TIGER BASEBALL TIES GAME UP IN SEVENTH BUT FALL 15-6 TO COYOTES

Salina, Kan. – Dakota Wesleyan baseball falls 15-6 in their final game of a three-game series with Kansas Wesleyan despite tying game up in the seventh. Lane Darrow again was the bright spot for the Tigers, going 4 for 5 with a double and two runs scored. Seth Christiansen started on the mound tossing 3.2 innings giving up six runs on six hits and racking up four strikeouts. The Tigers drop to 0-3 on the season and look ahead to their seven-game spring trip in Tucson, Ariz. The Coyotes improve to 9-5 on the year with the three-game sweep.

Quick Stats:

Hitters-

• Lane Darrow – 4 for 5, 2B, 2 Runs
• Daulton Wilcoxen –  2 for 4, 2 RBI

Pitchers-

• Seth Christiansen – 3.2 innings, 6 H, 6 ER, 4 K
• Presten Riddle – 2.2 innings, 5 H, 4 ER, 3 K

Recap:

Both teams opened the first frame scoreless. Lane Darrow was the only runner in the inning off his infield single with one out but would be stranded at third after he advanced on a balk and a groundout. Seth Christiansen got the nod for the Tigers today and like the starters yesterday ran into early trouble by issuing two free passes to the first two batters. Christiansen settled down and got dialed in retiring the next three batters with two being via the strikeout. The Tigers got men on early in the top half of the second with Bradley Skorczewski reaching on an error followed by Daulton Wilcoxen single up the middle. The Tigers elected to not bunt with runners on first and second and nobody out which backfired with the next batter grounding into a 6-4-3 double play. Drew Kitchens was hit by a pitch putting runners on the corners, but again DWU stranded a runner at third base after a groundout. Christiansen kept it scoreless in the bottom half but needed to record four outs after a dropped third strike reached safely.

The top of the third saw Dakota Wesleyan go down in order with three groundouts in the half inning keeping it scoreless heading to the bottom of the third inning. Kansas Wesleyan broke the scoreless tie with a two run shot from Haydn Brown which was his third home run of the series making it a 2-0 Coyotes advantage after three. The Tiger bats couldn't get anything going in the top half of the inning keeping it 2-0. KWU tacked on four more runs against Christiansen with most of the damage coming on a two out three-run shot that resulted in Dubanoski calling on righty Presten Riddle out of the pen to make his first appearance of 2023. Riddle got a punchout for the final out leaving it 6-0 KWU. Carter Gullickson led off the fifth reaching on a hit by pitch but would later in the inning be caught stealing second to end any threat keeping it 6-0. Riddle walked the leadoff man in the frame but settled in after retiring the next three batters.

DWU got the first two men on with Jake Kostenbauer drawing a leadoff walk followed by Darrow with his second hit of the day. Wyatt Hunt drew a walk loading the bases with nobody out and forcing a Kansas Wesleyan pitching change. Diego Jirau got the Tigers on the board with an RBI single followed by Skorczewski earning the easiest RBI in the game with a bases loaded walk making it 6-2. Skorczewski would be picked off at first base however for the first out of the inning. Wilcoxen would shift momentum back to the Tigers lacing a two RBI single to cut the deficit to 6-4. Coyotes again would go to the bullpen with the Tiger bats catching fire. The Coyotes would get the last two outs of the inning but not before the Tigers struck for four runs on four hits.

Riddle tossed another scoreless frame in the bottom of the sixth caping the inning off with his second punchout of the game, keeping it 6-4 with the top of the Tigers order due up.  The Tigers would tie the ballgame up in the top of the seventh, highlighted by Darrow collecting his third hit of the game on a double and coming around to score his second run of the afternoon. KWU didn't take long to retake the lead, plating four runs with three coming on a home run to end Riddles day who was cruising before the half inning. Coach Dubanoski brought lefty Dexter Payne out of the pen. Payne successfully recorded the last two outs sending it to the eighth. Kalub Carmichael led off the inning reaching on a hit by pitch and later stole second, but was stranded there after a pair of strikeouts. Kansas Wesleyan busted it wide open in the bottom of the frame plating five runs including a grand slam. Tigers went quiet in the top of the ninth for a 16-5 final.

Head-to-Head (Kansas Wesleyan):

• DWU is now 3-8 all-time against KWU after today's loss.

Up Next: The Dakota Wesleyan Baseball team will be off for nearly a month before they return to the diamond for their spring trip in Tucson, Ariz. First game will be March, 5^th against Benedictine Mesa with first pitch set for 10 a.m.