ALEXANDRIA, La. - Kansas Wesleyan Baseball opened its 2025 season on Friday against LSU-Alexandria and dropped both ends of the doubleheader 2-1 and 11-10.
In the opening game, the Coyotes took an early 1-0 lead as Jacob Williamson led off with a double and then scored on Garrett Garfield's single to center field.
Wesleyan loaded the bases in the top of the fourth, but a double play would end the inning before the Coyotes could push a run across.
The Generals took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning on a 2-run homer.
The Coyotes tried to come back in the top of the seventh, Williamson was hit by a pitch, Tyler Favretto walked and pinch hitter Fernando Ruvalcaba walked to load the bases, but the Coyotes could not push a run across and LSUA held on for the win.
Four different Coyotes had hits in the game, but Coyote pitching held LSUA to just two hits in the game.
Nathan Righi allowed one hit with five strikeouts in his first start since March last year, but Ritter Steinmann would take the loss giving up the go ahead runs in the sixth.
The Coyotes took a 10-3 lead into the bottom of the seventh inning, but a series of walks and hit by pitches gave LSUA the chance to come back and they did, pulling off an 11-10 walkoff win in the second game.
KWU took a 2-0 lead in the first inning as Cruz Oxford drove in a run with a sacrifice fly after the Coyotes had loaded the bases, and Ruvalcaba singled up the middle to bring in the second run.
LSUA got on the board in the third inning on a bases loaded walk only to see the Coyotes answer back in the top of the fourth with five runs.
Jesse Conrad led off the inning with a walk, followed by walks issues to Lakin Franz and Garcia. Two batters later Favretto singled through the right side to bring in a run. Carter Allen then walked in a run, and another scored on a passed ball. Joe Finder brought in a run with a single to center and Ruvalcaba brought in a run with a sac fly.
KWU added two more in the fifth when Garcia scored on a fielder's choice after walking, and Williamson scored on a wild pitch.
Another homer by the Generals in the bottom of the inning made it 9-3, but a double play ended the LSUA inning.
Allen doubled home a run in the seventh inning to put the Coyotes up 10-3 heading to the last.
Things just didn't go well for the Coyotes in the inning. LSUA led off with a single, then back to back walks and a hit by pitch brought in the first run. After a pitching change, another walk, a fielder's choice and a single all brought in runs. A walk and another hit batter brought in a run and forced another pitching change. A walk brought in a run, a sacrifice fly tied it and after issuing an intentional walk, a wild pitch provided the Generals with the walk off run.
Favretto had two hits to lead the Coyotes, while five others had one each.
Brett Maddock went five innings, allowing three runs, two earned on five hits. Thalen Wright took the loss, allowing three runs on a hit with two walks. Riley Bradshaw and Riley Gwin also pitched for the Coyotes.