SALINA, Kan. —
Game 1: Eagles Take Game One Behind Power Bats and Dominant Pitching
OKWU opened its three-game KCAC series with authority on Friday, powering past Kansas Wesleyan 8–4.
The Eagles wasted no time seizing momentum, breaking the game open with a four-run second inning. After a pair of walks and a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases, W. Diaz delivered a no-doubt grand slam to left-center that put OKWU ahead 4–0. W. Diaz wasn't done, finishing the day 2-for-4 with five RBIs, later adding an RBI triple in the eighth.
Kansas Wesleyan fought back with a solo homer in the third and a three-run shot in the fourth to tie the game 4–4. But OKWU's pitching and offense quickly responded.
D. Manzanillo sparked the Eagles again in the seventh, launching a go-ahead solo home run before adding an RBI ground-rule double in the eighth. He finished 3-for-5 with two RBIs.
On the mound, Alex Garcia delivered one of his best performances of the year, striking out 13 batters over eight strong innings while allowing just five hits to improve to 2–0. Jack Stangl handled the ninth, securing the win with a scoreless frame.
The Eagles tallied 10 hits in the victory, with contributions throughout the lineup, while holding the Coyotes to five.
Game 2: Eagles Fall in High-Scoring Battle in Game Two at Kansas Wesleyan
OKWU struck early but couldn't keep pace with aKWU offense on Saturday, dropping Game Two of the weekend series 15–8.
The Eagles came out firing with a four-run first inning, highlighted by G. Morales' two-run home run to right field after an RBI groundout by D. Manzanillo and a sacrifice fly from J. Maloney. W. Diaz also contributed with an early double as OKWU built a 4–0 lead before the Coyotes had a chance to swing.
KWU responded with a run in the second, then completely flipped the momentum with a six-run third inning, capitalizing on extra-base hits and back-to-back home runs. The Coyotes added three more in the fourth pushing the deficit to 10–6.
Despite the early surge, OKWU's pitching staff couldn't contain the Coyotes' lineup, which finished with 17 hits. G. Florio, E. Miude, A. Stephenson, and H. Hansen all saw time on the mound as the Eagles tried to halt the offensive push.
Offensively, OKWU continued to fight. D. Manzanillo delivered a sacrifice fly in the fourth, and J. Gutierrez added a solo home run in the eighth. The Eagles tacked on another in the ninth when D. Manzanillo blasted his second homer of the day, but the early deficit proved too steep to overcome.
In total, the Eagles tallied 11 hits, with Gutierrez, Diaz, Maloney, and Morales each posting multi-base contributions. Manzanillo and Morales combined for five RBIs, continuing their strong series performances.
Game 3: Eagles Drop Series Finale in Pitchers' Duel at Kansas Wesleyan
OKWU came up just short in a tightly contested Game Three falling 4–2 as the Coyotes secured the weekend series at Dean Evans Stadium.
The Coyotes struck quickly in the opening inning with back-to-back solo home runs giving them an early 2–0 advantage.
OKWU broke through in the third after L. Antigua singled and W. Diaz worked a walk. D. Manzanillo then ripped an RBI single down the right-field line, and J. Maloney added a sacrifice fly to bring W. Diaz home, tying the game 2–2. D. Manzanillo later swiped second, continuing his strong baserunning presence throughout the series.
KWU regained the lead in the bottom half of the inning with a solo shot to right field. The Coyotes added an insurance run in the sixth after a single, a wild pitch, and an RBI sequence following a base hit.
Despite the loss, A. Luera delivered a strong performance on the mound for the Eagles, striking out 11 over five innings while allowing just five hits. Jack Stangl handled the sixth, recording one strikeout. OKWU's pitching staff tallied 12 strikeouts on the day.
With the defeat, Oklahoma Wesleyan concludes the series 1–2 and moves to 15–9 overall and 8–5 in KCAC play, returning home looking to regroup ahead of the next conference matchup.
