Baseball Falls In Midweek Dogfight With No. 16 Kansas Wesleyan
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
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0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 |
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1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | X | 3 | 6 | 2 |
SALINA, KS. - The Broncos, coming off their weekend trip to Missouri, made a quick trip down to Salina, Kansas, on Wednesday to face off with the No. 16 Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes in a single nine-inning game. Despite a toe-to-toe contest, the Coyotes would best the Broncos, 3-1.
The Broncos would come out of the gates swinging, as Mason Masur laced a single into right field. Jaden Stone would follow with a solid hit, but unfortunately would be just narrowly caught by Coyote right fielder Coulson Riggs who was able to catch Masur off guard for the double play.
In the bottom half of the inning, the Coyotes were able to return the favor, with their leadoff hitter knocking a double down the line off Danny Wisor. It would be the next batter cashing in the run on an RBI-single to put the home Coyotes ahead, 1-0. With two outs, Santo Chirco, making his first collegiate start behind the dish, was able to get the runner trying to steal second to end the inning.
The Coyotes would strike again in the second inning, as their leadoff hitter would deposit the ball over the right-center wall to go up, 2-0. With a runner on first, Chirco would again laser a ball to second and catch a second runner stealing.
Fifth inning action got interesting for both teams, as the Broncos would have pinch hitter Eli Merritt reach first off an error to leadoff the inning, and Tristan Martinez advancing Merritt to second with a sacrifice bunt. The Broncos would not be able to capitalize on the opportunity. In the bottom half, the Coyotes would stay calm at the plate, loading the bases with three walks off Aaron Elgersma. Guillermo Metzler would come in for relief, striking out the Coyotes' Beatty, who hit the second inning homer, then getting a groundout to get out of the jam.
The Broncos had a stellar chance in the sixth inning, As Alliskair Descartes would reach on a leadoff walk. He would get caught stealing for the second out, but Stone would reach by a walk, then advance to third on a Matt Lucero single, but would see the two-out rally stopped by a fielder's choice.
With Esteban Acevedo on the mound, the Coyotes were able to get the bases loaded, finally scoring a run with two outs on a wild pitch.
Hastings was finally able to scratch a run as Merritt would hit a leadoff double, then scoring on a dropped pop fly off Chirco's bat to make it a 3-1 score.
In the seventh and eighth innings, both Cooper Gierhan and Alec Fichter were able to get out of jams, including Gierhan pitching into a 5-4-3 double play in the seventh inning.
Merritt would reach for a third time as the leadoff hitter in as many at-bats in the the ninth, advancing to second on another Martinez sacrifice bunt before the Coyotes recorded the final two outs of the inning.
The Broncos were narrowly out-hit by the Coyotes, 6-to-5, including a team-leading two hits from Merritt. The Broncos six pitchers combined for 9 strikeouts, including three a piece from Wisor and Acevedo.
The Broncos, who fall to 3-6 on the season, will be back in action March 1 and 2, in their home opener against Mayville State. Both days are slated for first pitches at 1pm at Duncan.
