4c69-4b3c-a9ae-59eeff3f4936?elinkdata=26521">Aaliya Oliver</a> was named to the second-team as a linebacker. She had 15 flag pulls during the conference portion of the season which ranked No. 42 in the conference and added one interception and one pass breakup.

<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/756a416f-2c98-41ca-a300-6e55f57bd27a?elinkdata=26521">Khylie Douglas</a> was named to the second-team as a rusher. She had 13 flag pulls during conference play and had two sacks which ranked No. 20 in the KCAC during conference play, and she halso had two pass breakups. Douglas spent a lot of time in the opposing team's backfield disrupting plays and forcing quarterbacks on the run or to make bad decisions.

<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/8a6c6685-8692-4140-8d9c-3127b0426ea3?elinkdata=26521">Addison Cadwell</a> was named to the second-team as a punt team specialist and honorable mention as a receiver. She ranked sixth in the KCAC among regular punters with a 27.9 per kick average on eight punts. She pinned teams inside their own 20 yard line three times. On offense, she had eight catches during conference play for 99 yards and two touchdowns.

<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/54fe95bf-a051-4bf6-bdae-64352ade1a02?elinkdata=26521">Ciaran DeCuir</a> was named to the honorable mention team as receiver. She had 19 catches for 340 yards during the conference season. She averaged 37.8 yards per game and 17.9 yards per catch. She ranked No. 11 in the KCAC in total yards receiving, No. 13 in yards per game, No. 4 in yards per catch and No. 4 in touchdown catches.

<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/aedab7b3-2345-44ba-9aec-7c87500ae586?elinkdata=26521">Jazmine Whitfield</a> was named to the honorable mention team as a receiver. She had 30 catches during the conference season for 293 yards and eight touchdowns. She ranked No. 4 in the KCAC in touchdown catches, No. 17 in total yards, No. 11 in total receptions.

<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/12be7f3d-c5d6-44eb-8a5e-cee6580230a1?elinkdata=26521">Ava Duerr</a> was named to the honorable mention team as a center. Duerr did an excellent job of getting the ball back to the quarterback with minimal bad snaps that caused significant losses or disrupted the flow of plays. She also added an offensive spark with 23 receptions for 201 yards and three touchdowns during the conference season.

<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/cdb4221d-2810-411c-9f7f-6992275dc1a3?elinkdata=26521">Nyjah Green</a> was named honorable mention as a linebacker. She had 12 flag pulls for the Coyotes during conference play and had two sacks. She also had one interception.

Kansas Wesleyan quarterback <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/7da49f1c-6bd6-4d85-9e14-f05ba95ac84d?elinkdata=26521">Chihiro Iwata</a> was named as the KCAC Flag Football Co-Player of the Year headlining KWU's picks to the All-KCAC Flag Football teams as selected by conference coaches and announced by the conference office.Iwata was named Co-Player of the Year along with Ottawa's fifth-year quarterback Madysen Carrera. In conference play, Iwata was phenomenal, completing 67.6 percent of passes and throwing for 2044 yards in nine conference games. She averaged 227.1 yards per game, and threw for 38 touchdowns and just two interceptions. She led the KCAC in yards per game, total yards passing, completions, attempts and touchdowns. Her efforts also earned her First Team All-KCAC honors.Aaliyah Wood was named to the All-KCAC first team both as a receiver and a defensive back, excelling at both positions during the conference season. She led the KCAC in total receiving yards during conference play with 550 and was fourth in the conference in touchdown receptions with eight. Her 48 receptions during conference play ranked second in the KCAC and her 61.1 yards per game led the KCAC and her 11.5 yards per catch ranked No. 24 in the KCAC. Defensively she had four interceptions during conference play that ranked No. 4 in the KCAC and had four pass breakups, ranking No. 14 in the conference.<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/f0971392-e332-42d2-a19b-25bf5f7ab4bb?elinkdata=26521">Alexis Jimenez</a> was named to the All-KCAC first team as a screen blocker. Jimenez was great for the Coyotes during conference play, helping hold opponents to only two sacks during conference play. She also added a little offense for the Coyotes, catching five passes during the conference season, including one for a touchdown.<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/0035c33b-2aac-4aa3-9eec-cf6f00b11b84?elinkdata=26521">Alexa Mansur</a> was selected to the All-KCAC first team as a linebacker. She had 28 flag pulls during the conference season, to go along with two interceptions and seven pass breakups. Her seven pass breakups ranked No. 6 in the KCAC during conference play. Her flag pull total ranked No. 16 in the KCAC during conference play. Opposing offenses tried to find ways to neutralize Mansur's excellent defensive skills, but were widely unsuccessful in their efforts.<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/a3fc4e08-2003-4143-b0df-c145e1fe78b4?elinkdata=26521">Angel Roman</a> was selected to four All-KCAC honors at different positions including two different defensive spots. She was named to the first-team as a wide receiver, the second-team as a defensive back and as a utility player, and the honorable mention team as a linebacker. At the receiver position, she ranked No. 15 in the KCAC in receiving yards per game, averaging 35.4 yards per game. She ranked No. 13 in the KCAC in total receptions with 28 during conference play. She ranked No. 13 in the KCAC in receiving yards with 319 in nine conference games. Defensively she ranked No. 18 in the KCAC with 27 flag pulls during conference play. She ranked No. 11 in the KCAC in interceptions with three during conference play and ranked No. 14 in pass breakups with four.<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/c4ca3557-4c69-4b3c-a9ae-59eeff3f4936?elinkdata=26521">Aaliya Oliver</a> was named to the second-team as a linebacker. She had 15 flag pulls during the conference portion of the season which ranked No. 42 in the conference and added one interception and one pass breakup.<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/756a416f-2c98-41ca-a300-6e55f57bd27a?elinkdata=26521">Khylie Douglas</a> was named to the second-team as a rusher. She had 13 flag pulls during conference play and had two sacks which ranked No. 20 in the KCAC during conference play, and she halso had two pass breakups. Douglas spent a lot of time in the opposing team's backfield disrupting plays and forcing quarterbacks on the run or to make bad decisions.<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/8a6c6685-8692-4140-8d9c-3127b0426ea3?elinkdata=26521">Addison Cadwell</a> was named to the second-team as a punt team specialist and honorable mention as a receiver. She ranked sixth in the KCAC among regular punters with a 27.9 per kick average on eight punts. She pinned teams inside their own 20 yard line three times. On offense, she had eight catches during conference play for 99 yards and two touchdowns.<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/54fe95bf-a051-4bf6-bdae-64352ade1a02?elinkdata=26521">Ciaran DeCuir</a> was named to the honorable mention team as receiver. She had 19 catches for 340 yards during the conference season. She averaged 37.8 yards per game and 17.9 yards per catch. She ranked No. 11 in the KCAC in total yards receiving, No. 13 in yards per game, No. 4 in yards per catch and No. 4 in touchdown catches.<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/aedab7b3-2345-44ba-9aec-7c87500ae586?elinkdata=26521">Jazmine Whitfield</a> was named to the honorable mention team as a receiver. She had 30 catches during the conference season for 293 yards and eight touchdowns. She ranked No. 4 in the KCAC in touchdown catches, No. 17 in total yards, No. 11 in total receptions.<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/12be7f3d-c5d6-44eb-8a5e-cee6580230a1?elinkdata=26521">Ava Duerr</a> was named to the honorable mention team as a center. Duerr did an excellent job of getting the ball back to the quarterback with minimal bad snaps that caused significant losses or disrupted the flow of plays. She also added an offensive spark with 23 receptions for 201 yards and three touchdowns during the conference season.<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/cdb4221d-2810-411c-9f7f-6992275dc1a3?elinkdata=26521">Nyjah Green</a> was named honorable mention as a linebacker. She had 12 flag pulls for the Coyotes during conference play and had two sacks. She also had one interception.

