Coyotes drop pair to Bethany
By: David Toelle, KWU Sports Information

KWU Shortstop Scott Patynik tags out Bethany's Charles Brown during the first game of Saturday's KWU/Bethany doubleheader at Dean Evans Stadium

Keenan Dukes and Silvester Hernandez each had four hits on the day for Bethany as the Swedes defeated the Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes 8-3 and 7-1 on Saturday afternoon at Dean Evans Stadium.

Three straight singles in the first for Bethany in game one loaded the bases with one out before Brandon Messerli doubled scoring two to get the Swedes on the board first. Two batters later Hernandez would single scoring two more and the Coyotes would be down 4-0 heading into their first at bats of the day.

Wesleyan answered Bethany’s charge in its half of the first. Dusty Romero led off with a walk, and Scott Patynik would double with one out to score Romero. After a Carlos Sanchez double, Andrew Gulla would hit a sacrifice fly to drive home Patynik, and Guy McGriff would single home Sanchez to get the Coyotes within one at 4-3.

After a wild first, both pitchers, Chris Atkins for Bethany and Greg Byron for Wesleyan would settle into a groove, cruising through until the sixth when the Swedes struck again. Two singles would lead off the Bethany half of the inning and Joel Sundquist would double home a run before Shaun Sumter would replace Byron. Andy Spirek would single home two more Bethany runs and Dave Hutfles another as part of a four run frame for the Swedes.

The Coyotes would load the bases in their half of the sixth, but could not get a run across. Pinch hitter Ronny Romo would walk, followed by a single by Stephen Cilladi, and another walk by pinch hitter Travis L’Hommedieu would pack the sacks with two outs. Romero would then ground into a fielder’s choice forcing out L’Hommedieu.

Dukes had three hits in  game one for Bethany, while six other Swedes would have two hits each as Bethany rattled out 17 hits in the first game. Byron would pitch five-plus innings in the loss for the Coyotes, giving up seven runs on 13 hits, while Atkins would take the win for the Swedes in five and two-thirds innings of work, giving up three runs on five hits.

Sanchez would drive home a run with a double in the Wesleyan first of game two, but the Coyotes could not keep the offense going as the Swedes scored seven unanswered runs for the game two win.

Spirek singled with the bases loaded in the Bethany second and Charles Brown would get hit by a pitch to drive in a second run giving the Swedes a 2-1 lead after the second inning.

The Coyotes had a chance to add a run in the bottom of the third, but Romero was left stranded at third.

Bethany (18-8, 3-1) added two more runs in the sixth on a single by Spirek and three more in the seventh as the Swedes led off the inning with three straight hits.

Stephen Murray would take the loss for the Coyotes, giving up two runs on two hits in an inning and a third. Shawn Ravenscraft would grab the win for Bethany, pitching six innings, giving up one run on two hits.

Wesleyan (6-15, 2-4) returns to action on Tuesday as they travel to Lubbock, Texas, to play Lubbock Christian. The Coyotes return home on March 28 to face Saint Mary at 4:00 at Evans Stadium.

-- KWU SI --