Tabor sweeps Coyotes in baseball doubleheader
By: David Toelle, KWU Sports Information

It was a good day for hitting home runs. Both teams combined for six long bombs in the doubleheader between Kansas Wesleyan and Tabor, but it was the Bluejays who got out of Salina with a pair of wins, 9-5 and 12-11, over the Coyotes on Wednesday evening at Dean Evans Stadium.

The Coyotes couldn’t capitalize on four Tabor errors in the first game, as they left eight men aboard. After a quiet first, Tabor erupted for three runs in the top of the second. Casey Hillman walked to lead off the frame, followed by a two-run shot by Chance Miles to left. Casey Cooper then reached on an error by David Price, and came around to score on a single by Tyson Bauerle.

Tabor struck again in the top of the third, scoring three more to take a 6-0 lead through three innings. This time, Cooper launched a AJ Anthony pitch to left on a three run shot.

The Coyote bats awakened in the bottom of the fourth, as Wesleyan put three runs on the board. Matt Garretson was hit by a pitch, and scored on a single by Travis L’Homedieu. Andrew Gulla also scored on L’Homedieu’s single after the Tabor centerfielder, Kevin Peterson, bobbled the ball in the outfield. Adam Carroll then singled home Anthony before Guy McGriff hit into a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.

Tabor added some insurance in the top of the fifth, as Miles scored on a Bauerle single, after doubling.

The Coyotes appeared to be in position to score more runs in the bottom of the fifth, but could only get one across, as Darell Grames scored on a Andrew Gulla single.

Tabor added two more in the top of the sixth as Josh Craig led off the inning with a home run to center, and Nick Green scored on a Miles single after doubling to left.

Wesleyan was only able to score one more in the sixth as Grames again scored on a Gulla single.

A.J. Anthony took the loss for the Coyotes in game one, pitching a complete game, giving up nine runs on ten hits, eight of them earned. He also struck out four and walked five. Tyler McKim grabbed the win for Tabor, pitching 4.1 innings, giving up four runs on six hits, three earned. He also struck out three while walking two.

Game two was a marathon affair, taking nearly three hours to complete. Both teams combined for 23 runs on 25 hits, as Tabor won 12-11.

L’Homedieu homered twice for the Coyotes, both three-run shots deep to center field. The first came in the first after a Garretson walk and a double by Anthony. The second came in the fourth, following another Garretson walk, and Gulla reaching on a fielder’s choice.

Tabor got on the board with two in the first, and three more in the second. The Coyotes tied things up in the bottom of the second, but could not withstand a Tabor rally, as the Bluejays scored three in the top of the third.

Kevin Peterson hit a two-run homer in the third and Green singled home JD Poplin.

Tabor added a single run in the top of the fourth, which turned out to be the difference maker. Peterson walked with the bases loaded, forcing home Poplin.

The Coyotes added three in the fourth on L’Homedieu’s bomb, and three more in the fifth. Gulla doubled home Andy Brockman and Grames, and Garretson scored on a wild pitch by Tabor’s Casey Hillman.

Neither team was able to produce in the final two innings, as Tabor came away with the 12-11 win.

Guy McGriff took the loss for the Coyotes (10-19, 2-4), giving up six runs on only three hits, while walking four and striking out five in just 2.1 innings of work. Jeremy Sneed got the win for Tabor, going four innings allowing eight runs, six earned, on nine hits. He also struck out five, while walking only two. Hillman threw 2.2 innings for the save allowing only one run on one hit and striking out four.

The Coyotes are at home again on Saturday as part of their six game home stand against Ottawa University with first pitch of the doubleheader scheduled for 1:00.

-- KWU SI --