KWU Sports Information
GREAT BEND – Kansas Wesleyan Baseball is two wins away from its second straight KCAC Baseball Tournament Championship after the Coyotes picked up wins over Ottawa 14-11 and Oklahoma Wesleyan 8-2 on Friday at Great Bend Sports Complex.
The victories also boosted the Coyotes to a new season record for wins in a season, now at 42, after tying the record on Thursday.
The Coyotes will face McPherson in Saturday's championship series, where like last year, Wesleyan must win two games to clinch the title.
Wesleyan first faced Ottawa and eliminated the Braves 14-11.
Wesleyan got things started in the first inning when Dustin Sipe (SR/Aztec, N.M.) hit a 2-run homer after Kendall Foster (SR/Prosper, Texs) had reached on a single to give the Coyotes a 2-1 lead. Ottawa got a run in the bottom of the first.
The Coyotes added three more in the second on William Dryburgh (SR/St. Joseph, Mo.)'s 3-run homer that scored courtesy runner Coulsen Riggs and Zach Olson (JR/Red Deer, Alberta).
Ottawa got another run in the second and another in the fourth.
Dryburgh hit another homer in the fifth, a solo shot that sparked a 6-run rally in the inning. Jarrett Gable (SR/Colleyville, Texas) added a sacrifice fly to score Foster, Kevin Esquilin-Cruz (SR/Trujilo Alto, Puerto Rico) had a RBI single and Olson hit a 3-run homer.
Ottawa got a run in the fifth, but the Coyotes added two more in the seventh on Esquilin-Cruz's homer that scored Haydn Brown (SR/Gardnerville, Nev.) who doubled to lead off the frame.
The Braves tried to rally, scoring four in the seventh, and three in the eighth get with within two at 13-11.
Sipe homered again in the top of the ninth launching a ball out down the left field line to make it 14-11.
Nathan Righi (JR/Pekin, Ill.) went five innings allowing four runs on seven hits. Cesar Rodriguez (JR/Houston, Texas)and Ritter Steinmann (SO/Oroville, Calif.) pitched an inning and a third, and Ryan Sandoval (SR/El Paso, Texas) added an inning and third to pick up the save.
Esquilin-Cruz had three hits to lead the offense, while three others added two each.
The Coyotes then faced Oklahoma Wesleyan and broke a 2-2 tie in the top of the ninth inning with six runs, eliminating the Eagles 8-2.
Spencer Foley (SR/Lancaster, Calif.) was fantastic for the Coyotes on the hill, going seven and two-thirds, allowing two runs, one earned on seven hits with four strikeouts, but departed with a no-decision.
It was a defensive battle throughout. The Eagles broke through in the bottom of the third inning taking a 1-0 lead, but the Coyotes answered back in the top of the fourth. Zack Beatty (JR/Maple Park, Ill.) singled and after a fielder's choice, Esquilin-Cruz walked and then Olson hit a 2-run double to put the Coyotes up 2-1.
No one scored again until the eighth when OKWU tied it on a sacrifice fly. The Eagles would leave the bases loaded.
Wesleyan's offense got the spark it needed in the top of the ninth.
Gable walked with one out, followed by a walk to Esquilin-Cruz. Olson then walked as did Kansuke Okada (SR/Osaka, Japan) to force in the go-ahead run. Dryburgh then singled home a run and Foster followed with a 2-run double. Dryburgh scored on a wild pitch and Sipe singled to drive in the sixth run of the inning.
Oklahoma Wesleyan loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth, but a double play ended it for the Coyotes.
Dryburgh had three of KWU's 10 hits. Ryan Sandoval picked up the win in relief, recording the final four outs of the game.