Late Inning Rally Not Enough in Loss to KWU

Sterling, Kan. – Warrior baseball played their second game in the season series against Kansas Wesleyan University on Tuesday. KWU is one of the hottest teams in baseball winning 18 in a row coming into this contest. The Warriors used a late inning rally to get back into the game, but it was not enough against the high-powered offense of the Coyotes.

Sterling scored the first run of the game when Dustin Chartrand had a one out single and stole second base. Nicholas Keller then came through with a big two out single to left that scored Chartrand without a throw and Sterling was quickly up 1-0. That is where it stayed through three innings. Ryan Speer mowed down the Coyote lineup their first time through, not allowing a baserunner the first time through the lineup. The second time through proved costly. KWU scored 9 runs in the top of the fourth inning, while the Warriors went through three pitchers. Speer recorded one out in the inning, Nate Heffline recorded one out in the inning as well before Kimo Kawelo came in to finally work Sterling out of a bases-loaded jam. KWU scored an additional run in the fifth, making it 10-1 heading into the sixth.

KWU was held scoreless in the sixth and Sterling put its best effort of the day on the field. Tyler Gates led things off reaching first on a throwing error and moved to second on the throw. They tried to pick him off and second and threw the ball into center field. Luis Morales knocked him in on a groundout to short. Chartrand singled again to get things started once again and promptly stole second. Then with two outs, Keller took a walk, Albert Bisono got a pinch hit single that scored Chartrand and Keller took advantage of a throwing error by the center fielder and scored from first on the throw in. Eduardo Tarafa reached first on an error and advanced to second on the throw, while Bisono moved on to third. Joseph Almanza hit a bloop single down the right field line that scored both Bisono and Tarafa and Sterling ended up with a five-run inning, and were right back in the game, trailing 10-6. KWU answered with a pair of runs in the seventh and brought in their late relief pitching regime to close things out. Sterling ended up with a 12-6 loss to a team in a three way tie for first place in the KCAC.

Chartrand and Gates both had a pair of hits in the game. Almanza led Sterling with the two RBIs and Chartrand scored twice. Speer took the loss giving up just three hits and striking out three. Kawelo was the workhorse, giving up three runs over five and a third innings. He gave up six hits and struck out three batters.

Avila University comes to Sterling this weekend to play three games on Friday and Saturday. Friday afternoon they play at 3 pm and the games on Saturday are scheduled for 12 and 3 pm. Sterling is 15-22 this season and 9-17 in conference play.

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