KWU Softball splits with Saint Mary thanks to walk off

Bailey Rivas (FR/West Covina, Calif.) singled in the bottom of the seventh to bring home the game winning run in the second game of Kansas Wesleyan’s softball doubleheader with Saint Mary on Wednesday at Salina South High School. Her hit gave the Coyotes a 6-5 win in the nightcap as KWU split the games with the Spires.

Rivas’ walk-off came at just the right time for the Coyotes, after Saint Mary had tied the game in the top of the seventh inning. Lauren Blue (SR/Arlington, Texas) singled to lead off the inning, and moved to second on a walk to Kiana Turner (SO/Quapaw, Okla.) setting up the game-ender two batters later.

The Coyotes rallied to take the lead in the bottom of the fourth.

Saint Mary scored three runs in the top of the second to take an early 3-0 lead but Wesleyan got on the board in the bottom of the third on a homer by Blue.

The big inning for the Coyotes game in the fourth as KWU took advantage of a Saint Mary error. Carmen Angulo (JR/Long Beach, Calif.) drove in the first run of the inning with a single, then after a walk to Paige Anderson (SO/Lakeville, Minn.), Blue clubbed a double to left driving in three runs putting the Coyotes up 5-3.

The Spires got a run in the fifth and then tied it in the seventh.

Blue was 3 of 4 in the game and drove in four runs. Rivas added two hits as well as the duo accounted for five of KWU’s nine hits. Angulo got the win in the circle for the Coyotes allowing four earned runs on eight hits with three strikeouts.

In the opener both teams tallied a run in the first as Blue led off the KWU first with a double then scored on Jessica Vegely (SR/Mariposa, Calif.)’s sacrifice fly.

The game moved quickly to the sixth where Saint Mary scored three runs. The Spires added one more in the seventh to come away with a 5-1 win.

Blue’s first inning double was the lone hit for the Coyotes in the game. Angulo suffered the loss allowing one earned run on seven hits and struck out three.

The Coyotes are scheduled to take on Bethany on Friday at 5 p.m. in Lindsborg.