Duchene’s walk-off bomb gives Wesleyan a sweep of Ottawa
By: David Toelle, KWU Sports Information

Left fielder Jenny Menke makes the game-ending grab in the seventh inning of game one as KWU swept Ottawa on Wednesday night

Kansas Wesleyan rallied from a three-run deficit to tie things up at 3-all in the bottom of the fifth inning and Megan Duchene hit a lead-off walk-off homerun in the seventh to give the Coyotes a 6-2, 4-3 sweep of Ottawa University on Wednesday night at Bill Burke Park.

GAME 1: KWU 6, Ottawa 2 – Katie Coker struck out 12 batters as the Coyotes won game one 6-2.

Ottawa jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first when Ashley Mundy scored on a two-out double by Sharee Joyner.

Coker struck out the side in the Ottawa second before the Coyotes exploded for three runs in the bottom half of the frame.

Michelle Webster led off with a single, and Jenny Menke also singled giving the Coyotes a pair of runners with one out. After both runners moved into scoring position on stolen bases, Chanelle Thompson hit a two-out single scoring both Webster and Menke, while Thompson moved to second on the play. Coker then stepped up and hit a knock to right scoring Thompson. Coker moved to third on a stolen base and an error, but was unable to score as a fly out ended the rally.

Ottawa got its only other run in the top of the fourth when Joyner sent the first pitch of the inning out to right field for a homerun. The Braves were unable to capitalize as two groundouts followed by a strike out by Kerry Higbie ended the threat.

The Coyotes got three more in the fifth. Jamie Peat led off the frame with a walk and later scored on a double by Webster. Duchene then scored on a fielder’s choice by Jessi Barkley after singling off Ottawa pitcher Pam Johnston’s foot. Wesleyan used a double steal to get its third run of the inning. With Webster on third, both she and Barkley took off, while Webster caught herself in a run down, Barkley advanced to second easily and then scored when the throw to second by the Ottawa catcher, Josie Hildebrand went sailing into center field allowed Barkley to score all the way from second.

Ottawa had a chance to rally in the top of the seventh, but Menke made a great grab at the fence in left on a ball by Mundy to give Wesleyan the 6-2 win.

Coker went the distance, giving up three runs on seven hits, while walking four and striking out 12. Webster and Thompson had two hits to lead the way for the Coyotes, while Thompson had two RBIs.

Johnston took the loss for Ottawa, pitching six innings, giving up six runs on seven hits while walking four and striking out three. Joyner had two hits and two RBIs to lead Ottawa offensively.

GAME TWO: KWU 4, Ottawa 3 – Ottawa scored three runs in the top of the first, but were shut out the rest of the way as the Coyotes rallied and took game two on Duchene’s walk-off bomb in the seventh to get the 4-3 win in game two.

Jamie Miller led off the first with a single, and moved to third on a fielder’s choice and error on a ball from Erin Michael. After a ground out, Hildebrand took a 1-2 offering from Wesleyan’s Jamie Peat and sent it out of the park for a three-run homer to put Ottawa up 3-0. Ottawa was unable to add any more runs as Peat struck out Kelly Higbie to end the frame.

Wesleyan left a pair of runners in the bottom of the second and Webster hit a one-out single and Barkley reached on an error. The Coyotes were unable to get a run home as two pop outs to second ended the frame.

Peat held Ottawa without a hit until the fifth when Kerry Higbie reached on a bunt single and Miller followed with a single. Michael then reached on an error by Tara Earley at first, loading the bases. The inning ended on a wild play when Mundy lined out to Peat for the second out, but Kerry Higbie never tagged at third up on the play before breaking for home when Peat’s throw was wide. An appeal on the play by the Coyotes negated the run and ended Ottawa’s rally.

The Coyotes rallied to tie things up in their half of the fifth. Chanelle Thompson led off the inning being hit and moved to second on Coker’s sacrifice bunt. Peat then sent a double to left-center scoring Thompson followed by a rocket single down the left field line by Heather Watson to score Peat.  Duchene then doubled to left forcing an Ottawa pitching change. Webster then singled off Mundy who came in to pitch scoring Watson. Wesleyan left the bases loaded when Earley stuck out to end the rally.

Ottawa (22-15, 5-5) had a chance to regain the lead in their half of the sixth, but another wild play held the Braves off the board. Lori Ewalt singled with two outs to set up the wild sequence. Kelly Higbie hit a ball to second that was misplayed by Coker for an error, but an alert play by right fielder Brittany Ludwisiak to pick up the ball that had careened near the fence and fire a perfect strike to Webster at the dish to gun down Ewalt who was trying to score for out number three.

After a scoreless sixth by the Coyotes and a quick top of the seventh by Ottawa, Duchene sent Wesleyan home happy in the seventh. After taking the first pitch for a ball, Duchene sent the next ball straight away to center field for her fourth homerun of the season to give Wesleyan the 4-3 win and sweep of the Braves.

Peat went the distance on the hill for Wesleyan (15-12, 9-3), giving up the three first inning runs and seven hits, while striking out four and walking none. She only threw 90 pitches in the game, and forced Ottawa into ten ground out plays. Duchene had three hits to lead the Wesleyan offensive attack, while Peat and Webster had two hits each. Four different Coyotes had one RBI.

Ashley Mundy took the loss for Ottawa, giving up one run on three hits in one and two-thirds-plus innings of work in relief of starter Jamie Simms who threw four and a third innings, giving up three runs on five hits. Miller had two hits for Ottawa, while Hildebrand drove in three runs with her first inning homer.

Wesleyan is back in action again on Saturday at Sterling.

-- KWU SI --