As the 2023 regular season winds down, the Coyotes looked to improve their standings in Class 4A District 13. The squad went 2-2 on the week, including splitting the series against district foe Springfield High School.
Monday saw the Coyotes squeak by the Yellow Jackets 2-1 in Springfield in a pitcher’s duel. Senior Braden Canaan pitched a complete game, allowing just five hits and one run. Yellow Jacket pitcher Nate Crawford almost matched Canaan by giving up six hits but was victimized by two errors, which led to both Coyote runs. Junior Nate Lucas went 1-for-2 from the plate and stole a base.
In the return match on Tuesday, the Coyotes found themselves trailing 3-2 going into the top of the 4th inning, and then things fell apart. The Yellow Jackets plated 12 runs in the frame, going on to win 21-4.
The team was held to just four hits and committed six errors as they fell to 2-4 in district play with just two contests left.
In non-district action, Donte Castro’s double in the bottom of the 8th inning lifted the Coyotes to a 5-3 victory over Montgomery Central.
After finding themselves down three runs going into the bottom of the 6th, Colton Lovelace singled, Floyd Dodwell was hit by a pitch and Leo Muniz singled to bring in Dodwell. Canaan then doubled, bringing in Dodwell and Muniz to tie the game.
The game went into extra innings. With Andres Garcia-Ortiz on third and Canaan on second, Castro hit a 1-2 line drive to center, scoring both runners.
Saturday’s game saw a high-scoring affair with the Hopkinsville High School Tigers outlasting the Coyotes 17-12.
The score was knotted at three in the top of the 4th when the Tigers brought 11 runs across the plate. The Coyotes fought back with four runs of their own in the bottom of the 4th and five more runs in the bottom of the 6th to draw to within 14-12. However, the Tigers plated three runs in the top of the 7th to extend their lead.
Castro went 2-for-3 from the plate, while Lucas, Dodwell and Jaykub Roberts also contributed two doubles.
This week sees the squad take on second-place Rossview High in the final two district contests.