Iwata's pick as Co-Player of the Year headlines KWU's Flag Football All-KCAC Picks

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Freddy Fermin hit a line drive RBI single into left center in the bottom of the 12th inning to give the Kansas City Royals a 2-1 win over the Boston Red Sox on Friday night.

Steven Cruz (1-0) pitched the 12th for his first major league win as the Royals won their seventh consecutve game and for the 16th time in their last 18 games.

Sean Newcombe (0-4), the eighth Red Sox pitcher of the game, took the loss.

Each team scored a run in the 11th after 10 scoreless innings.

Kansas City's Michael Lorenzen gave up just three hits through seven innings, striking out seven and walking none. He was helped by his defense, including a diving stab of a line drive by first baseman Salvador Perez in the fourth.

Hunter Dobbins didn't allow a run in six innings for Boston, though he did have to work around trouble a couple of times. He gave up two hits in the fourth inning and a one-out triple in the fifth.

Devers, who created a firestorm Thursday when he said he wouldn’t play first base, prompting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/red-sox-devers-first-base-john-henry-a82e9ddbb9c6f5e294dc6ce5908eab0c">Red Sox brass to fly to Kansas City</a>&nbsp;to defuse the situation, was 1 for 5 with an RBI.

In the fifth inning, Kyle Isbel ripped a one-out triple to right center. With the infield drawn in, Jonathan India hit a slow roller to short. Isbel broke for home and was tagged out in a rundown that ended up in a 6-2-5-4 double play.

Lorenzen became the third straight starter for the Royals to pitch seven scoreless innings.

The Red Sox will send LHP Garrett Crochet (3-2, 2.02 ERA) to the mound to face Kansas City LHP Cole Ragans (2-1, 3.79) in the second game of the three-game series on Saturday. ___

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746848264494.jpeg" alt="Photo Kansas City Royals" />
 <figcaption>Photo Kansas City Royals</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Freddy Fermin hit a line drive RBI single into left center in the bottom of the 12th inning to give the Kansas City Royals a 2-1 win over the Boston Red Sox on Friday night.Steven Cruz (1-0) pitched the 12th for his first major league win as the Royals won their seventh consecutve game and for the 16th time in their last 18 games.Sean Newcombe (0-4), the eighth Red Sox pitcher of the game, took the loss.Each team scored a run in the 11th after 10 scoreless innings.Both starting pitchers cruised.Kansas City's Michael Lorenzen gave up just three hits through seven innings, striking out seven and walking none. He was helped by his defense, including a diving stab of a line drive by first baseman Salvador Perez in the fourth.Hunter Dobbins didn't allow a run in six innings for Boston, though he did have to work around trouble a couple of times. He gave up two hits in the fourth inning and a one-out triple in the fifth.Devers, who created a firestorm Thursday when he said he wouldn’t play first base, prompting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/red-sox-devers-first-base-john-henry-a82e9ddbb9c6f5e294dc6ce5908eab0c">Red Sox brass to fly to Kansas City</a>&nbsp;to defuse the situation, was 1 for 5 with an RBI.<h2>Key Moment</h2>In the fifth inning, Kyle Isbel ripped a one-out triple to right center. With the infield drawn in, Jonathan India hit a slow roller to short. Isbel broke for home and was tagged out in a rundown that ended up in a 6-2-5-4 double play.<h2>Key Stat</h2>Lorenzen became the third straight starter for the Royals to pitch seven scoreless innings.<h2>Up Next</h2>The Red Sox will send LHP Garrett Crochet (3-2, 2.02 ERA) to the mound to face Kansas City LHP Cole Ragans (2-1, 3.79) in the second game of the three-game series on Saturday. ___

⚾ Fermin hits a 12th-inning single to give Royals win over Red Sox

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post

It’s hard to lose when your opponent never scores; a lesson the Southeast of Saline softball team took to heart in a pair of shutout victories over Lyons on Thursday that put them one win away from another NCAA title.

Game One: SE of Saline 10, Lyons 0

The opener had pitchers' duel written all over it as SES led just 3-0 going into the bottom of the fourth, but the Lady Trojan bats got hot, scoring seven and closing out a game one victory in just five innings.

Reese Heinrich and Kimber Ogorzolka each drove in two runs on two hits, leading the charge at the plate for Southeast.

In the circle, Carlee Dye and Madelyn McFadden dominated the Lady Lion lineup, surrendering just two hits and one walk in five innings of shutout ball.

As it has been all season, that pitching was backed up by a phenomenal defensive effort that once again failed to record even a single error in the win.

SES picked up right where they left off in game two, plating two runs in the first, three in the third, and two more in the fourth to take a 7-0 lead.

Lyons would keep any further runs off the board, but would not add any of their own, falling in a second-straight shutout on the day.

In a scorekeeper's nightmare but a coach's delight, 18 different Lady Trojans would take at least one at bat in this game, with Heinrich and Abby Wyatt leading the way this time with two hits each, and Ogorzolka driving in two more runs.

In the circle, Karlee Zurfluh pitched a one-hit masterpiece, recording 14 strikeouts to tie the single-season record (93), issuing just two walks in a complete-game shutout.

With this sweep, the Lady Trojans are one win away from a league title, at 19-3 overall and 10-0 in league play.

Lyons, meanwhile, slides to 4-18 overall and 3-9 in league play.

SES can secure the NCAA crown with one win over Beloit in Monday’s regular season finale.

