KWU Softball Season

Zach Lockwood

Softball season

Softball at Kwu has always been known to be competitive and having a successful culture around the program.  This year their goal was to make the playoffs win the tournament and make it to nationals.  This goal was not impossible to reach but, it was something the lady Coyotes will have to fight for if they want the opportunity to play in the nationals.

They started the year struggling a little bit against preseason opponent. Before conference having to travel all over the place from Oklahoma, Nebraska, other parts of Kansas, and even all the way to Arizona.  Most of the players were not happy with the results of the games before conference as they finished with a record of 7-13.  As you started to watch the beginning of conference you could tell the team was playing with a chip on their shoulder and had a little bit of confidence.   This was good for the team as it was not a bluff the team would successfully make the playoffs.  As a team KWU was as competitive as it gets as they had multiple extra inning games and would not go done without a fight.  Going into playoffs the team were ready and this was what they wanted all year.  As happy as the team was to get there the first game did not go as planned.  Getting mercy ruled by McPherson College in 5 innings and losing the game 8-0.  Although, there was still hope as the softball team would enter the losers bracket they would just have to win the rest of the games and they were win.  As hard as that sounds to do they were never discouraged.  Going into the game they were going to play Saint Mary University and it was going to be close.  The first two innings would go scoreless until the first baseman for Saint Mary’s would make an error leading to Paige Anderson making it to first.   She would later be advanced to second by a sac bunt and getting to third by error.  Up comes Samantha Herrera and she hits a line drive to center field bring in the winning run.  From there the game would remain scoreless ending in a 2-0 victory for the softball team and advancing to the next round of the loser’s bracket.  Playing Avila in the next game and a win for the Coyotes they were wanting to keep this momentum into the next game.   Although, they started the game of weak giving up three runs in the first inning there was still a lot of game left to make the comeback.  The game would go scoreless until the top of the fourth the lady coyotes put some runs on the board.  With a few singles from Angulo and Hackney the lady Coyotes would put up 2 runs on the board.  Although, this was not enough to keep their season going as the game would end in a 3-2 defeat and the ladies’ season would come to an end.

Finishing the year 22-22 and 16-9 in conference with a 5^th seed to some can be seen as a successful season for the Coyotes as they have brought in young talent with the capability to bring this program a championship.  Next year will be exciting for the softball program.