Wildcats take out Coyotes in Season Finale
By: David Toelle, KWU Sports Information

Kansas Wesleyan's Andrew Gulla smashes a homerun in the sixth inning of the Coyotes' season finale at Kansas State on Tuesday

MANHATTAN – Kansas Wesleyan traveled to Manhattan for a mid-week showdown with the NCAA Division I and Big XII member Kansas State Wildcats in their season finale at Tointon Family Stadium.

The Wildcats scored five runs in the fourth, and three more in the fifth to blow open the game and take a 9-0 lead, eventually winning 14-1 over the Coyotes.

Rob Ozga allowed just one hit in one inning for the Coyotes, getting the start on the hill in his final collegiate game.

David Price grabbed the first hit for the Coyotes in the top of the second, singling to left off K-State’s Chance Mitchell.

Brian Dobyns relieved Ozga and pitched two-plus innings.

KSU’s Nate Tenbrink doubled to left and scored on a Jordan Cruz single in the second for the Wildcats’ only run of the frame. Kansas State’s big inning was the fourth, as Cris Tapia led off the inning with a homer to right. Cruz then knocked in his second and third RBI’s of the evening with a bases loaded single.

After a Coyote pitching change, Tenbrink then scored on a ground out to second by Rob Vaughn, and Eddie Vasquez doubled home Cruz. Tapia then popped out to end the inning.

Back-to-back doubles by Byron Wiley and Drew Biery started off the K-State fifth, and forced another Coyote pitching change, Kyle Kirchner in relief of Trevor Howell. Back to back walks loaded the bases again for the Wildcats, and Vaughn sacrified to right, scoring Biery, before Eddie Vasquez singled scoring Tenbrink.

The Coyotes got their lone run of the game off a monster homerun to left by Andrew Gulla with one out in the top of the sixth off Kansas State reliever Trevor Hurley. The Coyotes appeared to be ready to score a couple more runs in the frame as AJ Anthony followed Gulla’s bomb with a double, but Adam Carroll and Carlos Sanchez both struck out to end the inning.

Guy McGriff struck out the Kansas State side in the bottom of the sixth.

Travis L’Hommedieu singled to right in the seventh, but any Coyote scoring chances were quickly thwarted as Trevor Howell grounded into a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning.

Anthony pitched the seventh and eighth for the Coyotes, giving up five runs on seven hits, and walking one.

Tenbrink led off the seventh with a single and scored also with Cruz who walked, on a double by Vaughn. Dustin Rasco then grounded out to Anthony to end the inning.

In the eighth, Andrew Giambrone reached on an error by Sanchez, and came around to score on a double by Biery. Consecutive singles by the Wildcats scored Biery and Vasquez doubled scoring Tenbrink.

The Coyotes went quickly in the top of the ninth. Anthony grounded out to lead off, followed by a Carroll single. Pinch hitter Stephen Cilladi struck out and Josh Miller grounded out to short to end it.

The Coyotes had six different players get hits in McGriff, Gulla, Anthony, Carroll, Price and L’Hommedieu. Gulla drove in the Coyotes’ only run on his solo shot in the sixth.

Brian Dobyns took the loss for the Coyotes, giving up six runs on six hits, all earned, while walking two.

Vasquez had four hits for Kansas State to lead the Wildcats, while three other KSU hitters had three hits apiece, as K-State recorded 18 hits on the evening. Cruz and Vaughn each drove in four.

Chase Mitchell took the win for K-State, pitching five innings, giving up only two hits while striking out four and walking two.

Kansas Wesleyan finishes the 2006 campaign with a 17-33 record for first year coach Dave Dawson.

-- KWU SI --