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina PostIt’s hard to lose when your opponent never scores; a lesson the Southeast of Saline softball team took to heart in a pair of shutout victories over Lyons on Thursday that put them one win away from another NCAA title.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715807615208.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here." />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here.</figcaption>
 </figure>Game One: SE of Saline 10, Lyons 0The opener had pitchers' duel written all over it as SES led just 3-0 going into the bottom of the fourth, but the Lady Trojan bats got hot, scoring seven and closing out a game one victory in just five innings.Reese Heinrich and Kimber Ogorzolka each drove in two runs on two hits, leading the charge at the plate for Southeast.In the circle, Carlee Dye and Madelyn McFadden dominated the Lady Lion lineup, surrendering just two hits and one walk in five innings of shutout ball.As it has been all season, that pitching was backed up by a phenomenal defensive effort that once again failed to record even a single error in the win.Game Two: SE of Saline 7, Lyons 0SES picked up right where they left off in game two, plating two runs in the first, three in the third, and two more in the fourth to take a 7-0 lead.Lyons would keep any further runs off the board, but would not add any of their own, falling in a second-straight shutout on the day.In a scorekeeper's nightmare but a coach's delight, 18 different Lady Trojans would take at least one at bat in this game, with Heinrich and Abby Wyatt leading the way this time with two hits each, and Ogorzolka driving in two more runs.In the circle, Karlee Zurfluh pitched a one-hit masterpiece, recording 14 strikeouts to tie the single-season record (93), issuing just two walks in a complete-game shutout.With this sweep, the Lady Trojans are one win away from a league title, at 19-3 overall and 10-0 in league play.Lyons, meanwhile, slides to 4-18 overall and 3-9 in league play.SES can secure the NCAA crown with one win over Beloit in Monday’s regular season finale.

🥎 Lady Trojans shut down Lyons, extend win streak to eight

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr. had four hits, Kris Bubic pitched seven innings and the Kansas City Royals beat the Chicago White Sox 10-0 on Thursday to complete a four-game series sweep.

Salvador Perez had three RBIs as the Royals posted their sixth consecutive win. Jonathan India had two hits, two RBIs and scored three times.

Bubic (4-2) allowed six hits, struck out seven and walked one. Chris Stratton and Steven Cruz each got three outs for the Royals, finishing a six-hitter.

Kansas City scored its first six runs on two-out hits.

The Royals jumped in front in the first against Davis Martin (1-4). Vinnie Pasquantino singled and scored on Perez's ninth double in his last 12 games.

Witt singled and stole second before scoring on a single by Perez for a 2-0 lead in the third.

Witt singled, stole his 13th base and scored on a two-run triple by Maikel Garcia in the fifth. India and Witt added back-to-back RBI doubles in the sixth.

Martin allowed four runs and seven hits in 4 1/3 innings.

Chicago threatened in the fifth, putting runners at the corners with nobody out. Andrew Vaughn, who reached on a leadoff double, was thrown out at home by Garcia on a grounder to third. Brooks Baldwin then hit into a double play.

The White Sox have lost a club-record 11 straight games at Kauffman Stadium.

The Royals will start RHP Michael Lorenzen (3-3, 4.23 ERA) on Friday in the first of three games against the visiting Red Sox, who will send out RHP Hunter Dobbins (2-1, 3.78 ERA) for his fourth career start.

The White Sox return home for three games against the Marlins. RHP Bryse Wilson (0-1, 5.56 ERA) starts for the third time, opposite Miami RHP Max Meyer (2-3, 3.92 ERA).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746741089929.jpeg" alt="Photo Kansas City Royals" />
 <figcaption>Photo Kansas City Royals</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr. had four hits, Kris Bubic pitched seven innings and the Kansas City Royals beat the Chicago White Sox 10-0 on Thursday to complete a four-game series sweep.Salvador Perez had three RBIs as the Royals posted their sixth consecutive win. Jonathan India had two hits, two RBIs and scored three times.Bubic (4-2) allowed six hits, struck out seven and walked one. Chris Stratton and Steven Cruz each got three outs for the Royals, finishing a six-hitter.Kansas City scored its first six runs on two-out hits.The Royals jumped in front in the first against Davis Martin (1-4). Vinnie Pasquantino singled and scored on Perez's ninth double in his last 12 games.Witt singled and stole second before scoring on a single by Perez for a 2-0 lead in the third.Witt singled, stole his 13th base and scored on a two-run triple by Maikel Garcia in the fifth. India and Witt added back-to-back RBI doubles in the sixth.Martin allowed four runs and seven hits in 4 1/3 innings.<h2>Key moment</h2>Chicago threatened in the fifth, putting runners at the corners with nobody out. Andrew Vaughn, who reached on a leadoff double, was thrown out at home by Garcia on a grounder to third. Brooks Baldwin then hit into a double play.<h2>Key stat</h2>The White Sox have lost a club-record 11 straight games at Kauffman Stadium.<h2>Up next</h2>The Royals will start RHP Michael Lorenzen (3-3, 4.23 ERA) on Friday in the first of three games against the visiting Red Sox, who will send out RHP Hunter Dobbins (2-1, 3.78 ERA) for his fourth career start.The White Sox return home for three games against the Marlins. RHP Bryse Wilson (0-1, 5.56 ERA) starts for the third time, opposite Miami RHP Max Meyer (2-3, 3.92 ERA).

⚾ Witt and Bubic help the Royals beat the White Sox for 4-game series sweep

RIVERSIDE, Mo. - Kansas Wesleyan Flag Football fell in a double overtime instant classic thriller on Wednesday in the quarterfinals of the NAIA Flag Football Finals at the KC Current Training Center.

It was the fifth time this season that Ottawa and KWU have played, the last coming two and a half weeks ago in the KCAC Championship also held at the same facility.

With both teams so familiar with one another, it was a low scoring affair.

Wesleyan was on the board first. The Coyotes took over after a punt by Ottawa and went 46 yards in 11 plays, the Coyotes getting a pair of big plays as <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/18ea69da-9336-4f25-b443-c64c0092866f?elinkdata=26490">Chihiro Iwata</a> found <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/93b447b9-c860-4df7-be7e-2133a856f7ba?elinkdata=26490">Ciaran DeCuir</a> for seven yards to convert a third down and later on the drive hit <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/eedf0a61-3002-42c8-8a3e-ffad893e004b?elinkdata=26490">Aliyah Wood</a> for 12 yard play to the Ottawa 14.

Iwata finished the drive finding <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/6d1e1508-db69-4eaa-a6a1-03a606c3707b?elinkdata=26490">Jazmine Whitfield</a> for a four-yard touchdown and the PAT was good to put the Coyotes up 7-0.

Ottawa came right back and scored going 66 yards in nine plays, but the PAT was no good and KWU held a 7-6 lead.

A Coyote turnover gave the Braves the ball at the KWU 19 and four plays later, Ottawa was in the endzone and the PAT conversion made it 13-7 in favor of the Braves in the second quarter.

The score stayed stuck there until late in the fourth. The Coyotes got the ball back after stopping Ottawa at the KWU-6 yard line on fourth down and immediately headed the other direction. A pass to Wood converted a third down and later on the drive Iwata again found Whitfield for a 21-yard play that gave the Coyotes first down at the Ottawa 25.

