Coyotes win home opener 7-5 over Hastings
By: David Toelle, KWU Sports Information

Kansas Wesleyan scored two runs in the fifth inning to break a 5-all tie, and held on for a 7-5 win in the Coyotes home opener at Matson Field in Salina.

Originally scheduled as a double header, both teams agreed to change the contest to a single nine-inning game because of the cold temperatures and strong north wind that made conditions very cold. The game was also moved from Dean Evans Stadium to Matson because of poor field conditions at Evans.

Hastings got on the board in the top of the first with two runs. Pat Morey reached on a walk and moved to second on a single by Ky Kouzmanoff. Morey then moved to third on a wild pitch by Wesleyan starter Greg Byron. Joe Jeanjaquet doubled, scoring Morey and Kouzmanoff. Keith Fountain would ground out to short and DJ Yeager would pop out to short two batters later to end the inning.

Wesleyan answered Hastings with three runs in the bottom half of the first. Scott Patynik singled moving Matt Garretson to third after he was hit by a pitch. Carlos Sanchez then sent a rocket down the third base line, scoring Garretson. Andrew Masojc hit an infield single to load the bases. Guy McGriff would knock home Patynik on a sacrifice. Sanchez would then score on a double steal in which both runners were safe after Yeager’s throw was wild.

Skiack would score for Hastings in the top of the second to tie things up after leading off the inning with a single up the middle.

Wesleyan (3-10) regained the lead in the fourth inning thanks to four Hastings errors in the frame. Chad Peterson would reach to lead off on a misplayed ball by Skiack at short. Stephen Cilladi would then sacrifice bunt to get Peterson in scoring position. Sean Kenney would reach on a fielder’s choice and would later score on an error again by Skiack. The inning looked to be over as Garretson hit a drive to center, but Josh Tomayer would drop the ball, breathing new life for the Coyotes. Dustin Romero would then score during a run down at first as Garretson was tagged out to end the inning.

Jeanjaquet hit a two-run homer in the top of the fifth to tie things up again off Byron, but it was the last runs the Broncos would score on the afternoon.

The Coyotes would answer in the bottom of the fifth with another pair of runs. Patynik singled to start the inning and would score on a groundout by McGriff. Sanchez would then score on a double by Ronny Romo before Cilladi would ground out to second to end the inning.

Neither team would score the rest of the way, as the Coyotes opened the home portion of the season with a 7-5 win.

Byron got the win for the Coyotes, pitching six complete innings, giving up five runs on six hits, all earned. He walked two and struck out four. Masojc faced one batter in the ninth to pick up the save.

Josh Land took the loss for Hastings after giving up the go ahead runs to the Coyotes in his first inning of work in the fifth. Alex Kucera started the game for the Broncos, giving up five runs on five hits, two earned in four innings of work. Land gave up two runs on five hits in his four innings of work.

The Coyotes are back in action on Monday as they open KCAC play on the road at Friends in Wichita. The doubleheader is scheduled to start at 1 p.m.

-- KWU SI --