SALINA, Kan. – The finale of the Southwestern College baseball team's road series at Kansas Wesleyan University commenced on Sunday afternoon. The Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) battle got off to a good start with an early 1-0 lead for the Moundbuilders after one frame, but the Coyotes broke through in the second, third and fourth innings, as the home squad tallied 15 runs combined over those three frames. The Builders fell to KWU, 17-3, in seven innings.

To open the day, London Penland homered for the second straight day, as he blasted a solo bomb to center field to open the scoring. Southwestern would then retire the Coyotes in order in the bottom of the first, as things were looking promising in the early stages.

Then, though, Southwestern surrendered a six spot to KWU in the bottom of the second after failing to get onto the scoreboard in the top of the inning. A bases-clearing double, a sacrifice fly and a two-run single through the right side made it a 6-1 lead for the hosts after two frames.

A response would be necessary from SC in the third, and that is exactly what they got. One of the two runs scored in the stanza came across to score on Penland's sacrifice fly, scoring Chris Weatherford, and the second run was tallied on an RBI single by Marcus Burton. Tyler Seboldt came in to score on that hit. Kansas Wesleyan would not flinch at the progress made by Southwestern, as they swiftly responded by putting up four runs in the bottom of the third. An RBI single, a pair of run-scoring groundouts and a run scored on a wild pitch made it a 10-3 game after three full.

Momentum had shifted after KWU's strong showing in the bottom of the third, as the Builders struggled to get any offense going, racking up just two hits over the final four innings. Those two hits each came in the top pf the fourth, but the squad could not convert them into runs on the scoreboard. Meanwhile, the Coyotes put up another five runs in the fourth and single runs in both the fifth and sixth innings to run-rule SC with a 17-3 final score after seven.

Five different Moundbuilders recorded base hits on Sunday afternoon, as the squad only was able to record five hits overall. Penland (1-for-3, HR, 2 RBI, R, SF), Burton (1-for-3, RBI), Seboldt (1-for-2, BB, R), Landon Tinsman (1-for-1, 2 BB) and Weatherford (1-for-3, 2B, R) recorded the knocks for the Builders.

After a good first inning, Gannon Dow began to struggle in the second and ended up finishing just two innings of work on the bump. He allowed nine runs on six hits and struck out three, while walking three, as well. Reyden Rull was the first man out of the bullpen for SC, as he tossed 1.2 innings and allowed six runs total. Five of those were earned tallies on five hits and two walks allowed. He set down one batter on strikes. Dylan Navarrette (1.1 IP, 3 H, ER, BB) and Clay Stoner (IP, H, ER, 2 BB) rounded out the afternoon on the hill for Southwestern.

The Moundbuilders (8-22, 2-12 KCAC) will be disappointed that they could not snap their current losing streak, which increased to seven games with the loss on Sunday. They continue to have KCAC battles right around the corner, however, as they host the Falcons of Friends University at Broadway Sports Complex on Tuesday, March 28 at 2 p.m.

--buildersports.com--