The Coyotes would tie it up with just 46 seconds left in the game as Iwata hit Wood for a 13-yard touchdown pass on fourth and goal, but the Coyotes would miss the extra point try and the game would head to overtime.

Ottawa had first possession in the overtime session. The Braves would score on fourth down at the KWU 8, but would not convert the PAT try making it 19-13.

Then it was Wesleyan's turn. It took only two plays for Iwata to find Whitfield for the touchdown, but the PAT would be ruled no good and it was tied 19-19 heading to a second extra session.

KWU had the ball first in the second overtime, and the Coyotes would convert as Iwata hit <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/3a05d66c-8ae0-474e-b094-927c07771b9c?elinkdata=26490">Angel Roman</a> for the touchdown. KWU would miss the PAT though leading 25-19.

Ottawa had the ball next. It took two plays for the Braves to score to tie it and then converted the PAT to win in 26-25.

Iwata was 27 of 44 passing for the Coyotes for 202 yards and four touchdowns. Whitfield and eight catches for 69 yards and two scores. Wood had eight catches for 50 yards and one score.

On Tuesday, the Coyotes played two games in Pool Play, first meeting KCAC opponent Midland, and coming away with a 26-21 win. The Coyotes trailed 14-0 at one point and came back to outscore Midland 26-7 the rest of the way.

KWU then faced a very strong Thomas (Ga.) squad that had only been allowing an averaging of five points per game. Needing the hold the Night Hawks in check, the Coyote defense stepped up and held Thomas well below its season scoring average, and scoring a touchdown in a 14-6 loss.

RIVERSIDE, Mo. - Kansas Wesleyan Flag Football fell in a double overtime instant classic thriller on Wednesday in the quarterfinals of the NAIA Flag Football Finals at the KC Current Training Center.It was the fifth time this season that Ottawa and KWU have played, the last coming two and a half weeks ago in the KCAC Championship also held at the same facility.With both teams so familiar with one another, it was a low scoring affair.Wesleyan was on the board first. The Coyotes took over after a punt by Ottawa and went 46 yards in 11 plays, the Coyotes getting a pair of big plays as <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/18ea69da-9336-4f25-b443-c64c0092866f?elinkdata=26490">Chihiro Iwata</a> found <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/93b447b9-c860-4df7-be7e-2133a856f7ba?elinkdata=26490">Ciaran DeCuir</a> for seven yards to convert a third down and later on the drive hit <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/eedf0a61-3002-42c8-8a3e-ffad893e004b?elinkdata=26490">Aliyah Wood</a> for 12 yard play to the Ottawa 14.Iwata finished the drive finding <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/6d1e1508-db69-4eaa-a6a1-03a606c3707b?elinkdata=26490">Jazmine Whitfield</a> for a four-yard touchdown and the PAT was good to put the Coyotes up 7-0.Ottawa came right back and scored going 66 yards in nine plays, but the PAT was no good and KWU held a 7-6 lead.A Coyote turnover gave the Braves the ball at the KWU 19 and four plays later, Ottawa was in the endzone and the PAT conversion made it 13-7 in favor of the Braves in the second quarter.The score stayed stuck there until late in the fourth. The Coyotes got the ball back after stopping Ottawa at the KWU-6 yard line on fourth down and immediately headed the other direction. A pass to Wood converted a third down and later on the drive Iwata again found Whitfield for a 21-yard play that gave the Coyotes first down at the Ottawa 25.The Coyotes would tie it up with just 46 seconds left in the game as Iwata hit Wood for a 13-yard touchdown pass on fourth and goal, but the Coyotes would miss the extra point try and the game would head to overtime.Ottawa had first possession in the overtime session. The Braves would score on fourth down at the KWU 8, but would not convert the PAT try making it 19-13.Then it was Wesleyan's turn. It took only two plays for Iwata to find Whitfield for the touchdown, but the PAT would be ruled no good and it was tied 19-19 heading to a second extra session.KWU had the ball first in the second overtime, and the Coyotes would convert as Iwata hit <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/3a05d66c-8ae0-474e-b094-927c07771b9c?elinkdata=26490">Angel Roman</a> for the touchdown. KWU would miss the PAT though leading 25-19.Ottawa had the ball next. It took two plays for the Braves to score to tie it and then converted the PAT to win in 26-25.Iwata was 27 of 44 passing for the Coyotes for 202 yards and four touchdowns. Whitfield and eight catches for 69 yards and two scores. Wood had eight catches for 50 yards and one score.HOW THE COYOTES GOT TO THE QUARTERFINALSOn Tuesday, the Coyotes played two games in Pool Play, first meeting KCAC opponent Midland, and coming away with a 26-21 win. The Coyotes trailed 14-0 at one point and came back to outscore Midland 26-7 the rest of the way.KWU then faced a very strong Thomas (Ga.) squad that had only been allowing an averaging of five points per game. Needing the hold the Night Hawks in check, the Coyote defense stepped up and held Thomas well below its season scoring average, and scoring a touchdown in a 14-6 loss.

Flag Football falls in double overtime heartbreaker to Ottawa 26-25

Kansas Wesleyan's baseball team will begin play in the NAIA National Championship in the Hoosier State.

The Coyotes are the third seed and play second-seed and 17th-ranked Bellevue (Neb.) in the Opening Round on Monday at Winterholter Field on the campus of Taylor University in Upland, Indiana. Top seed and ninth-ranked Taylor takes on fourth-seed Grand View (Iowa) in Monday's other game in the four-team bracket. Starting times will be announced later.

The 46-team NAIA tournament field was unveiled Monday afternoon.

Monday's losers play Tuesday followed by a game between the two winners. The double-elimination event continues through Wednesday with a second championship game scheduled for Thursday, if necessary.

The Coyotes (39-13) qualified for their fourth consecutive Opening Round by cruising through the Kansas Conference tournament last weekend in Joplin scoring 45 runs in their four games. They were 30-6 during the regular season and KCAC co-champions with Oklahoma Wesleyan.

KWU won the Shreveport Opening Round bracket last year and advanced to the NAIA World Series for the first time in program history.

Coach <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/d7733b8c-a380-4432-92ec-e68e9a2deb60?elinkdata=26459">Bill Neale</a> said preparations for Bellevue (40-13) would begin immediately. The Bruins won the North Star Athletic Association regular season title (19-1) and the conference tournament.

"Obviously, we know they're a good team and luckily, they've played some teams that we know and people we know so right away we'll start trying to do some scouting, watch some of their games on old live streams," he said. "I know that they've always been geared. They've always got some electric players in their lineup and typically have a few electric arms, starters and bullpen."

Upland is approximately 11 hours from Salina and located midway between Indianapolis and Fort Wayne, an hour's drive from each.

