[Softball] Softball powers past Missouri Valley for first win of Reichard era

EXCELSIOR SPRINGS, Mo. – Kansas Wesleyan head softball coach Taylor Reichard picked up her first career head coaching win as the bats for the Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes came alive as KWU beat Missouri Valley 12-4 on Thursday at Excelsior Springs High School. The second game of the doubleheader was suspended in the third inning. Teams will determine if the game can be completed or if it will just be canceled at a later time.

Underclassmen ruled the day for the Coyotes as Lauren Blue (SO/Arlington, Texas) led off the game with a walk and then Anna Grace Williams (FR/Crandall, Texas) hit a 2-run homer to put Wesleyan up 2-0 in the first.

Wesleyan kept things going in the second as Bianca Sanchez (SO/Frisco, Texas) led off with a single, followed by a bunt single by Taylor LaGrange (SR/Mont Belvieu, Texas). Samantha Banda (SO/Houston, Texas) walked and Blue then cleared the bases with a 3-run double making it 5-0.

Missouri Valley got four runs back in the bottom of the second, but Wesleyan would get a RBI double by Kayla Kruel (SR/El Cajon, Calif.) to score Jessica Vegely (JR/Mariposa, Calif.) to take a 6-4 lead. Blue homered in the top of the fourth to increase the lead for the Coyotes to 7-4.

Wesleyan broke the game open in the seventh. Blue led off the frame with a homer for her first multi-homer game of her career. Tara Stubits (SO/Topeka, Kan.) followed with a single as did Jessica Lenggenhager and a double by Vegely brought home a run. Kruel then doubled home two more and LaGrange capped the scoring with a RBI single.

Wesleyan had 17 hits on the day including three each by Blue and Vegely. Blue drove in five. Williams got the win in the circle for the Coyotes allowing four runs in a complete game performance.

The Coyotes are back in action on Tuesday at Baker.