Feb 16, 2025

KWU Baseball completes sweep of Evangel

Posted Feb 16, 2025 4:42 PM

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - Kansas Wesleyan Baseball completed the sweep of the Evangel Valor on Saturday as the Coyotes won both games of a doubleheader 13-4 and 4-2 at University Field.

The Coyotes improved to 8-6 overall and 3-0 in the KCAC.

In the first game, Evangel scored an unearned run in the bottom of the first inning and held the lead until the third inning when the Coyotes got things going.

Wesleyan plated three runs without recording a hit in the inning. Tyler Favretto walked, Garrett Garfield walked as did Fernando Ruvalcaba to load the bases. Carter Allen then walked to bring in a run, Drew Wardell was hit by a pitch to bring in another and Coulson Riggs had a sacrifice fly for the third run of the frame.

Evangel got another run in the third taking advantage of another KWU error.

In the fourth, the Coyotes didn't need a hit to score a run again. Jacob Williamson walked then moved to third on a balk and a passed ball then scored on Favretto's ground out.

Wesleyan blew it open in the fifth with six runs. Ruvalcaba led off the inning with a walk and after a walk to Allen, Wardell singled to load the bases. Riggs doubled home two runs followed by Joe Finder's sac fly. Justin Gilliam had a pinch hit RBI single to bring in a run and Williamson followed with a 2-run homer to make it 10-2.

The Coyotes added two more in the sixth on Finder's RBI triple after a single by Riggs and Alex Garcia's RBI ground out.

Ruvalcaba homered in the seventh to make it 13-3 but Evangel got run back in the bottom of the inning to extend the game.

Nathan Righi went five innings for the win, improving to 3-0 on the season allowing three runs, none of them earned on seven hits with seven strikeouts. Shaw Lee pitched three innings allowing a run on three hits and Riley Gwin pitched the ninth.

Williamson had three hits to lead the Coyotes.

In the series finale, the Coyotes took the lead first for the first time all weekend as Williamson led off the inning with a single then scored on Allen's double.

Evangel tied it in the bottom of the first, but the Coyotes took the lead 3-1 in the top of the second as Tyler Favretto doubled to drive in two runs.

Evangel got one back in the bottom of the inning, but would not score again.

The Coyotes added a big insurance run in the fifth as Ruvalcaba led off with a double, then pinch runner Lakin Franz scored on Allen's single.

The Valor loaded the bases in the fifth, but could not score, and had runners at second and third in the sixth, but could not score again.

Williamson and Allen had two hits each for the Coyotes. Allen drove in a pair of runs along with Favretto. Nathan Galusha got the win, going four innings allowing two runs on six hits with three strikeouts. Ritter Steinmann picked up his fourth save of the season going three innings, allowing two hits and striking out five.