"I've heard nothing but great things about Taylor and Upland," Neale said. "They put on a great tournament and the people who have been there before say they do it first class. It feels like 'this is what playoff baseball should be like.'"

Neale said his message to his team is to maintain the status quo.

"They just need to stay confident and keep playing the way they are," he said. "Some guys haven't been here before and some guys even coming from jucos, or high schools haven't played championship ball at this level. They just need to keep believing in themselves and keep that same confidence and a little bit of arrogance of like 'we belong here, we deserve to have a chance to move on to the World Series.'"

Winning is the goal but Neale also wants his team to savor the experience.

"You've got to go out there and play the game and if we win, we win," he said. "If we don't we move on to the next round and we play the next team that's up. Just play the game in front of us, play one inning at a time.

"Honestly, what I really want them to do is to enjoy the moment. I don't want them stressed. Let's enjoy this, have fun with it. Sometimes we just need to calm down, have some fun and go from there. Believe in ourselves and believe that we're the better team."

Kansas Wesleyan's baseball team will begin play in the NAIA National Championship in the Hoosier State.The Coyotes are the third seed and play second-seed and 17th-ranked Bellevue (Neb.) in the Opening Round on Monday at Winterholter Field on the campus of Taylor University in Upland, Indiana. Top seed and ninth-ranked Taylor takes on fourth-seed Grand View (Iowa) in Monday's other game in the four-team bracket. Starting times will be announced later.The 46-team NAIA tournament field was unveiled Monday afternoon.Monday's losers play Tuesday followed by a game between the two winners. The double-elimination event continues through Wednesday with a second championship game scheduled for Thursday, if necessary.The Coyotes (39-13) qualified for their fourth consecutive Opening Round by cruising through the Kansas Conference tournament last weekend in Joplin scoring 45 runs in their four games. They were 30-6 during the regular season and KCAC co-champions with Oklahoma Wesleyan.KWU won the Shreveport Opening Round bracket last year and advanced to the NAIA World Series for the first time in program history.Coach <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/d7733b8c-a380-4432-92ec-e68e9a2deb60?elinkdata=26459">Bill Neale</a> said preparations for Bellevue (40-13) would begin immediately. The Bruins won the North Star Athletic Association regular season title (19-1) and the conference tournament."Obviously, we know they're a good team and luckily, they've played some teams that we know and people we know so right away we'll start trying to do some scouting, watch some of their games on old live streams," he said. "I know that they've always been geared. They've always got some electric players in their lineup and typically have a few electric arms, starters and bullpen."Upland is approximately 11 hours from Salina and located midway between Indianapolis and Fort Wayne, an hour's drive from each."I've heard nothing but great things about Taylor and Upland," Neale said. "They put on a great tournament and the people who have been there before say they do it first class. It feels like 'this is what playoff baseball should be like.'"Neale said his message to his team is to maintain the status quo."They just need to stay confident and keep playing the way they are," he said. "Some guys haven't been here before and some guys even coming from jucos, or high schools haven't played championship ball at this level. They just need to keep believing in themselves and keep that same confidence and a little bit of arrogance of like 'we belong here, we deserve to have a chance to move on to the World Series.'"Winning is the goal but Neale also wants his team to savor the experience."You've got to go out there and play the game and if we win, we win," he said. "If we don't we move on to the next round and we play the next team that's up. Just play the game in front of us, play one inning at a time."Honestly, what I really want them to do is to enjoy the moment. I don't want them stressed. Let's enjoy this, have fun with it. Sometimes we just need to calm down, have some fun and go from there. Believe in ourselves and believe that we're the better team."

Baseball headed to Upland, Indiana for NAIA Opening Round, faces Bellevue in First Round

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr. hit a two-run homer to give Michael Wacha all the support he needed as the Kansas City Royals defeated the Chicago White Sox 2-1 on Wednesday night.

It was the third straight quality start for Wacha (2-4), who allowed just three hits in seven innings, walked one and struck out five.

The Royals, who won for the 14th time in their last 16 games, lead the majors with 18 quality starts.

The White Sox got a run in the ninth off Carlos Estévez on a single by Luis Robert, but left the tying run stranded at third. Estévez allowed one run and three hits, but struck out two, including Josh Rojas for the final out to earn his 11th save.

Jonathan Cannon (2-4) took the loss, allowing two runs and nine hits in six innings.

The White Sox have lost nine straight against Kansas City and 10 in a row at Kauffman Stadium. Both are franchise records against the Royals and in Kansas City.

Both starting pitchers were effective early on a damp, cool night. With a mist falling and game-time temperatures in the low 60s, Wacha and Cannon each threw four scoreless innings.

But while Wacha threw up another zero in the top of the fifth, Cannon ran into trouble in the bottom of the inning. Luke Maile led off with a single and, with two outs, Witt hit his fifth homer of the season to left field.

The White Sox had runners on first and second with two outs in the second inning, but Wacha got Lenyn Sosa to line out to right. That was Chicago's only inning with two runners on base against Wacha.

The Royals have scored four runs or fewer in 32 of 38 games this season. They're 16-16 in those games.

The White Sox and Royals will conclude their four-game series with an afternoon game Thursday. RHP Davis Martin (1-3, 3.52 ERA) will start for Chicago, while Kansas City will counter with LHP Kris Bubic (3-2, 1.98).

— AP MLB:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/MLB">https://apnews.com/hub/MLB</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746669913141.jpeg" alt="Photo Kansas City Royals" />
 <figcaption>Photo Kansas City Royals</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr. hit a two-run homer to give Michael Wacha all the support he needed as the Kansas City Royals defeated the Chicago White Sox 2-1 on Wednesday night.It was the third straight quality start for Wacha (2-4), who allowed just three hits in seven innings, walked one and struck out five.The Royals, who won for the 14th time in their last 16 games, lead the majors with 18 quality starts.The White Sox got a run in the ninth off Carlos Estévez on a single by Luis Robert, but left the tying run stranded at third. Estévez allowed one run and three hits, but struck out two, including Josh Rojas for the final out to earn his 11th save.Jonathan Cannon (2-4) took the loss, allowing two runs and nine hits in six innings.The White Sox have lost nine straight against Kansas City and 10 in a row at Kauffman Stadium. Both are franchise records against the Royals and in Kansas City.Both starting pitchers were effective early on a damp, cool night. With a mist falling and game-time temperatures in the low 60s, Wacha and Cannon each threw four scoreless innings.But while Wacha threw up another zero in the top of the fifth, Cannon ran into trouble in the bottom of the inning. Luke Maile led off with a single and, with two outs, Witt hit his fifth homer of the season to left field.<h2>Key moment</h2>The White Sox had runners on first and second with two outs in the second inning, but Wacha got Lenyn Sosa to line out to right. That was Chicago's only inning with two runners on base against Wacha.<h2>Key stat</h2>The Royals have scored four runs or fewer in 32 of 38 games this season. They're 16-16 in those games.<h2>Up next</h2>The White Sox and Royals will conclude their four-game series with an afternoon game Thursday. RHP Davis Martin (1-3, 3.52 ERA) will start for Chicago, while Kansas City will counter with LHP Kris Bubic (3-2, 1.98).— AP MLB:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/MLB">https://apnews.com/hub/MLB</a>

⚾ Witt and Wacha lead Royals to victory over White Sox

WICHITA - Kansas Wesleyan Baseball placed nine student-athletes on the 2025 All-KCAC Baseball teams as announced by the conference office. The All-KCAC Baseball teams are voted by the conference coaches.

