(Tempe, AZ) The Park University Gilbert baseball team ended its weekend with a 5-1 loss to Kansas Wesleyan at the Tempe Diablo minor league fields this afternoon in Tempe, Ariz. The Bucs fall to 3-2 on the season while the Coyotes pick up their first win on the year and move to 5-1.
Things looked good early as the Bucs jumped out to an early 1-0 lead with a run in the first on a Diego Bejarano sacrifice fly. That would be all they would muster on the afternoon as the Buc bats would only get five more hits the rest of the afternoon.
Park received four innings from starter Paxton Prentice who only allowed one run and left the game with a no-decision. He only allowed two hits but walked four as he threw 61 pitches.
Kansas Wesleyan took the lead for good in the sixth off of Bucs reliever Kyle Poapst who threw a scoreless fifth, but struggled with his command in this inning. Two walks and a hit batsman started the inning and Poapst was pulled in favor of Connor Barton. Barton walked the first batter he faced, and the Coyotes took the lead without the benefit of hit. A single followed to score the second run and then Barton was able to induce a double play but the third run scored on the play.
KWU tacked on one more run in the ninth to make the final 5-1.
Diego Bejarano went 2-3 for the game with the only RBI for the Buccaneers
Poapst takes the loss in his first appearance as a Buc. Jerrett Brennen threw six more scoreless innings after allowing the run in the first to get the win for KWU.
The Buccaneers now hit the road and head to chilly Idaho for a four-game set in Caldwell, Idaho against the College of Idaho February 3-5 before returning home to play in the Firestorm Invitational.
Press Release courtesy of Park University Athletics – Preston English