Kansas Wesleyan Softball split Wednesday’s doubleheader with the Saint Mary Spires at Salina South High School. Saint Mary won the first game 6-3, while the Coyotes rallied in the second game 4-2.
The Coyotes are 18-21 overall and 13-9 in the KCAC heading into Saturday’s regular season finale at home against Friends.
In the second game the Coyotes got a run in the bottom of the first, as Wesleyan loaded the bases on a Josie Buhr (JR/Buffalo, N.D.) walk, a Mia Hernandez (SO/Hanford, Calif.) single and a walk to Tiffani Alaniz (FR/Sebastian, Texas), and Bailey Rivas (SR/La Puente, Calif.) drove in the run with a sacrifice fly to make it 1-0.
Saint Mary scored single runs in the second and third innings to take a 2-1 lead.
After a scoreless fourth, the Coyotes got on the board again. Hernandez doubled and then scored on Tiffani Alaniz‘s single. Sydnee Fordham (FR/Thornton, Colo.) drove in the go-ahead run with a single through the left side to score pinch runner Ollevia Lowe and put KWU up 3-2.
The Coyotes added a huge insurance run in the bottom of the sixth on a homer by Hernandez.
Hernandez was 4 of 4 for the Coyotes with a RBI, and was a triple short of hitting for the cycle. Alaniz and Sarah Sanders (JR/Hillsboro, Texas) added two hits each in the second game. Jewell Henry (SR/Kingston, Okla.) tossed a complete game for the win, allowing two runs, one earned on eight hits.
The Coyotes led 2-1 after the third inning of the opener, as Hernandez crushed a 2-run homer giving the Coyotes the lead, but Saint Mary got a big fifth inning, scoring five runs to take a 6-2 lead.
Wesleyan got a homer by Jenna Soule (SO/Overland Park, Kan.) in the bottom of the sixth, but couldn’t keep the rally going.
Buhr and Hernandez had three hits each to lead the Coyotes who outhit Saint Mary 11-10 in the game. Bailey Rivas added two hits as well.
The Coyotes will wrap up the regular season on Saturday, hosting Friends University at 4 p.m. at Salina South High School.
The KCAC playoffs begin May 3 at the Great Bend Sports Complex in Great Bend.