KWU had three first-team selections, one second-team selection and five third-team picks. KWU also had one honoree on the KCAC Gold Glove team, which honors excellence in the field.

Earning spots on the first-team were catcher <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/a37e07ad-d5ec-43ca-b347-252dc3e0d3a9?elinkdata=26428">Tyler Favretto</a>, starting pitcher <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/a2c9c80e-486e-4140-aa10-af5f7b34e014?elinkdata=26428">Brett Maddock</a> and relief pitcher <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/9703c3cf-bf16-42c6-a75d-5f35b1c8f18c?elinkdata=26428">Ritter Steinmann</a>.

Favretto was a first-team selection a year ago and was unanimous pick this year. He led the Coyotes with a .430 batting average in conference play, which ranked fourth best in the conference among all players. His 55 hits ranked third best in the league and his 49 RBI ranked seventh best in the KCAC. He led the KCAC in walks with 46 coming in conference play, and tied for the NAIA lead with 61 free passes during the entire season.

Maddock went 8-1 during KCAC play in 11 starts for the Coyotes. He had a 4.58 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP in 70.2 innings pitched. He struck out a team best 55 batters against only 20 walks. Opposing hitters hit .277 against him during the conference season. He ranked seventh in the KCAC in ERA, and eighth among starting pitchers in the conference in WHIP. He ranked ninth in strikeouts.

Steinmann led the KCAC in saves with five during conference play with a 3.71 ERA which ranked 12th in the KCAC among pitchers who threw at least 10 innings in conference play. He also posted a 3-1 record in the conference in 34 innings pitched in 16 conference appearances and had a .231 batting average against.

<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/81cf1085-1aa2-44ab-b5b7-c764938f0296?elinkdata=26428">Riley Gwin</a> was the lone second-team selection for the Coyotes as a relief pitcher.

Gwin had a 1.25 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP in 16 conference appearances as a middle reliever for the Coyotes, throwing 36 innings. He had 34 strikeouts and opposing batters hit .224 against him in conference play. His 1.25 ERA in conference play ranked second among all pitchers in the conference, and led the KCAC among pitchers who pitched at least one inning per team game in conference play. He ranked sixth in the KCAC in WHIP among pitchers who faced at least 100 batters during the conference season.

KWU had five third-team selections. <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/00b7c008-3955-4e92-a5c6-8981ac303513?elinkdata=26428">Fernando Ruvalcaba</a> earned the honor at first base, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/83e496ac-0946-44db-956e-032417c13c54?elinkdata=26428">Joe Finder</a> at second base, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/159194b5-f0a6-46ed-9132-22d7e9c1fb52?elinkdata=26428">Jacob Williamson</a> in the outfield, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/3f29c835-f7a4-4769-94a7-9a5a60b0c762?elinkdata=26428">Carter Allen</a> at designated hitter and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/79f651e3-0b55-4b99-ad1d-580b80f478f1?elinkdata=26428">Nathan Righi</a> at starting pitcher.

Ruvalcaba hit .358 for the Coyotes during the conference portion of the season, really coming on in the later half of the season. His average ranked No. 26 in the KCAC during the conference season. His 48 hits ranked 11th in the KCAC, and his 50 RBI ranked second highest in the conference during conference play. He ranked second in the KCAC in extra base hits with 24 during conference play, which included 14 homeruns, the second highest total in the league and 10 doubles.

Finder ranked 16th in the KCAC in average, hitting .345 during the conference season. He ranked 21st in the conference in slugging average at .689. He ranked 35th in the KCAC in hits with 41, and 44th with 29 RBI. He ranked eighth in the KCAC in doubles with 11, and 30th in homeruns with eight.

Williamson hit .288 for the Coyotes during the conference season with 45 hits that ranked No. 31 in the conference. He drove in 39 runs which ranked No. 18 in the conference. He finished eighth in extra base hits with 23, and was tied for second in the KCAC in homeruns with 14. He had 13 stolen bases during conference play which ranked 10th in the conference.

Allen ranked seventh in the KCAC in hits in conference play with 54, and drove in 49 runs on the season which ranked seventh in the KCAC. His .732 slugging average ranked No. 15 in the KCAC. He ranked eighth in the KCAC in extra base hits with 23, which included 13 homeruns that tied for fourth in the KCAC.

In conference play, Righi made 11 starts and had a 6-2 record with a 6.30 ERA in 50 innings pitched. He had a WHIP of 1.54 which ranked No. 19 in the KCAC. He struck out 53 which ranked No. 10 in the KCAC and his 9.54 strikeouts per nine innings ranked ninth in the conference. His 50 innings pitched ranked No. 11 in the KCAC.

Favretto was also recognized for his excellence in the field, earning the KCAC Gold Glove at catcher. He had a .993 fielding percentage in 269 chances which ranked third best in the conference among players with 200 or more chances in the field. He committed only two errors, and allowed only three passed balls.

Kansas Wesleyan University and Oklahoma Wesleyan University were the KCAC Co-Champions, each with a 30-6 record in conference play. Both teams will represent the conference with automatic berths in the NAIA Baseball National Championship Opening Round as OKWU was the No. 1 seed in the KCAC Tournament, and KWU came away with the conference tournament win with a 7-4 win over Tabor on Sunday.

Oklahoma Wesleyan had three of the four individual award winners selected by the conference coaches. Evan Foor was selected as the KCAC Pitcher of the Year, Ravaughn Morgan was the Player of the Year, and Kirk Kelley was named as the KCAC Coach of the Year by his peers. Jaden Hensley of Southwestern College was named as the Freshman of the Year.

Foor went 9-0 in 10 starts for the Eagles and had a 3.84 ERA, a 1.26 WHIP, and a .264 batting average against in 70.1 innings pitched. He had 67 strikeouts against just 15 walks during conference play. He led the KCAC in wins with nine, ranked second in the conference in WHIP and ranked fourth in strikeouts.

Morgan ranked eighth in the KCAC in batting average, hitting .417 for the Eagles. He ranked second in the conference in hits with 60 and tied for fourth in RBI with 50. He third for second in extra base hits with 27 and was third with 14 doubles.

