Baseball Swwweeps Bethany
Written by Beau Grant on April 3, 2024
By Beau Grant / Co-Sports Editor
(RV) Kansas Wesleyan baseball swept the Bethany Swedes in Lindsborg over the Easter Weekend.
The offense was hot from the beginning, with the Coyotes matching Bethany’s 3 run first inning with a three-run inning themselves.
From there, it was all Coyotes. Senior outfielder Kendall Foster had a two-run home run, along with a triple.
The Coyotes used a few pitchers in game one, but eventually standout reliever Ritter Steinmann got the win out of the bullpen, his first of the year.
The final score for game one was 17-8, with the Coyotes collecting 19 hits.
In the second game it was much of the same, Foster had another homerun along with 2 more RBIs. Senior Shortstop Jarrett Gable also had a pair of RBIs, and junior catcher Tyler Favretto really stood out, with 2 hits, 2 walks, and 3 RBIs. First basemen, Cruz Oxford collected a pair of hits, and so did left fielder Eric Romero, and second basemen Alex Garcia.
Jarrett Brannen bounced back after a rough start against York the previous week, he went 6 innings, allowing 4 earned runs and 8 strikeouts against the Swedes. Ritter Steinmann came in after Brannen and shut the Swedes down for three innings.
“When we get the bats hot it’s fun to watch, it takes a lot of the pressure off you as a pitcher,” said Kansas Wesleyan starting pitcher Thalen Wright.
The second game’s final score was 9-4.
In the third game, the Coyotes were dominant on both sides of the ball, with starting pitcher Brett Maddock, throwing 7 complete innings, allowing 1 earned run and 10 strikeouts.
Oxford again stood out in this game for the Coyotes, collecting 3 hits and 4 RBIs. Gable and Foster each had a pair of hits as well.
The Coyotes took the final game of the series in run-rule fashion, winning 12-1.
The Coyotes outscored the Swedes 38-13, and the 3 wins have boosted their winning streak to 13. The Coyotes will have a well-rested bullpen heading into 2 mid-week games, first on the road against Sterling on Tuesday, and at home on Wednesday for a night game against Central Christian.
The Coyotes record now stands at 24-7, and they will be heading into the hardest part of their schedule. Saint Mary’s, Tabor, and Oklahoma Wesleyan will all be formidable opponents for the Coyotes along with more mid-week games against Sterling and Hastings College.
The Coyotes will be looking to ride this momentum into the final stretch of the year and potentially win the KCAC outright for the second year in a row.
