Coyotes rout Saint Mary for KCAC Baseball Tournament title
By: David Toelle, KWU Sports Information

Kansas Wesleyan erupted for six runs in the bottom of the second and added seven more in the fourth, fifth and sixth as the Coyotes routed the Saint Mary Spires 15-4 for the KCAC Baseball Tournament Championship on Friday at Hobart-Detter Field in Hutchinson.

Matt Garretson got the Coyotes on the board in the first when he scored on a sacrifice by Andrew Masojc.

Saint Mary would tie things up in the top of the second after Hogan Matson led off the frame with a double and would later score on a fielder’s choice by Glen Aveson.

Chad Petersen led off the bottom of the second with his fifth home run of the season to get things started for the Coyotes. After Ronny Romo grounded out, Paul Bridenbaugh would reach after being hit, and Dustin Romero would double. Matt Garretson would reach on an error scoring Bridenbaugh. After a pitching change, Stephen Cilladi would single home Romero. Carlos Sanchez would step up and launch a 2-1 pitch over the fence for a three run bomb. A strike out and a fly out would end the inning for the Coyotes.

Saint Mary would add a pair in its half of the third. Brandon Flood would lead off the inning with a single and would later score on a single by Colin Aldrich. Matson would ground out scoring Newman before Lucas Williamson would pop out to end the inning.

After a strikeout to open the Wesleyan fourth, four consecutive singles by the Coyotes would plate two runs by Romo. After another strikeout, Romero would single scoring Petersen, before Garretson would reach on an inning ending fielder’s choice.

Back-to-back doubles would lead off the Wesleyan fifth by Cilladi and Sanchez, scoring Cilladi. After a pitching change by Saint Mary, Guy McGriff would reach on an error and Petersen would walk to load the bases before Romo would sacrifice home Sanchez. Bridenbaugh would reach on a inning ending fielder’s choice.

Romero would lead off the Coyote sixth with a home run. After a fly out, back-to-back singles by Cilladi and Sanchez would give the Coyotes two baserunners and the Masojc would sacrifice home Cilladi. Wesleyan had a chance to add more runs when Petersen would strike out to end the inning.

Saint Mary (20-23-1) would go quietly in the seventh as the Coyotes captured their first KCAC baseball title of any sort since the 2001 season.

Wesleyan (27-24) banged out 18 hits, including three homeruns and three doubles. Cilladi and Sanchez both had four hits, while Romero added three hits of his own. Sanchez led with four RBIs, and Romo had three RBIs.

Brian Dobyns went four innings, giving up three runs on seven hits while walking two and striking out three for the win. Shaun Sumter pitched three innings of relief, giving up two runs on five hits and striking out three.

Saint Mary had 12 hits of its own, as five Spires had two hits apiece. Four different Saint Mary players had one RBI each. VJ Winkert took the loss for Saint Mary giving up five runs on five hits in 1.1 innings pitched. Zane Merritt went 2.2 innings giving up seven runs on ten hits while walking one and striking out four. Jeff Cook pitched the final two frames for Saint Mary giving up two runs on three hits, walking two and striking out one.

The Coyotes will advance to the NAIA Region IV Tournament which begins Tuesday and is hosted by Bellevue (Neb.) in Omaha.

-- KWU SI --