Kelley led the Eagles to the No. 1 seed in the KCAC Tournament after sharing the conference title with Kansas Wesleyan, both teams with 30-6 records in league play. OKWU went 2-1 in the series with KWU to earn the No. 1 seed. He led the Eagles to a 43-7 regular season record overall, and the Eagles are 46-9 heading into the NAIA Postseason.

Hensley had a 2-3 record in five starts and 14 appearances for the Southwestern Moundbuilders as a true freshman. He threw 42 innings with a 5.57 ERA, a 1.62 WHIP, and struck out 34 during the overall season. He had 30 strikeouts in the conference season and ranked No. 14 in the conference in ERA at 5.68. He three 38 innings in conference play in 12 appearances and five starts.

WICHITA - Kansas Wesleyan Baseball placed nine student-athletes on the 2025 All-KCAC Baseball teams as announced by the conference office. The All-KCAC Baseball teams are voted by the conference coaches.KWU had three first-team selections, one second-team selection and five third-team picks. KWU also had one honoree on the KCAC Gold Glove team, which honors excellence in the field.Earning spots on the first-team were catcher <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/a37e07ad-d5ec-43ca-b347-252dc3e0d3a9?elinkdata=26428">Tyler Favretto</a>, starting pitcher <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/a2c9c80e-486e-4140-aa10-af5f7b34e014?elinkdata=26428">Brett Maddock</a> and relief pitcher <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/9703c3cf-bf16-42c6-a75d-5f35b1c8f18c?elinkdata=26428">Ritter Steinmann</a>.Favretto was a first-team selection a year ago and was unanimous pick this year. He led the Coyotes with a .430 batting average in conference play, which ranked fourth best in the conference among all players. His 55 hits ranked third best in the league and his 49 RBI ranked seventh best in the KCAC. He led the KCAC in walks with 46 coming in conference play, and tied for the NAIA lead with 61 free passes during the entire season.Maddock went 8-1 during KCAC play in 11 starts for the Coyotes. He had a 4.58 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP in 70.2 innings pitched. He struck out a team best 55 batters against only 20 walks. Opposing hitters hit .277 against him during the conference season. He ranked seventh in the KCAC in ERA, and eighth among starting pitchers in the conference in WHIP. He ranked ninth in strikeouts.Steinmann led the KCAC in saves with five during conference play with a 3.71 ERA which ranked 12th in the KCAC among pitchers who threw at least 10 innings in conference play. He also posted a 3-1 record in the conference in 34 innings pitched in 16 conference appearances and had a .231 batting average against.<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/81cf1085-1aa2-44ab-b5b7-c764938f0296?elinkdata=26428">Riley Gwin</a> was the lone second-team selection for the Coyotes as a relief pitcher.Gwin had a 1.25 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP in 16 conference appearances as a middle reliever for the Coyotes, throwing 36 innings. He had 34 strikeouts and opposing batters hit .224 against him in conference play. His 1.25 ERA in conference play ranked second among all pitchers in the conference, and led the KCAC among pitchers who pitched at least one inning per team game in conference play. He ranked sixth in the KCAC in WHIP among pitchers who faced at least 100 batters during the conference season.KWU had five third-team selections. <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/00b7c008-3955-4e92-a5c6-8981ac303513?elinkdata=26428">Fernando Ruvalcaba</a> earned the honor at first base, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/83e496ac-0946-44db-956e-032417c13c54?elinkdata=26428">Joe Finder</a> at second base, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/159194b5-f0a6-46ed-9132-22d7e9c1fb52?elinkdata=26428">Jacob Williamson</a> in the outfield, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/3f29c835-f7a4-4769-94a7-9a5a60b0c762?elinkdata=26428">Carter Allen</a> at designated hitter and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/79f651e3-0b55-4b99-ad1d-580b80f478f1?elinkdata=26428">Nathan Righi</a> at starting pitcher.Ruvalcaba hit .358 for the Coyotes during the conference portion of the season, really coming on in the later half of the season. His average ranked No. 26 in the KCAC during the conference season. His 48 hits ranked 11th in the KCAC, and his 50 RBI ranked second highest in the conference during conference play. He ranked second in the KCAC in extra base hits with 24 during conference play, which included 14 homeruns, the second highest total in the league and 10 doubles.Finder ranked 16th in the KCAC in average, hitting .345 during the conference season. He ranked 21st in the conference in slugging average at .689. He ranked 35th in the KCAC in hits with 41, and 44th with 29 RBI. He ranked eighth in the KCAC in doubles with 11, and 30th in homeruns with eight.Williamson hit .288 for the Coyotes during the conference season with 45 hits that ranked No. 31 in the conference. He drove in 39 runs which ranked No. 18 in the conference. He finished eighth in extra base hits with 23, and was tied for second in the KCAC in homeruns with 14. He had 13 stolen bases during conference play which ranked 10th in the conference.Allen ranked seventh in the KCAC in hits in conference play with 54, and drove in 49 runs on the season which ranked seventh in the KCAC. His .732 slugging average ranked No. 15 in the KCAC. He ranked eighth in the KCAC in extra base hits with 23, which included 13 homeruns that tied for fourth in the KCAC.In conference play, Righi made 11 starts and had a 6-2 record with a 6.30 ERA in 50 innings pitched. He had a WHIP of 1.54 which ranked No. 19 in the KCAC. He struck out 53 which ranked No. 10 in the KCAC and his 9.54 strikeouts per nine innings ranked ninth in the conference. His 50 innings pitched ranked No. 11 in the KCAC.Favretto was also recognized for his excellence in the field, earning the KCAC Gold Glove at catcher. He had a .993 fielding percentage in 269 chances which ranked third best in the conference among players with 200 or more chances in the field. He committed only two errors, and allowed only three passed balls.Kansas Wesleyan University and Oklahoma Wesleyan University were the KCAC Co-Champions, each with a 30-6 record in conference play. Both teams will represent the conference with automatic berths in the NAIA Baseball National Championship Opening Round as OKWU was the No. 1 seed in the KCAC Tournament, and KWU came away with the conference tournament win with a 7-4 win over Tabor on Sunday.Oklahoma Wesleyan had three of the four individual award winners selected by the conference coaches. Evan Foor was selected as the KCAC Pitcher of the Year, Ravaughn Morgan was the Player of the Year, and Kirk Kelley was named as the KCAC Coach of the Year by his peers. Jaden Hensley of Southwestern College was named as the Freshman of the Year.Foor went 9-0 in 10 starts for the Eagles and had a 3.84 ERA, a 1.26 WHIP, and a .264 batting average against in 70.1 innings pitched. He had 67 strikeouts against just 15 walks during conference play. He led the KCAC in wins with nine, ranked second in the conference in WHIP and ranked fourth in strikeouts.Morgan ranked eighth in the KCAC in batting average, hitting .417 for the Eagles. He ranked second in the conference in hits with 60 and tied for fourth in RBI with 50. He third for second in extra base hits with 27 and was third with 14 doubles.Kelley led the Eagles to the No. 1 seed in the KCAC Tournament after sharing the conference title with Kansas Wesleyan, both teams with 30-6 records in league play. OKWU went 2-1 in the series with KWU to earn the No. 1 seed. He led the Eagles to a 43-7 regular season record overall, and the Eagles are 46-9 heading into the NAIA Postseason.Hensley had a 2-3 record in five starts and 14 appearances for the Southwestern Moundbuilders as a true freshman. He threw 42 innings with a 5.57 ERA, a 1.62 WHIP, and struck out 34 during the overall season. He had 30 strikeouts in the conference season and ranked No. 14 in the conference in ERA at 5.68. He three 38 innings in conference play in 12 appearances and five starts.

