LINCOLN, Neb. – Nebraska Wesleyan rallied back from a seven-run deficit and had the tying run on 3^rd base in the bottom of the 9^th inning but the Prairie Wolves came up just short in a 9-8 loss to Coe College in the Iowa Conference baseball opener on Friday at NWU Field.
 
Coe led 7-0 after four innings and still held a 9-5 advantage going into the 9^th inning.  In the bottom of the 9^th, NWU's first two batters were retired as they were down to the final out.  Back-to-back errors and a walk loaded the bases for Jared Scdoris who also drew a walk to bring in one run. 
 
Cole Schumacher blasted the first pitch he saw over the center fielder's head to drive in two runs and appeared to drive in the tying run, but pinch runner Bradyn Thomas lost his footing rounding third base and was forced to retreat to the base.  Pinch hitter Matt Orozco came to the plate with the tying run at third and winning run at second, but he fouled out to right field to end the game.
 
NWU began their rally in the 5^th inning when Justus Stocks hit a solo HR to get the Prairie Wolves on the board.  In the 6^th inning, Derek Kolbush led off with a double followed by a single from Spencer Scheer.  Scdoris then sent a shot to the left field wall that appeared to hit the foul pole, but the umpires ruled it a double instead of a home run as two runs still came in.
 
Tyler Winterstein double to lead off the 7^th then Kolbush hit another double to drive him in.   Kolbush scored on a single from Kyle Hunter.
 
The Prairie Wolves finished with 10 hits, but they were hurt by four errors.  Coe College pounded out 17 total hits to improve to 6-6 overall.
 
NWU and Coe will continue their 3-game series this weekend with game times depending on the weather situation.