Apr 11, 2022

Coyote softball gets key conference sweep of Avila

Posted Apr 11, 2022 12:22 AM

KWU Athletics

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – For just the third time this season, and the second time in Kansas Conference play, the Kansas Wesleyan Softball team swept a doubleheader. The Coyotes swept Avila on Saturday winning the first game 11-1 and the second 6-2 at the Zarda Multisport Complex.

The victories boosted Wesleyan's record to 15-16 overall and 9-5 in the KCAC, and the Coyotes currently sit in fourth place in the conference standings a game ahead of Friends and Saint Mary, and a game back of McPherson.

The Coyotes used the long ball to win the opener 11-1 in five innings on the run rule.

After Jocelyn Alcala (SO/Fullerton, Calif.) reached on an error in the first inning, Mia Hernandez (FR/Hanford, Calif.) connected on a 2-run homer to put the Coyotes up 2-0. After Samantha Herrera (FR/Lake Jackson, Texas) walked and Brianna McGinnis (SR/Tucson, Ariz.) doubled, Bailey Rivas (SO/West Covina, Calif.) drove in a third run with a sacrifice fly to make it 3-0.

The Coyotes added two more in the second on Alcala's sacrifice fly that scored Lauren Blue (SR/Arlington, Texas), who doubled earlier in the inning, and Hernandez drove in a run with a single.

Wesleyan used a little small ball in the third to get another run, Rivas would strike out to open the inning but reached on a wild pitch and then went to third on Miranda Guerrero (JR/Oxnard, Calif.)'s sacrifice bunt, then scored on Carmen Angulo (SR/Long Beach, Calif.)'s fielder's choice that did not yield an out.

Avila got a run in the bottom of the fourth, but the Coyotes blew the game open in the top of the fifth. Guerrero led off reaching on an error and Angulo followed with a single. Elizabeth Willison (SO/Moore, Okla.) came up three spots later and struck out, but reached on a wild pitch to load the bases for Hernandez. Avila would walk Hernandez to force in a run. Samantha Herrera then stepped up and crushed a ball out to left for a grand slam to make it 11-1 in favor of the Coyotes.

Hernandez and Herrera both drove in four runs in the game. Hernandez with two hits, Herrera with three hits. Angulo was again stellar in the circle for the Coyotes allowing a run on four hits with five strikeouts to improve to 11-4.

The Coyotes kept things going in the second game.

Herrera drove in a run in the top of the first, scoring Alcala on a single, after Alcala singled earlier in the inning.

Wesleyan added to more in the second as Rivas and Jenna Soule (FR/Overland Park, Kan.) both walked to start the inning, and Paige Anderson (JR/Lakeville, Minn.) drove in a run with a hit, as did Alcala putting the Coyotes up 3-0.

Avila got a run in the third on a wild pitch, but the Coyotes answered right back in the fourth. Soule led off with a double, followed by walks to Lauren Blue and Anderson. Two batters later Hernandez drove in another run with a sacrifice fly.

Hernandez would hit her second homer of the doubleheader to lead off the top of the seventh inning, and another run would score on an error by Avila in the inning.

Jewell Henry (SO/Kingston, Okla.) pitched five innings of relief for the Coyotes to earn the win after Angulo started and pitched the first two innings. Henry allowed two runs on four hits and struck out four. Anderson and Alcala had two hits each for the Coyotes. Hernandez drove in two.

The Coyotes are back in action on Tuesday, hosting Southwestern in a doubleheader at Bill Burke Park at 2 p.m.

-kwucoyotes.com-