KWU Baseball places nine on All-KCAC teams

The Southeast of Saline baseball team completed their third league sweep of the season on Tuesday, defending their new home turf from the Ellsworth Bearcats.

Game One: SE of Saline 3, Ellsworth 1

The opener was a pitchers' duel from start to finish, with Ellsworth scratching across their lone run in the top of the first before being silenced for the final six innings.

SES meanwhile, managed to plate a run in the second, another in the third, and one more in the sixth to secure a critical, late-season victory.

While both teams managed five hits in this game, Southeast made more of their opportunities, with Lyrik Lilley driving in the lone RBI of the day for the Trojans.

On the hill, Killian Vaughan and Lyrik Lilley combined to prevent a single earned run from coming across, allowing just five hits and striking out seven in the win.

Game Two: SE of Saline 12, Ellsworth 2

The nightcap saw more of the same, with Ellsworth’s early 1-0 lead quickly erased by a two-run first for Southeast.

This time, the Bearcats would tie it up in the top of the third, but two Trojan runs in the fourth and an eight-run outburst in the sixth would put the game, and the series, to bed early.

SES looked much more confident at the plate this time around, with Grady Gebhardt, Sam Knopf, and Landon Albrecht all recording multi-hit games, and Knopf driving in 4 of the 11 runs himself.

On the bump, Kayson Bertrand was spectacular, allowing just one earned run on four hits, walking two, and striking out two in a complete-game effort.

With this win, the Trojans are now 12-6 overall and 7-1 in league play, while Ellsworth slides to 7-12 and 3-5 respectively.

SES could still steal the NCAA title out from under Sacred Heart (10-2) if they can win their final four league games against Lyons and Beloit.

Updated NCAA Standings 1. SE of Saline (7-1) 2. Sacred Heart (10-2) 3. Lyons (7-3) 4. Beloit (5-3) 5. Ellsworth (3-5) 6. Minneapolis (2-10) 7. Republic County (0-10)

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina PostThe Southeast of Saline baseball team completed their third league sweep of the season on Tuesday, defending their new home turf from the Ellsworth Bearcats.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715807615208.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here." />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here.</figcaption>
 </figure>Game One: SE of Saline 3, Ellsworth 1The opener was a pitchers' duel from start to finish, with Ellsworth scratching across their lone run in the top of the first before being silenced for the final six innings.SES meanwhile, managed to plate a run in the second, another in the third, and one more in the sixth to secure a critical, late-season victory.While both teams managed five hits in this game, Southeast made more of their opportunities, with Lyrik Lilley driving in the lone RBI of the day for the Trojans.On the hill, Killian Vaughan and Lyrik Lilley combined to prevent a single earned run from coming across, allowing just five hits and striking out seven in the win.Game Two: SE of Saline 12, Ellsworth 2The nightcap saw more of the same, with Ellsworth’s early 1-0 lead quickly erased by a two-run first for Southeast.This time, the Bearcats would tie it up in the top of the third, but two Trojan runs in the fourth and an eight-run outburst in the sixth would put the game, and the series, to bed early.SES looked much more confident at the plate this time around, with Grady Gebhardt, Sam Knopf, and Landon Albrecht all recording multi-hit games, and Knopf driving in 4 of the 11 runs himself.On the bump, Kayson Bertrand was spectacular, allowing just one earned run on four hits, walking two, and striking out two in a complete-game effort.With this win, the Trojans are now 12-6 overall and 7-1 in league play, while Ellsworth slides to 7-12 and 3-5 respectively.SES could still steal the NCAA title out from under Sacred Heart (10-2) if they can win their final four league games against Lyons and Beloit.Updated NCAA Standings 1. SE of Saline (7-1) 2. Sacred Heart (10-2) 3. Lyons (7-3) 4. Beloit (5-3) 5. Ellsworth (3-5) 6. Minneapolis (2-10) 7. Republic County (0-10)

⚾️ Southeast sweeps Ellsworth to stay in the hunt

The Southeast of Saline softball team took one more step toward another consecutive league title on Tuesday as they swept the Ellsworth Lady Bearcats in Gypsum.

Game One: SE of Saline 5, Ellsworth 1

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina PostThe Southeast of Saline softball team took one more step toward another consecutive league title on Tuesday as they swept the Ellsworth Lady Bearcats in Gypsum.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715807615208.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here." />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here.</figcaption>
 </figure>Game One: SE of Saline 5, Ellsworth 1Southeast of Saline would actually be outhit in both games of this doubleheader, but solid pitching and aggressive baserunning would win the day for the Lady Trojans.Despite collecting just three hits, SES would strike for a run in the first, three in the second, and one more in the sixth, muting the Bearcat bats for the final six innings of play.That good work in the circle was done by Carlee Dye, whose lone run allowed was not earned, and who struck out two alongside a zero-walk outing.Ashley Whelchel had two of Southeast’s three RBIs on the day, a critical performance in a slow outing for the offense.Game Two: SE of Saline 11, Ellsworth 3Fortunately for the Lady Trojans, the bats came alive in the nightcap, plating two runs in the first, one in the second and third, four in the fourth, two in the fifth, and one more in the sixth.Ellsworth managed a run in the fifth, sixth, and seventh, but it was too little, too late as Southeast secured the sweep.At the plate, Abby Wyatt was the only bat to record a multi-hit day as the Lady Bearcats actually outhit SES 9-7, but when it mattered most, the Southeast staff knuckled down and stranded critical runners.Karlee Zurfluh, Hannah Thiel, and Riley Donnelly combined to toss seven innings, allowing just two earned runs on nine hits, striking out nine and walking just two.With this win, Southeast remains on the path to a league title at 17-3 overall and 6-0 in league play while Ellsworth falls to 0-10 in the NCAA.Updated NCAA Standings 1. SE of Saline (8-0) 2. Minneapolis (10-2) 3. Beloit (4-2) 4. Republic County (4-4) 5. Lyons (3-7) 6. Sacred Heart (3-7) 7. Ellsworth (0-10)The Lady Trojans will conclude their campaign with back-to-back league sets against Lyons and Beloit.