Coyotes and Swedes split softball doubleheader
By: David Toelle, KWU Sports Information

Heather Watson makes a throw to first during the fourth inning of game one of KWU's doubleheader with Bethany on Saturday.

Kansas Wesleyan capitalized on three first inning errors in game one to jump out to a 4-0 lead, while Bethany College used two five-run innings to take game two 10-2 as the Coyotes and Swedes split their softball doubleheader on Saturday at Bill Burke Park.

GAME ONE: KWU 7, Bethany 1 – Wesleyan got four runs in the first; using three Bethany miscues in the frame to take the first game.

After Katie Coker led off the Wesleyan first with a ground out, Jamie Peat reached on a dropped third strike and wild throw by Bethany catcher Breanna Boling. A wild pitch from pitcher Holly Finkbeiner moved Peat to second, and Heather Watson singled scoring Peat, as Watson moved to second on the throw. Megan Duchene walked, and Michelle Webster flew out to left before Jessi Barkley reached on an error by Angelisa Sexson, that brought home Watson. Duchene then scored on a wild throw on a pick off attempt by Boling and Jenny Menke doubled home Barkley before Tara Earley would ground out.

Laura Christopher got Bethany’s first hit in the top of the second with a single up the middle, but she was stranded when Emily Heronemus struck out looking.

Watson singled with one out, scoring Coker in the Wesleyan second after Coker had reached on a single to short.

Bethany had its first good chance at putting a run on the board in the top of the fourth. Sarah Logan hit a triple to right field with two outs, but could not get home as Darcy Bartz looked at strike three to end the inning.

The Coyotes added two more in the bottom half of the fourth on back to back doubles. After Chanelle Thompson led off with a walk, Watson hit a two-bagger to drive her home and Duchene followed with her own double scoring Watson.

Kelli Noonan led off the Bethany seventh with a single to left, and advanced to second on a stolen base. Bartz then singled when a pop fly to right dropped between three Wesleyan players and Christopher reached on an error by Barkley, allowing Noonan to score before two pop outs would end the game, giving Wesleyan the 7-1 win.

Coker went the distance for Wesleyan picking up the win, improving her record to 7-5. She scattered four hits, giving up one run while striking out ten and walking no one. Watson had three of Wesleyan’s six hits, and she drove in three runs and scored twice in game one.

Finkbeiner took the loss for Bethany, pitching four innings, giving up seven runs on six hits, but only three runs were earned. She walked three and struck out one. Katie Olson pitched two innings in relief, allowing no hits while striking out one and walking one. Four different players each had one hit for the Swedes in game one.

GAME TWO: Bethany 10, KWU 2 (5 innings) – Bethany turned the tides on Wesleyan in game two, capitalizing on five KWU errors, while scoring five runs in the second and five more in the fifth to get the 10-2 win in five innings.

Jacquelyn Hernandez led off game two with a first pitch single up the middle, but would be stranded at second after moving up on a sacrifice bunt when Noonan would pop out to second and Logan would fly out to left.

After the Coyotes went quietly in the bottom of the first, Bethany exploded for five runs in the second. Bartz led off the frame with a single and moved to second on a stolen base. Bartz then moved to third on a infield ground out by Christopher. Heronemus would reached when Barkley’s throw to first on a grounded would short hop and force KWU first baseman Tara Earley off the bag, and Bartz scored on the play. Heronemus moved to second on a steal and then to third on a wild pitch by game two starter Jamie Peat. Boling walked, and moved to second on defensive indifference, before another error by Barkley on a ball from Sexson would allow Heronemus to score and Boling to move to third. Sexson would go to second again on defensive indifference and Hernandez would hit into a fielder’s choice to the pitcher’s mound, which Peat ate to hold the runners to load the bases. A single by Brittney Chavez scored Boling and Sexson and moved Hernandez to second. After a ground out by Noonan, Logan singled to left, and then ended the rally when she was thrown out after trying to go back to first on a called strike to Bartz.

Both teams only managed one hit in the third and fourth innings before Bethany exploded again in the top of the fifth for five runs.

Noonan led off the frame with a single and moved up on a stolen base. Logan then reached on an error by Barkley and moved to second on defensive indifference. Bartz then hit a missile shot to left that was snagged at the fence by KWU’s Jenny Menke, and Noonan scored when the Coyotes tried to throw out Logan at second base on the play. After a ground out, Heronemus singled to score Logan and Heronemus moved to second when Wesleyan right fielder Brittany Ludwisiak misplayed the ball. Boling followed with a single and moved to second on defensive indifference. Sexson then singled scoring Heronemus and later moved to second on indifference. Hernandez then reached on a fielder’s choice that scored Boling and Sexson also scored on the play when Watson’s throw to Webster to try to get Sexson was off. Chavez then flew out to end the inning.

Wesleyan got two runs in the bottom of the fifth. Barkley broke up Boling’s no-hitter with a lead off single, and later scored on a hit by Ludwisiak to center field. Ludiwisiak appeared to be out on the play advancing to second, but was called safe, but had to leave the game with an injury. Coker followed with a single that scored Menke, but Christine Thompson, who was running for Ludwisiak was thrown out at home on a great throw from Bethany right fielder Sexson. Peat reached on a walk, and both she and Coker moved up to second and third on a wild pitch before Watson would ground out to third to end the game.

Peat took the loss for Wesleyan (13-12, 7-3), pitching five innings, giving up ten runs on nine hits, but only two runs were earned. She also struck out one and walked one. The Coyotes managed only three hits in the second game, all in the fifth inning by Coker, Barkley and Ludwisiak. Coker and Ludwisiak each had a RBI in the game.

Boling got the win for Bethany (21-10, 10-4) pitching five innings, giving up two runs on three hits, all in the fifth, after carrying a no hitter through four innings. She walked four and struck out two. Hernandez had two hits to lead Bethany offensively, while three other Swedes each had two RBIs.

Wesleyan is back in action on Wednesday, as the Coyotes host Ottawa University at 5 p.m. at Bill Burke Park.

-- KWU SI --