Baseball Ends KWU's 20-Game Win Streak
Hastings, NE – The Hastings College baseball team was able to end the 20-game winning streak by picking up a split with (RV) Kansas Wesleyan dropping game one 10-3 before defeating the Coyotes 5-4 in game two on a warm Wednesday afternoon out on Duncan Field.
Hastings, NE – The Hastings College baseball team was able to end the 20-game winning streak by picking up a split with (RV) Kansas Wesleyan dropping game one 10-3 before defeating the Coyotes 5-4 in game two on a warm Wednesday afternoon out on Duncan Field.
The Broncos did get off to a nice start in game one as Jaden Stone started the inning off with a double down the left field line. Tyler Kissler then singled to right to put runners on the corners with just one out.
Jace Valdez then hit a bounding ball to the second baseman where he bobbled the ball allowing everyone to reach safely. Tyler Welsh made that hurt with a RBI single to left to plate Kissler and take the 2-1 lead.
The Broncos would hold that lead into the fourth and then the Coyote offense sprung to life and would pull away for the 10-3 win in game one.
Kissler led the way in game one going 2-for-3 with a run scored while Valdez, Welsh and Santo Chirco each recorded a RBI.
In game two it seemed as though Esteban Acevedo caught the KWU offense off guard which allowed the Bronco offense to go to work on the bullpen heavy pitching staff of the Coyotes.
With the game tied 1-1 in the fourth, Valdez got the inning started with a single. Then Welsh smoked a double to the wall in left center to plate Valdez. Eli Merritt followed suit with a double to left to score Welsh as HC now led 3-1.
Acevedo was able to work around an error in the fifth to keep the lead at two and HC went right back to work with the sticks.
All the excitement in the bottom of the fifth came with two outs as Kissler singled down the line in right followed by a single from Valdez to put runners on first and second. Then Welsh absolutely crushed a ball over the right fielders head for a triple to make it 5-1 as the Broncos now had a bit of breathing room down the stretch and would certainly need it.
KWU picked up a run in the sixth and then really put some pressure on reliever Alec Fichter in the seventh. Fichter was able to get the first two outs with no issues but pinch hitter Coulson Riggs kept the game alive with a single. Then Jarrett Gable hit was seemed like a fairly harmless single to right but the ball came off the end of the bat and when it landed, the ball shot 10 feet to the left of Tristan Martinez which turned into a RBI triple.
Cruz Oxford singled home Gable to make it 5-4 and would advance to second on an error to put the potential tying run in scoring position. After a short huddle with head coach Joel Schipper, the Bronco defense went to the scouting report and put the shift on with left hander Tyler Favretto stepping up to bat. This proved to be the right move as Valdez was standing directly behind second base when Favretto smashed a ground ball back up the middle that Valdez scooped up and threw to first for the final out as Hastings had secured its biggest win of the season by upsetting KWU 5-4.
Welsh led the way at the plate going 2-for-3 with three RBIs while Valdez, Kissler and Matt Lucero each finished with two hits in the win.
You have to go back to March 4 of 2020 for the last time Hastings defeated KWU as the Broncos had lost four straight since.
Acevedo went 5.0 innings giving up just one run on three hits to go along with three strikeouts.
Hastings is now 12-26 (3-13) on the year and will be back in action Saturday Apr. 13 as Mount Marty comes to town with first pitch set for 1:00 pm out on Duncan Field.
