Coyotes and Pioneers split baseball doubleheader
By: Andy Brockman, KWU Sports Information

Kansas Wesleyan and Mid-America Nazarene split today’s baseball games on a beautiful day at Dean Evans Stadium.  KWU got the win in the first game, 6-4, and Nazarene came from behind in game two to win, 3-2.

Game 1: KWU 6, Mid-America Nazarene 2 –  Mid-America Nazarene got off to a hot start scoring three runs in the first two innings while blanking the Coyotes during that time.  Nick Beghtol hit in Jake Gill in the first inning and Derek Brewer and Josh Warner scored in the second to take a 3-0 lead. 

KWU has relied on big innings in many of their games and this one was no different.  The Wesleyan hitters exploded for a six-run fourth inning and took control of the game.  They scored six runs on five hits in the inning including back-to-back triples by Mike Pettibone and Dusty Romero. 

Nazarene would score another run in the fifth but the Coyotes maintained their lead and finished the game up winning it, 6-4. 

Steven Lazorchak got the win for KWU, pitching four innings allowing four run on six hits while striking out three and walking four.  Jake Bowyer pitched two solid innings in relief, giving up just one hit and no runs while on the mound.  Jeremy New came in to close to the game and picked up the save pitching one inning and allowing no hits or runs.

Darell Grames, Brock Pettyjohn, and Mike Pettibone all got two hits in the game and Grames had a double as well.  Brandon Mathes, Ronny Romo, and Dusty Romero all added one hit to round out the nine-hit total.

Cory Keopple pitched the complete game for Mid America Nazarene giving up six runs on nine hits while striking out three and walking none. 

Jake Gill and Derek Brewer led the way with two hits apiece.

Game 2: Mid-America Nazarene 3, KWU 2 – Kansas Wesleyan led the entire game but gave up a two-run homerun in the top of the seventh with two outs to drop a 3-2 decision to the Pioneers. 

Wesleyan scored two runs in the bottom of the third as Grames and Mathes both crossed the plate.  Mathes hit an RBI triple and then later scored on a Pettyjohn sacrifice fly.

Nazarene notched one run in the top of the sixth on a Jake Gill home run but Wesleyan still had the lead going into the seventh, 2-1.

The Coyotes needed one more out to win the game but pinch hitter Keith Dixon spoiled the sweep by hitting a two-run home run over the left field fence to put the Pioneers up 3-2.

Grames and Pettyjohn both reached on walks in the bottom of the seventh but weren’t able to score.

Ryan Smith started for Wesleyan and pitched three shut out innings allowing just one hit while striking out four and walking three.  Ryan Palmer pitched 3.2 innings in relief giving up three runs on three hits while striking out two and walked no one.  Jeremy New had another appearance in game two while facing one batter and struck him out.

Wesleyan had three hits and two of them were doubles by Romo and Pettyjohn.  Romero added a single.  Russell Skeete reached base twice on two walks.

Shawn Moore pitched five innings for Nazarene, allowing two runs on three hits while striking out three and walking two.  Keith Staton pitched two innings and struck out five while walking three as he picked up the win.

Robert Ortiz led the way with two hits while five other hitters had one to round out their seven hit total.

The Coyotes return to action again tomorrow at 4 p.m. against the University of Saint Mary in Salina at Dean Evans Stadium.

--KWU SI--