Coyotes sweep Sterling in twinbill at Hays
By: David Toelle, KWU Sports Information

HAYS – With unplayable field conditions at Dean Evans Stadium in Salina, and at Sterling’s home field, the Coyotes and the Warriors traveled to Hays for their doubleheader meeting on Thursday evening. Kansas Wesleyan used two solid performances sweeping Sterling 5-0 and 12-2.

Game one looked to be a pitcher’s dual as Wesleyan’s Casey Barnes carried a no-hitter through four and a third innings before giving up an infield single to short by Matt Strickland. Sterling’s Brad Hull only surrendered three hits through the first three innings of work.

Wesleyan got on track offensively in its half of the fourth. Matt Garretson was hit to lead off the inning, and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Stephen Cilladi. After a strike out, Andrew Masojc would reach when he was hit. A wild pitch would move the runners up and Guy McGriff would double to the wall in left scoring two.

Sean Kenney would make it 3-0 with a solo shot to left in the bottom of the fifth.

McGriff would step up again and nail a two-run bomb in the bottom of the sixth with two outs to give the Coyotes a 5-0 lead.

Barnes went the distance for the Coyotes, giving up only two hits, while striking five and walking one. McGriff had two hits and drove in four runs to lead the Coyotes, while Kenney added a pair of hits. Hull went the distance for Sterling, giving up five runs on seven hits, striking out four and walking one.

Sterling would jump out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first of game two.

Luke Orr led off with a single followed by a Matt Elliott double. Ryan Staten would be hit to load the bases before Ryan Bowman would single home a run. Ryan Diazio would ground out to second scoring a run before back to back strike outs by Kade McAllister would end the inning.

Wesleyan scored in every inning of the second game. Dustin Romero would lead off with a walk and would later score on a sacrifice fly to left to get the Coyotes within one after one inning.

McGriff would hit his second homer of the night to lead off the second inning for the Coyotes. Chad Peterson would reach on a walk and would advance to second on a stolen base. After a fly out, Sean Kenney would hit an apparent sac fly to center and Peterson would advance to third, but the Warriors appealed and Peterson was called out for leaving base to early to end the inning.

The Coyotes would add a pair in the third. Romero would score after leading off with a single and Garretson would score on a McGriff single after reaching on an error.

Wesleyan (23-23, 14-8) put seven runs on the board in the fourth. All the runs came with two outs in the inning. Romero would reach after being hit and Garretson would single, forcing a Sterling pitching change. A passed ball would move the runners up, and Cilladi would single home Romero. Garretson would score when the  throw on a steal attempt by pinch runner Brandon Cole would careen into center field. Cole would then score on a single by Masojc, and Sanchez would score on an error by Joel Orr, who moved to short after being pulled as pitcher, on a ball by McGriff. McGriff would reach third on a wild throw to second by Devon McGurk that would also score Masojc. Peterson would then double to left-center scoring a run, and Paul Bridenbaugh would single home a run, forcing another pitching change. A strike out would end the inning.

McAllister struck out the side in the Sterling fifth, and the Coyotes concluded the game on an error to short that scored Brian Dobyns from second after he reached on a wild pitch on a third strike to end the inning.

McAllister pitched five innings for the win, giving up two hits and two runs all in the first, while walking two and striking out six.

Joel Orr took the loss for Sterling (8-32, 4-20), giving up six runs on only five hits while walking three and striking out one.

Wesleyan returns to action on Saturday for the regular season finale against Saint Mary at 1:00 PM at Dean Evans Stadium.

-- KWU SI --