April 20, 2007

SALINA, Kan. - Ashley Coker threw her second no-hitter of the week, and then helped her own cause with three hits and four RBIs in game one, and two hits and a RBI in the night cap, as Kansas Wesleyan swept McPherson 9-0 and 4-1 on Friday night at Bill Burke Park.

Coker fanned the first 11 batters she faced in the game until Jessica Yates popped out to second to end the third inning for McPherson.

Wesleyan put two on the board in the bottom of the first of game one thanks to a two-run homer by Coker, her tenth of the season, following a single by Gabby White.

Wesleyan added another in the third when Coker knocked in her third RBI of the game with a single up the middle scoring Megan Duchene who led off the inning with a single and had advanced on a wild pitch.

McPherson's first base runner came in the top of the fourth when Coker hit Jessica DeCavelle. Coker rebounded and struck out the side to end the inning.

Wesleyan exploded for four runs in the bottom half of the frame. Carlsie Eichenberger singled with one out and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Jamie Peat. Heather Watson singled, scoring Eichenberger, followed by a single by White to give Wesleyan runners at first and second. Coker stepped up again and doubled, scoring Watson, and Duchene singled home a pair of runners, but was out trying to stretch her hit into a double.

Shalyn Skahill walked to lead off the McPherson fifth. Leah Heide then reached base when Wesleyan first baseman Tara Earley misplayed a grounder to first. Erikka Viehman struck out and Abby Evans popped out before Yates would strike out to end the inning.

McPherson changed pitchers to start the Wesleyan half of the fifth, but Kristine Hill led off the inning with a single, and Michelle Webster ended the game via the run rule with a two-run shot to left.

Coker's second no-hitter of the week improved her record to 6-8, but she is 3-2 in KCAC play with a 0.88 ERA, and is only allowing opponents to hit .067 against her. She finished with 13 strikeouts, walking just one while facing three batters over the minimum.

McPherson broke Wesleyan's 28-inning scoreless streak in the top of the fourth in game two when Whitney Coleman went deep to left to lead off the inning to tie things up at 1-all.

Wesleyan scored its first run in the first when Coker singled home Watson who led off with a walk.Earley broke the tie with a lead off homer in the bottom of the fourth, her first of the season. After a strike out and a fly out, White doubled and went to third on a McPherson error and would score on the play as Wesleyan led 3-1 after four.

McPherson (15-16, 6-4) led off the fifth with a double, but could not capitalize as Wesleyan pitcher Jamie Peat recorded three straight outs.

Wesleyan left the bases loaded for the second time in their half of the fifth, but could get no runs across.

The Coyotes (17-14, 7-3) added a final insurance run in the sixth as Duchene would score on a two-out double by Hill.

Wesleyan would have six different players with two hits apiece in the night cap as the Coyotes banged out 13 hits, but left 11 runners on base. Jamie Peat got the win to improve to 8-3 overall, 4-1 in league play. She struck out eight, walking one, while giving up five hits and one run.

The Lady Coyotes are off until next Tuesday when they host Sterling in the home finale for the 2007 season at 5:00 PM at Bill Burke Park.