KWU Athletics
Kansas Wesleyan Softball made an appearance at Salina South High School for the first time in 2022 on Saturday afternoon.
The Coyotes would leave the ball park happy as Wesleyan swept Hastings 5-4 and 3-0 to improve to 2-2 on the season.
Head Coach Brian Guyett was excited to earn his first two wins as a Coyote.
"It feels great," he said following the game.
Guyett also pointed out that the team had made huge improvements at recent practice sessions which led to the victories.
"Our team from this week to last week made some huge improvements together," he said. "That's how we were able to win today. Our preparation and practice all week… I'm proud of our team and what they were able to accomplish in practice in just six days from our last game."
Wesleyan jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning of the first game on Elizabeth Willison's RBI single that scored Paige Anderson who reached on a fielder's choice earlier in the inning.
After Hastings scored three times in the top of the third inning to take the lead, the Coyotes got back within a run in the bottom of the frame.
Vivian Millan drove in Wesleyan's run in the inning on a ground out that scored Lauren Blue who led off the frame with a single.
Hastings extended its lead in the sixth, but the Coyotes were poised for a comeback in the bottom of the inning.
Bailey Rivas led off with a single, and Carmen Angulo followed with a hit. The runners advanced on a wild pitch and Samantha Herrera walked to load the bases. Pinch hitter Mia Hernandez drove in a run with a ground out to get KWU within a run.
Two batters later, Kyndyll Garrison, who came in as a replacement for Paige Anderson in the lineup, came through with a 2-run double.
"Her performance was great," Guyett said. "She came in at a clutch time after Paige got injured and stepped right in and made an impact for us."
Angulo closed the door on the Broncos in the top of the seventh to seal the win.
Garrison had two of KWU's six hits in the game and drove in two, while Angulo got her first win of the season allowing four runs, one earned while striking out six.
Wesleyan took advantage of two Hastings errors in the bottom of the fifth to account for all the scoring in the game, plating three runs. Jenna Soule led off the inning with a hit then went to third when Paola Cordova reached on an error on a sacrifice bunt. Blue drove in the first run with a sacrifice fly.
Brianna McGinnis doubled to drive in a run and Samantha Herrera added a RBI single.
The three runs were more than enough support for pitcher Natalie Zamora. She went the distance allowing only five hits while striking out three along the way.
Herrera and Soule had two hits each to pace Wesleyan's offense in the second game.
Wesleyan now embarks on a month-long road trip staring next weekend in the Northeastern State Cherokee Nation Festival in Tahlequah, Oklahoma on Friday and Saturday. KWU then plays in the Hosea Bell Langston Classic in Oklahoma City on March 4-5 ahead of a trip to Tucson, Arizona.
KWU will not return home until the Coyotes host Morningside on March 20.