[Softball] Softball splits games with Northeastern State and Doane

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Kansas Wesleyan Softball team played a pair of games on Sunday taking on NCAA Division II Northeastern State and also Doane University at RiverHawks Park. The Coyotes would lose to Northeastern State 15-3, but bounced back for a 12-10 win over Doane.

 

Wesleyan improves its record to 2-3 on the season, both wins against NAIA opponents, the three losses to NCAA Division II foes.

 

Wesleyan got on the board first against Northeastern State as Lauren Blue (SO/Arlington, Texas) led off the game with a walk and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Taylor Lenggenhager (JR/Austin, Texas). NSU would score three times in the bottom of the first to take a 3-1 lead.

 

The RiverHawks blew the game open in their favor with seven runs in the bottom of the second inning.

 

The Coyotes were able to get a run back in the top of the third as Anna Grace Williams (FR/Crandall, Texas) doubled and then scored on a double steal play after a walk to Lenggenhager.

 

Samantha Banda (SO/Houston, Texas) had a RBI single for the Coyotes in the top of the fourth inning bringing home Grace Gallagher (SO/Arvada, Colo.) who was pinch running for Kirsten Redfern (FR/Keller, Texas) after she singled.

 

Tara Stubits (SO/Topeka, Kan.) would take the loss for the Coyotes in the circle. Williams, Redfern and Banda had hits for the Coyotes.

 

Against Doane, the Coyotes would win a wild one 12-10.

 

Wesleyan took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning as Williams homered to put the Coyotes up.

 

Doane had a big inning in the bottom of the second, scoring six runs, but the Coyotes had an answer in the top of the third.

 

Williams led off the frame reaching on an error, followed by a 2-run homer by Sierra Martinez (SO/Manteca, Calif.) to push Wesleyan back ahead. Lenggenhager doubled and then scored on Jessica Vegely (JR/Mariposa, Calif.)'s fielder's choice and error which allowed another run to score. Two batters later DeLayna DeMarte connected on a 2-run double followed by a RBI hit by Blue, who later scored on a wild pitch. Wesleyan would score seven times in the inning to take an 8-6 lead.

 

The Coyotes added one more in the sixth on a RBI hit by Stubits to score Redfern, who had singled earlier in the inning.

 

A double by DeMarte to lead off the seventh would start a rally as the Coyotes took advantage of two Doane errors in the inning to score three runs to take a 12-6 lead into the last.

 

Doane would try to rally, scoring four times in the inning, but the Coyotes held on for the win.

 

Redfern had four hits in the game to pace the Coyote offense while Martinez, Lenggenhager and Stubits had two each. Williams got the win in the circle with three strikeouts.

 

NSU, Doane and KWU will all meet again for games on Monday.