JACKSON, MISS. - Kansas Wesleyan took a 3-2 lead into the bottom of the eighth, but gave up four runs to Texas Wesleyan in the inning, and could not complete a rally in the ninth before falling 6-5 in the opening game of the NAIA Baseball National Championship Opening Round tournament at Smith-Wills Stadium.

The Coyotes will now face the loser of the Belhaven vs. Brewton-Parker game tomorrow morning at 11:30 a.m., while Texas Wesleyan advances to face top seeded Missouri Baptist tonight at 6:30 p.m.

KWU had a golden chance in the top of the first to take the lead, but came up empty handed. Efrain Gonzalez walked with one out, followed by a double by Kurri Darby to give the Coyotes a pair of runners with one out. Kyle Hook then walked with two outs to load the bases before Tanner Giffin grounded out to second to end the inning leaving the bases loaded.

Texas Wesleyan turned a leadoff single in the bottom of the inning into a run. Nick Schrock singled to open the frame, and stole second before moving to third on a sacrifice bunt by Jerry Fisher. Adam Resendez then hit into a sac fly to score Schrock to put the Rams up 1-0.

The Coyotes got the equalizer in the top of the third capitalizing on the first of Travis Irwin's three doubles on the day to lead off the inning. Gonzalez moved Irwin to third with a groundout, and another groundout by Darby would plate Irwin to tie things up.

Texas Wesleyan regained the lead in the bottom of the fourth. Resendez led off the frame with a double down the line in right, followed by a Travis Spencer hit to center. Justin Keller then hit into a fielder's choice to drive home Resendez giving the Rams the 2-1 lead.

KWU left a pair of runners in the fifth, unable to capitalize on Irwin's two-out double and an intentional walk to Gonzalez.

Coyote pitcher Aaron Converse got out of a pickle in the bottom of the frame. Converse hit Kyle Frazard to open the inning, and a sac bunt would move Frasard to second. Schrock then singled and Fisher followed with a bunt, but the Coyotes elected to go home with the play to get Frasard and keep Texas Wesleyan off the board.

KWU took its first lead in the top of the seventh. Matt Royal led off the frame with a single, and Nick Hartzell followed reaching on a fielder's choice and Royal moved to third on a throwing error by pitcher Caleb McCool. Aaron Heiland then pushed a bunt down the first base line for a sac bunt that scored Royal. Irwin then followed with a RBI double to score Hartzell.

KWU (32-18) missed out on another chance in the top of the eighth, getting two runners aboard with two outs thanks to back-to-back errors by Texas Wesleyan. However, a strikeout would end the rally.

Texas Wesleyan (30-26) regained the lead in the bottom of the inning with four runs. Four straight singles to open the inning got things going for the Rams, plating the first run and keeping the bases loaded. Mikey Horn then hit a sac fly, but a throwing error by cutoff man Hartzell allowed a second run to score on the play. Ryan Jacobi then hit another sac fly before the Coyotes got Frasard to fly out to end the inning.

The Coyotes were forced to put on their rally caps in the top of the ninth. Irwin singled with one out followed by a hit by Gonzalez to get things going for KWU. Darby was then hit by reliever Matt Chutchian to load the bases before Ronny Romo connected on a two-run single up the middle to get the Coyotes back within a run at 6-5. The Coyotes were unable to get over the top as Hook would ground into a game-ending double play.

Irwin went 4-for-5 for the Coyotes with three doubles to pace the KWU offense, while four others had one hit each. Romo drove in two runs with his ninth inning hit. Converse went the distance on the hill for the Coyotes, giving up six runs, five earned, on ten hits while striking out four and walking none in eight innings.

Schrock went 3-for-4 for Texas Wesleyan and three others had two hits each to pace the Ram offense that pounded out ten hits in the game. Keller drove in two of the Rams' six runs. Kody Theibaud picked up the win for the Rams, pitching two innings in relief giving up two runs on three hits while striking out two. Starter Caleb McCool went six and a third, giving up three runs on four hits while walking three and striking out one. Chutchian got his seventh save of the season, recording the final two outs of the ninth.

-- KWU SI --