Swedes sweep Coyotes in first meeting of the week
By: David Toelle, KWU Sports Information

Matt Garretson lays down a bunt during game one of the Coyotes doubleheader at Bethany on Monday afternoon

Kansas Wesleyan and Bethany College are to meet twice this week. The first get together between the arch-rivals was Monday afternoon in Lindsborg, a make-up from a rain out in Mid-March. The Swedes got the best of the Coyotes, outlasting them 5-4 in eight innings in game one, and capitalizing on nine KWU errors in game two to come away with the 10-5 win.

In game one, both teams put two runs on the board as the Coyotes’ Guy McGriff scored on a single by Darell Grames, and Carlos Sanchez scored on a sac fly by Andrew Gulla. In the bottom half of the inning, Bethany used a double by Keenan Dukes to score Kasche Trease, and Ryan Wardein drove home Dukes with a single.

Bethany grabbed the lead in the bottom of the fourth as Shawn Ravenscraft singled and scored on a squeeze bunt by Trease. Charles Brown drove in Andy Spirek with a RBI single up the middle. After moving to third on two straight steals, Brown was picked off 2-1-5 to end the inning.

Wesleyan knotted things up at 4-all in the top of the fifth as Sanchez scored on a squeeze by Garretson, and Gulla flew out to right, scoring Grames who had doubled and moved to third on the squeeze. Anthony bounced out to first to end the Coyote half of the fifth.

Bethany looked to be in business in the bottom of the seventh as Brown singled and moved to second on a throwing error by Brian Dobyns. Dukes then lined out to Dobyns, who made a spectacular diving catch and fired to second doubling up Brown for the inning ending double play.

The Coyotes went 1-2-3 in the top of the eighth. Wardein led off the Bethany eighth with a single past a diving McGriff at second. Terrell Lowery ran for Wardein gobbling up two more stolen bases. Chris Green was hit by a pitch and Ben Schmidt was intentionally walked, setting up Brent Basiattes to hit the game-winning single down the third base line to give Bethany the 5-4 win.

Joey Martinson grabbed the win for Bethany going the distance, allowing four runs on five hits in eight innings. He also walked two and struck out four. Brown had three hits in game one for Bethany while Wardein had two.

Rob Ozga took the complete game loss for the Coyotes, giving up five runs on nine hits in seven-plus innings of work. He walked and struck out two. Grames and Sanchez had two hits a piece for the Coyotes while Gulla drove in 2 runs.

Wesleyan (14-27, 4-12) scored first in the second game as Grames came around, scoring as Anthony reached on an error by the Bethany shortstop. Wesleyan’s rally was quickly ended as Travis L’Homedieu grounded into a 1-6-3 double play to end the inning.

Bethany added single runs in each of the first three innings to take a 3-1 lead after three.

After a quick fourth and fifth innings by both teams, Wesleyan’s bats erupted in the top of the sixth. The Coyotes put four runs on the board to take a 5-3 lead. Gulla and Anthony both singled and then moved up 90 feet on a balk by Bethany pitcher Shawn Ravenscraft. Trevor Howell then doubled to score the runners. Carroll then singled to score Howell. After a steal by Carroll, Kyle Dillehay and Sanchez both walked to load the bases, and Darell Grames singled home Carroll. Garretson then lined out to center to end the scoring threat for the Coyotes.

Bethany answered the Wesleyan rally in the bottom half of the inning with seven runs on five hits and four Wesleyan errors.

Costa Aninias pinch hit for Steve Young and reached after being hit by a pitch. Young then reentered to run for Aninias. Ravenscraft then doubled to score Young, and moved to third on a throwing error on a steal attempt by Gulla. Spirek walked and Lowery pinch ran for him. Lowery stole second and both Ravenscraft and Lowery scored on a single by Brown off KWU reliever Brian Dobyns. Brown moved to second on a pick off throwing error on Dobyns and to third on an error by Garretson at short. Wardein walked and Green doubled to scored all three base runners. Basiattes singled, but Green was gunned down at the plate by Carroll. Schmidt return to run for Basiattes and moved to second on defensive indifference, and came around to score as Young singled and moved to second on an error by Carroll. Ravenscraft was aboard for the second time in the inning, as he was hit by a pitch from new Wesleyan pitcher Matt Garretson. Spirek then flew out to left to end the inning.

The Coyotes couldn’t get anything going in the top of the seventh. Gulla lined out to left, Anthony flew out to right and Howell struck out to end the game.

Jason Brown got the win for Bethany in relief, pitching 1.2 innings, not allowing any runs on one hit while striking out one and walking two. Green had three hits and drove in three runs for Bethany in game two.

McGriff took the loss for Wesleyan, giving up six runs on six hits in five innings of work. He also struck out four and walked two. Brian Dobyns gave up three runs on one hit in .1 innings of work, and Garretson gave up one run, unearned in .2 innings of work. Carroll was the lone Coyote in game two with two hits, while Howell drove in two runs.

Bethany and the Coyotes tangle again on Wednesday in KWU’s final home game of the 2006 season at 4:00 PM at Evans Stadium.

-- KWU SI --