WICHITA, Kan. – The Friends University Falcons picked up a pair of victories over the Kansas Wesleyan University Coyotes by scores of 4-1 and 9-5 today (Apr. 9) at Two Rivers Youth Complex. The wins push the Falcons into sole possession of fifth place in the KCAC with a 12-8 conference record.
After Brooklyn Lange opened the first game with a solo home run for KWU, the Falcons scored four unanswered runs, starting with a homer by Tamara Lozoya in the bottom of the second.
The Falcons would then capitalize on a pair of two-out bunt singles, beginning with Madison Nightengale reaching on a bunt hit in the fifth and scoring the go-ahead run on a double by Cambell Riordan.
It was then Izzy Jones' turn to extend the inning on a bunt single in the sixth that set the stage for back-to-back RBI doubles by Raeleen Hernandez and Regan Witt for a 4-1 lead.
Jenna Ormiston put the finishing touches by retiring the Coyotes in order in the seventh. Ormiston struck out five and blanked KWU following Lange's leadoff homer in the first.
The nightcap saw the Falcons heavily utilize the long ball when Riordan led off the bottom of the first with a home run.
Cadence Mallet tied the game with a solo homer for the Coyotes in the second, but Regan Witt launched a solo blast of her own in the bottom of the frame and Keara Cunningham put a big dent in the scoreboard with a grand slam in the third.
Mallet then cut into the Falcon lead with her second homer of the game, a two-run shot in the fourth, only to have Friends respond with an RBI single by Ezra Arrendondo in the fourth and then run-scoring singles from both Hernandez and Riordan in the fifth to make it 9-3.
The Coyotes didn't go quietly in the seventh and scored two runs, with Elli Han driving in the second run to climb within 9-5. But with runners on second and third and the tying run on deck, Ainsley McGill got a strikeout to end the game and pick up the save.
Arredondo started the second game and lasted four innings with three runs allowed to earn the win. McGill pitched the final three frames and gave up two runs.
Lozoya fueled the Falcon offense in game two with a perfect 4-4 outing at the plate, while Riordan, Jones and Cadence Magana each had two hits.
Mallet went 3-of-3 in the second game for the Coyotes (16-17, 11-9 KCAC)
The Falcons will next play at Southwestern College next Wednesday (Apr. 15) at 3 pm in Winfield, Kan.
