Kansas Wesleyan Baseball rallied in the eight inning to pick up a 9-7 win over the Friends Falcons in the series opener on Friday at Dean Evans Stadium.
The Coyotes jumped out to a big lead after a 4-run third inning and another run in the fifth. However Friends took the lead with two runs in the six and seventh innings, and then put three on the board in the eighth to lead 7-5.
Back came the Coyotes, scoring four in the bottom of the eighth to take the lead, and then held on in the ninth for the win.
Wesleyan broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the third with four runs. Joe Finder led off the inning with a walk and then scored on Jacob Williamson's double. Tyler Favretto traded places with Williamson with another double and two batters later Fernando Ruvalcaba launched a ball out to right center to give the Coyotes a 4-0 lead.
The Coyotes added another in the fifth as Williamson reached on an error to start the inning then scored when Garrett Garfield hit into a double play with no one out.
Friends got two runs on the board in the sixth on a 2-run homer and added two more in the seventh on another 2-run homer.
The Falcons took the lead in the top of the eighth scoring three runs, all coming on a bases clearing double with the bases loaded and two outs in the inning.
The Rally Yotes then came up in the eighth. Jesse Conrad led off with a double, and Joe Finder followed with a single. Williamson grounded out but a run scored. Friends intentionally walked Favretto, and Garfield then walked. Ruvalcaba then singled through the left side to bring in two runs and push the Coyotes back into the lead.
Carter Allen then singled on a bunt and brought in Garfield on the play, but an error allowed Ruvalcaba to move to third on the play.
Friends loaded the bases with nobody out in the top of the ninth, but did not score. KWU got a fielder's choice play at the plate to keep Friends off the board and get the first out, and then a strike out and a ground out would end it.
Ruvalcaba was 3 for 3 with four RBI and two walks for the Coyotes. Favretto, Allen and Finder had two hits each. Starter Brett Maddock went six innings, allowing two runs on seven hits with three strikeouts. Ritter Steinmann got the win, pitching an inning and two thirds in relief. Hunter Blea came in with the bases loaded and no one out and shut down the Falcons to get the save.