Northwestern College Athletics

The Northwestern College baseball team hit five home runs, four in game one, in its doubleheader loss against Kansas Wesleyan today at Dean Evans Stadium in Salina, Kan. 

Northwestern drops to 2-4 on the season; Kansas Wesleyan improves to 7-4; the teams will play another doubleheader on Saturday, Feb. 22. 

Game One: 11-10 loss

The Red Raiders were unable to hold onto an early six-run lead in their 11-10 game one loss. Trailing 1-0, Northwestern put seven runs across on four hits and a Kansas Wesleyan miscue for a 7-1 lead. Josh Fakkema hit a two-run home run and Drew Schutt belted a grandslam in the inning. 

Kansas Wesleyan, however, came right back with six runs in the bottom of the third, all unearned, off Red Raider starter Brady Roberts. Dalton hit a three-run home run, one of the Coyotes six hits in the inning.

A solo home run by Colton Harold put Northwestern back in front in the fifth and Head Coach Brian Wede's squad plated two more in the sixth on a solo home run by Zachary Rosson and off an error by KWU.

The Coyotes once again tied the game with a three-run sixth on home runs by Dalton Whitaker and Trey Lopez off reliever Shane Geurink. Northwestern went scoreless in the top of the seventh and Kansas Wesleyan scored the winning run on a bases loaded walk in the bottom of the seventh.

Northwestern totaled six hits, four of which were home runs; one each by Schutt, Rosson, Harold and Fakkema. Harold added a double and Sutton Derr a single. 

Roberts pitched well, striking out a career-high 11 in five innings, giving up just one unearned run. Ryan Reynolds (0-1) picked up the loss, giving up the unearned run in the seventh.

Game Two: 9-2 loss

Tied 1-1, Kansas Wesleyan scored four runs in the fifth and sixth innings to win game two, 9-2.

Brett Shelton (0-2) allowed five hits, three earned runs and struck out a career-best seven in five innings. Northwestern managed just three hits off Coyotes starter, Jansen Lublin (1-0), who went the full seven innings. Schutt smacked his fourth home run of the season, leading off the seventh with a drive to leftcenter field. Fakkema and Noa Vogel had the other hits, both singles, and Vogel had an RBI.

Whitaker led the Coyotes at the plate, going 2-for-4 with five RBIs and a three-run home run in the fifth. Brant Howell added two hits, two runs and Austin Cross contributed two hits, one RBI and one run scored.