Coyotes rally in ninth to beat Brewton-Parker 5-4
By: David Toelle, KWU Sports Information

Travis Irwin (with helmet) hit the game-winning three-run homer in the top of the ninth to send KWU past Brewton-Parker 5-4 in the NAIA Baseball National Championship Opening Round

JACKSON, MISS. – The rally ‘Yotes showed up for a second straight day and this time came away with what they were looking for … a win! Kansas Wesleyan used a three-run homer by Travis Irwin in the top of the ninth to rally past the Brewton-Parker Barons 5-4 on Wednesday afternoon at Smith-Wills Stadium in the NAIA Baseball National Championship Opening Round Tournament.

Pinch hitter Tanner Giffin led off the ninth with a single back through the box and another pinch hitter, Jake Bowyer followed with a base hit to the left side. Irwin then stepped up and sent a 2-1 offering from Brewton-Parker’s Joey Delgado out to left field to put the Coyotes up. The Coyotes had a chance to add a couple insurance runs thanks to back-to-back errors by the Barons, but could not capitalize.

Relief pitcher Matt Royal worked around a leadoff single by Brandon Stevens in the bottom of the inning to seal the win for the Coyotes.

With the win, KWU improves to 33-18 overall and will face the loser of the game between Belhaven and Missouri Baptist at 6:30 tonight.

Wesleyan took the first lead of the day, using a leadoff double by Kurri Darby in the second followed by a RBI single by designated hitter Kyle Lynch.

The Barons, who finish their season at 40-18 with the loss, plated three in the bottom of the inning. Two singles to open the frame by Randall Shepherd and Todd Alls got Brewton-Parker going. A single by Stevens plated the first run, and then a wild pitch by Wesleyan starter Casey Barnes allowed the second run to score. Kale Lewis then laid down a suicide squeeze bunt to plate the third run and give the Barons a 3-1 lead after two innings.

Brewton-Parker added another run in the third thanks to back-to-back-to-back hits by Shepherd, Alls and Gary Stauff.

The Coyotes would halve the Barons’ lead in the top of the fourth. Darby, Lynch and Ronny Romo put together three straight hits with one out before Kyle Hook would hit a sac fly to left to score Darby.

Meanwhile, Barnes settled in on the mound, allowing just three hits after the fourth before giving way to Royal in the seventh.

The Coyotes wasted a golden chance in the sixth score some runs. Lynch started a two-out rally with a base hit and Romo and Hook were hit on back-to-back pitches to load the bases, but a ground out would stop the Coyote rally.

Wesleyan stranded another two runners in the eighth before the ninth inning rally.

Royal was able to work around a leadoff single in the eighth by the Barons getting Jacob Evors to ground into a double play and then retiring the side with a Stauff groundout to third.

Royal picked up the win in relief, improving to 6-3 on the season, pitching two and a third innings allowing just two hits. Barnes pitched six and two-thirds, giving up four runs on 11 hits while striking out four. Lynch and Darby both went 3-for-5 as the Coyotes pounded out ten hits on the day. Irwin drove in three with his ninth inning homer.

Delgado took the loss for Brewton-Parker giving up all five runs on ten hits while striking out five, but he also hit five Wesleyan batters. Ben Gillespie pitched the final two outs of the ninth for the Barons. Shepherd was 3-for-4 the lead Brewton-Parker’s offense, while four others had two hits each.

-- KWU SI --