Kansas Wesleyan Baseball split Saturday's doubleheader with the Saint Ambrose University Bees at Dean Evans Stadium, but claimed a 3-1 win in the series after Friday's sweep.
Saturday's first game went to extra innings, but did not go in Wesleyan's favor as KWU lost 18-13, but in the finale, the Coyotes put together a strong start and got a 9-2 win.
Things started great for the Coyotes in the first game, but didn't end so well.
KWU raced out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first as Niko Olson was hit by a pitch and Garrett Garfield doubled. Fernando Ruvalcaba then reach on an error that allowed both runners to score.
Wesleyan blew the game open in the bottom of the second, Blake Dale walked, Coulson Riggs singled and Tyler Nordyke reached on an error that brought in a run. Then Olson stepped up and hit a 3-run homer, and Carter Allen followed with a solo shot giving KWU a 7-1 lead.
Ruvalcaba's 2-run homer in the fourth made it 9-1 Coyotes.
Garfield drove in a run in the bottom of the sixth and Logan Baptista drove in two with a single to make it 12-2 heading to the seventh.
That's when Saint Ambrose started its comeback. The Bees scored two in the seventh to keep the game going, then scored six in the eighth to make it 12-10.
Wesleyan got a run in the bottom of the eighth as Riggs singled and scored pinch runner Lakin Franz to make it 13-10.
In the top of the ninth, Saint Ambrose scored three times, all with two outs to tie the game.
The Coyotes couldn't get anything going in the bottom of the ninth forcing extra innings.
Saint Ambrose hit two homers in the 10th to take an 18-13 lead and then hold on for the win.
Riggs had three of KWU's 13 hits. Thalen Wright went seven innings, allowing four runs on 10 hits with five strikeouts, but took the no decision.
The Coyotes bounced back in a big way in the second game, scoring six runs in the bottom of the first inning on the way to a 9-2 win.
Olson led off the first with a single and then scored on Garfield's double. Ruvalcaba walked and Joe Finder singled to load the bases. Dale was hit by a pitch, forcing in a run, and then Riggs unloaded the bases with a grand slam to make it 6-0.
The Coyotes added another run in the third as Olson singled to bring in Logan Arndt who walked earlier in the inning.
KWU put two more on the board in the fifth. Dale led off with a single then went to third on a throwing error on a pickoff attempt and then scored on Jackson Harriger's single. Olson drove in another run with a sacrifice fly to make it 9-1.
Saint Ambrose got one more run in the seventh, but the Coyotes closed the game out for the win.
Olson and Harriger had two hits to lead the Coyotes. Riggs drove in four. Wil Yamka was masterful on the mound for the Coyotes, scattering three hits over six innings while striking out eight. Tyler Wise pitched the seventh.
The Coyotes will head to Hobbs, N.M. to play a doubleheader with University of the Southwest on Tuesday to make up some of the games lost to inclement weather to start the season.