Warriors hit four home runs in loss to Coyotes

Sterling College baseball traveled to Salina, Kan. on Tuesday, April 1 to take on Kansas Wesleyan University. This back-and-forth battle came down to the wire with the Warriors coming up just short in a 11-10 loss.

The name of the game was home runs, with a total of 10 home runs being hit through nine innings of play, with four of them coming from the Sterling.

Emmanuel Huerta Cardenas started off the top of the first inning with a home run from the two-hole position to put the Warriors up 1-0.

The Coyote's Jacob Williamson answered with a home run of his own in the bottom of the first, followed by a single to right field from Joe Finder to give Kansas Wesleyan the 2-1 advantage.

Tyler Gates took back the lead with a grand slam in the top of the second and Andrew Dutro followed it up with a two-run homer making it 7-2 in the Sterling's favor.

Back-to-back-to-back home runs from the Coyotes in the bottom of the second inning put the Coyotes within two. They continued to close the gap in the bottom of the third with a home run from Finder and tied the score at seven in the bottom of the fourth.

Kansas Wesleyan took back the lead in the bottom of the fifth with two runs and extended their lead in the bottom of the sixth with a home run from Blake Dale to give the Coyotes a 10-7 edge.

Sterling battled back with a score in the top of the seventh to bring the Warriors within two but the Coyotes answered back in the bottom of the eighth to put Kansas Wesleyan up, 11-8.

Nate Heffline tried to give the Warriors some life in the top of the ninth with a two-run homer to put the Warriors within one, but Sterling was unable to capitalize as the Coyotes closed out the inning.

Trenton Canaan started from the mound for the Warriors. He pitched two innings and faced 15 batters, surrendering eight hits which resulted in six runs (five earned) while striking out one batter and walking zero. He was relieved by Tryeek Sherman who pitched two innings, facing 15 batters, giving up one hit which the Coyotes turned into three runs (two earned), while walking four batters and striking out three.

Cooper Lovelace closed things out for the Warriors, pitching the remaining five innings. Lovelace faced 20 batters, surrendering three hits which resulted in two runs, walking five batters and striking out three.

The Warriors will be back on the field on Friday, April 4 as they take on Evangel University at home.

Be sure to check for news and updates on Sterling Warrior Athletics on Facebook (/SCWarriors), Twitter (@SterlingCSports), and Instagram (sterlingcsports), as well as the hashtag #SwordsUp. Watch the Warriors' live home events on the Sterling College Sports Network.