Kansas Wesleyan Baseball split its series opening doubleheader with the Friends Falcons on Saturday at Dean Evans Stadium. The Coyotes won the first game 13-12 in thrilling fashion but dropped the second game 13-6.
The Coyotes opened the first game with a 3-0 lead as Niko Olson led off the inning with a hit and then scored on a ground out by Fernando Ruvalcaba. Chris Finocchario then stepped up and hit a 2-run homer to put the Coyotes up.
KWU held the lead until the third when Friends loaded the bases then got a grand slam by Elijah Morales to take a 4-3 lead. The Falcons added another homer in the inning to lead 5-3.
Garrett Garfield homered in the third for the Coyotes to make it 5-4, and the Coyotes took the lead in the fourth. Chase Aurand and Tyler Nordyke led off the inning with walks and then Olson brought in a run with a single to tie the game. Carter Allen followed with a RBI single and a run scored with Ruvalcaba hit into a double play.
Friends tied it up in the bottom of the fifth and then used another grand slam, this time by Miles Hartman to take a 11-7 lead.
The Coyotes took advantage of two Friends errors in the fifth to plate three runs and get within one. Blake Dale reached on an error to start the inning and Aurand and Nordyke walked to load the bases. Olson brought in a run on a fielder's choice and two runs scored on an error when Allen put down a bunt and the throw was wild to first base.
The Coyotes used more Friends errors to take the lead in the bottom of the eighth. Finocchario reached on an error that kept the inning going for the Coyotes and Dale followed with a double to tie it. KWU loaded the bases when pinch hitter Joe Finder was intentionally walked and the Coyotes would score two runs when Friends would throw the ball away on a failed pickoff attempt at first base to take a 13-11 lead.
The Coyotes gave up a homer in the ninth to Friends but held on for the win.
Garfield had three of KWU's eight hits in the game. Riley Gwin got the win in relief for the Coyotes, going three and two-thirds, striking out five. Kayden Shivers got the save getting the final two outs.
In the second game, Allen homered in the bottom of the first to give KWU the lead, but Friends would score two in the second, five in the third and three in the fourth to take a 10-3 lead.
The Coyotes scored two in the bottom of the third on a 2-run homer by Garfield, and added two more in the fourth on back-to-back homers by Finocchario and Dale to get within 10-5.
Garfield homered again in the fifth to make it 10-6, but Friends would add three in the seventh to lead 13-6.
Garfield and Allen had two hits to lead the Coyotes. Wil Yamka took the loss going two and two-thirds allowing five runs, three earned on three hits.