Keira Hammen had herself a day for the Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes against York University Panthers on Wednesday at Salina South High School.
Hammen went 4 for 6 in Wednesday's doubleheader with three homers and a double as the Coyotes won 5-1 in the first game and 10-0 in the second.
The wins were key in the KCAC standings for the Coyotes who now sit alone in the final spot in the KCAC playoffs after Saint Mary split with Ottawa on Wednesday. The Coyotes are 11-11 in conference play with four games left - two at Evangel on Friday and two on Tuesday at Bethany.
Wesleyan also is just a game back of seventh-place Tabor at 12-10 in conference play.
It was Hammen's first homer that broke a scoreless tie in the first game in the bottom of the third inning. Hailey Summers led off the frame with a hit, then Jenna Soule advanced Summers with a sacrifice bunt before Hammen stepped up and smashed a ball out to left to put the Coyotes up 2-0.
York got a run in the top of the fifth, but the Coyotes added two more in the bottom of the frame. Summers reached on an error to lead off the inning and after Soule reached on a bunt single, Hammen drove in a run reaching on a fielder's choice. Later in the inning, Cadence Mallet doubled to drive in the second run of the inning.
Briannah Kutschkau led off the bottom of the sixth with a walk, then stole second, went to third on a passed ball, then scored on Josie Buhr's ground out to make it 5-1.
Soule had two of KWU's seven hits while Hammen drove in three runs. Caitlyn Collier got the win in the circle going six innings-plus with three strikeouts.
The Coyotes didn't waste any time getting things going in the second game.
York in the top of the first threatened when Paige Chapman singled and then went to third on a throwing error on the play. A walk put two runners on with no one out for York, but the Coyotes would get a huge response from starter Alli Mickelsen, who struck out the next two batters and got a foul pop up to end the inning.
The Coyotes responded in the bottom half. Soule singled to set up Hammen's 2-run homer, her second of the day to put the Coyotes up 2-0.
Three more went up for Wesleyan in the third. Hammen led off the inning with her third homer of the day, The Coyotes loaded the bases ahead of Buhr's walk to bring in a run, and the third run off the inning came on a wild pitch.
Wesleyan blew it open in the fourth with five runs. Soule started the rally with a walk followed by Hammen's double off the fence in left. Trenity Miller followed with a 2-run double. The Coyotes loaded the bases again for Buhr to walk in a run and pinch hitter Cali Worsham singled to score two more.
Hammen was 3 for 3 in the game and drove in three runs. Elli Han had two hits. Mickelsen was phenomenal in the game in the circle striking out eight against one walk and three hits.