WICHITA, Kan. — Taking advantage of a number of errors while also belting out 11 hits, the Newman baseball team earned its first win of the season in its home opener Friday afternoon at McCarthy Field, topping Fort Hays State 10-3.
KEY SEQUENCE
The Jets (1-1) saw themselves trailing the Tigers (4-2) by one heading into the bottom of the sixth, and despite three singles, they hadn't tied it up by the time two outs were recorded. A balk immediately after a pitching change got the momentum started though, and three errors helped the host push four runs across and shoot back in front.
HOW IT HAPPENED
-After allowing two singles in the first, starter Roger Wilson settled in, cruising through the first five innings allowing just one run after a Fort Hays triple in the fourth. Newman had built a 2-0 lead thanks to RBI groundouts from Channing Williams and Aaron Mack after the Jets loaded the bases in the second.
-A two-out, two-run single by the Tigers in the sixth gave them their only lead of the game, as Newman responded in the bottom half with four unearned runs. Clay Druin capped that run with an RBI single through the left side.
-Quinton Bonnell worked effectively out of the pen, getting a double play to end the top of the eighth. The Jets thanked him by scoring four more in the bottom of the inning, getting a double from Matt Reeves and a two-run single by Tanner Lace to tack on the insurance runs.
NOTES
-Bonnell picked up the win in relief, tossing 3 1/3 scoreless innings and allowing just three hits and a walk. That follows a clean inning Thursday against Fort Hays in his Newman debut.
-The Tigers helped out with five errors, but the Jets did some work themselves. Nine of the 10 batters who came up to the plate recorded at least one hit, with Brian Canfield and Jake Hanson each notching a pair of hits.
WHAT'S NEXT
The Jets wrap up their elongated season-opening series against the Tigers Monday afternoon back at Fort Hays State.
