KWU Athletics
The introductory period ended sooner than Kansas Wesleyan interim softball coach Brian Guyett than he expected it to and he couldn't be happier.
"We're way further along than I anticipated when I first started coaching," said Guyett, who stepped in as head coach last month. "We've still got a lot of work to do, it is a process but I'm very happy with where we're currently at."
The Coyotes are 7-12 on the season after a splitting a non-conference doubleheader with No. 25 Morningside on Sunday at South High School in their first home games in a month. They won the opener 3-2 in eight innings before losing 8-0 in the second game and are 4-3 in their last seven games.
"We're getting used to each other," Guyett said. "They're starting to understand me and I'm starting to understand them. We joke around now and have a little bit of fun. Hopefully they're understanding that it is supposed to be fun, too."
KWU got superb pitching efforts from starter Carmen Angulo (SR/Long Beach, Calif.) and relievers Jewell Henry (SO/Kingston, Okla.) and Natalie Zamora (FR/Houston, Texas) in the first game. Angulo allowed two unearned runs on three hits in the first five innings, Henry followed with two perfect innings and Zamora got the victory by pitching a perfect eighth inning.
The Coyotes took a 1-0 lead in the third inning when Angulo doubled and pinch runner Camry Whitekiller (FR/Konawa, Okla.) scored on Joceyln Alcala's single. Morningside took a 2-1 lead, though, with pair of runs in the fifth aided by two KWU errors.
Wesleyan tied it 2-2 in the seventh when pinch hitter Mia Hernandez (FR/Hanford, Calif.) led off with a single. Katlyn Acosta (JR/Simi Valley, Calif.) re-entered to run for Hernandez and went to second on Elizabeth Willison (SO/Moore, Okla.)'s walk and scored on Miranda Guerrero (JR/Oxnard, Calif.)'s single up the middle.
Shortstop Brianna McGinnis (SR/Tucson, Ariz.) saved the day in the top of the eighth by fielding a ground ball and throwing out a Mustang baserunner at home plate for the second out of the inning.
KWU won it in the bottom of the eighth on McGinnis' sacrifice fly to right that scored Paola Cordova (JR/El Paso, Texas) from third. Cordova started the inning at second and moved to third on Lauren Blue (SR/Arlington, Texas)'s sacrifice bunt.
"We had some clutch hits in that first game for sure by some of our hitters," Guyett said, "and obviously some great defensive plays by Bri to win it in extra innings."
Alcala had two of KWU's seven hits in the first game.
Guyett said the victory over a nationally-ranked team can only help his team's confidence.
"Anytime you can beat a ranked opponent it's great," he said. "I hope that we take that into our next (Kansas) Conference game. Have that fire that we can do it, that we can beat some of the top teams in the nation."
KWU had just two hits against Morningside pitcher Grace Buffington in the second game – singles by Paige Anderson (JR/Lakeville, Minn.) and McGinnis. Zamora started and took the loss.
The Coyotes are scheduled to play Saint Mary in a KCAC doubleheader on Wednesday in Leavenworth.
They're back home Saturday for a conference doubleheader against arch rival Bethany starting at 1 p.m. at South High.
"I was on the other end (of the rivalry) playing baseball," Guyett said of his collegiate playing career. "I'm going to be on the winning side of it this time."
Be sure to check kwucoyotes.com for all the latest schedule updates with impending inclement weather this week.