Coyotes and Peru State split in KWU season finale
By: David Toelle, KWU Sports Information

Kansas Wesleyan got a game one win 5-0 against Peru State, but the Bobcats rallied to take the nightcap 8-2 on Friday afternoon at Bill Burke Park in the regular season finale for the Coyotes.

GAME 1: KWU 5, Peru State 0 – Game one was a pitcher’s duel between Wesleyan’s Katie Coker and Peru State’s Laura Kjar through the first four innings, until the Coyotes broke out, plating five runs in the bottom of the fifth.

Peru State threatened in the top of the first with two runners reaching on an error and a walk, but two strike outs by Coker ended any chance for the Bobcats to plate a run.

Neither team could muster any offensive attack until Wesleyan opened up the offense in the fifth.

After a lead off fly out by Jenny Menke, Jessi Barkley reached when right fielder Liz Cunningham dropped a fly ball, and later scored on a bases loaded single by Coker. Jamie Peat followed with a three-run double and Heather Watson made it back-to-back doubles, plating Peat and chasing Kjar from the mound.

Lauren Fiori recorded the final two outs of the inning for Peru State.

Menke led off the Coyote sixth with a single, but Barkley grounded into a 6-3 double play, and Tara Earley struck out to end the inning.

Danielle Metzler led off the Peru State seventh with a single, but was stranded at second when pinch hitter Jamie Wolbert grounded out to end the game.

Coker got the win in game one, scattering three hits over seven innings, while striking out five and walking one. Six different Coyotes all had one hit, and Peat had three RBIs to lead the Coyote offense.

Kjar took the game one loss, giving up five runs on five hits in four and a third innings, while striking out two. Fiori pitched one and two-thirds innings, giving up one hit and striking out one.

GAME 2: Peru State 8, KWU 2 – Wesleyan gave up a combined six runs in the fifth and sixth innings as Peru State got the 8-2 win in game two.

Cunningham led off the game with a single, and later scored on a squeeze bunt play from Marie Poole to get the Bobcats on the board first. Peru State had two runners in scoring position with just one out, but could not plate any more runs as Alyssa Mangum grounded out and Nicole Mercer flew out to left to end the inning.

The Coyotes had a chance to answer back in their half of the first, but after back-to-back-to-back singles with one out loaded the bases, Webster grounded into a 1-2-3 double play to end the inning.

Wesleyan had another chance in the second to score, but could not plate a run. Menke led off the frame with a single and Barkley followed with a base knock and moved to second on the throw. Menke then tried to steal home, but was caught in a run down before Earley lined out and Brittany Ludwisiak struck out to end the inning.

Peru State (24-23) got another run in the third when Poole scored on a hit by Mangum after leading off the inning with a hit.

Wesleyan had another chance in the third, but could not plate any runs again. Coker led off the inning with a single, and Peat followed with a walk. A double steal moved both runners into scoring position, but Watson grounded out to short, and Coker was thrown out at home trying to score on the play.

Peru State got a pair of runs in the fifth to take a 4-0 lead. Jen Siedlik led off the inning with a double and later scored on a wild play when Webster’s throw to third was wild allowing Siedlik to score. Mercer then singled to score Mangum, who had earlier singled.

The Coyotes cut Peru’s lead in half in the bottom half of the frame. Earley led off with a single, and later scored on a double from Watson that also scored Coker, who walked earlier walked. Megan Duchene followed with a single, but a ground out by Webster would end the Coyote rally.

Peru got four runs in the sixth to blow the game open, all with two outs. Siedlik singled and moved to second on a stolen base. Poole then doubled home Siedlik, followed by a walk to Brittany Fry. Mangum then stepped up and took Peat’s 1-1 offering out to left field for a three-run home run.

Wesleyan (19-14) had a chance in the seventh to mount a rally but fell short. Ludwisiak reached on an error to lead off the frame, and Watson singled to have two runners with two outs, but Duchene swung at strike three to end the game.

Peat took the loss for Wesleyan, going the distance, giving up eight runs on 11 hits, while striking out four and walking one. Watson had three of KWU’s ten hits, and knocked in both Coyote runs, while Duchene added a pair of hits.

Nicole Goodrich got the win in relief for Peru State, pitching the sixth and seventh innings, giving up one hit and striking out three. Fiori pitched three innings, giving up six hits  and striking out two, and Jocelyn Anson pitched two innings, giving up two runs on three hits, while walking one and striking out one. Poole and Mangum each had three of PSC’s 11 hits, while Mangum drove in four runs.

Wesleyan has completed the regular season portion of its schedule and awaits the announcement of the seedings of the KCAC Post-Season Tournament, which begins on next Thursday and is being held at Bill Burke Park here in Salina.

-- KWU SI --