Grand slam caps Coyote win, WC moves on to super regional

With the score tied 3-3 in the eighth inning at Roger Williams Ballpark Friday afternoon, Weatherford College's Ty Waid launched a grand slam to center field, breaking open the game and leading the Coyotes to a postseason sweep of New Mexico Military Institute. Weatherford won game two of the best of 3 series 10-4, sending the Coyotes to the super regional tournament next week.

It's the second straight year WC has swept the first round postseason series at home.

No. 21 Weatherford (39-18) will advance to a four-team super regional tournament at a location to be determined. Grayson and Howard will play a third and final game of their series Saturday in Denison; if Grayson wins, they will host the super regional. If Howard wins, the super regional will be held in Weatherford.

The tournament will be held Thursday through Sunday, May 14-17, with the winner advancing to the NJCAA Division I World Series.

Weatherford totaled 12 hits in Friday's win, getting strong production from the bottom of the order. Joseph Sandusky, Caden Mitchell and Kyzer Harrington combined for six hits, scored four runs and drove in two. Harrington, batting eighth, led the Coyotes with three hits in three at-bats, while Sandusky added two hits in five trips to the plate.

NMMI (38-20) struck first in the third inning when Joek Rivera Colon hit a solo home run to left field for a 1-0 lead.

Weatherford tied the game in the top of the fifth as Kaden Robardey lifted a sacrifice fly to bring home the tying run. The Coyotes took their first lead in the sixth inning when Sandusky grounded out, allowing a run to score and putting Weatherford ahead 2-1.

The Broncos regained the advantage in the bottom of the seventh. Rivera tripled to drive in two runs and give NMMI a 3-2 edge.

That lead was short-lived. WC flipped the game in the eighth, scoring five runs on two hits. After loading the bases, Waid delivered his grand slam to center, accounting for four of the runs and swinging the momentum firmly in Weatherford's favor.

NMMI pushed across one final run in the bottom of the ninth on Rivera's second home run of the game, a solo shot to left field.

AJ Miera started on the mound for Weatherford and worked 5 1/3 solid innings, allowing six hits and one run while striking out five without issuing a walk. Holden Hering and Kade Irons combined to handle the remaining innings in relief. Trevor Johnson went six innings for NMMI, giving up seven hits and two runs with five strikeouts and two walks.

Weatherford also pressured the defense on the bases, stealing four bases in the contest. NMMI finished with nine hits, led by Rivera's 3-for-5 performance, while Misael Maldonado Baez added two hits in four at-bats.