Mayor Highlights Kansas Wesleyan Baseball as NAIA Opening Round Comes to Salina

Mayor Mike Hoppock used the closing portion of Monday’s Salina City Commission meeting to highlight Kansas Wesleyan University baseball, pointing to the Coyotes’ national ranking, their season win total and Salina’s role as a host site for the NAIA Baseball National Championship Opening Round.

The recognition came as part of Hoppock’s practice of bringing forward a positive local item during commission meetings. This week’s item focused on KWU baseball, which entered national tournament play as one of the top teams in the NAIA.

Hoppock noted that Kansas Wesleyan was “top 10 in the nation” and that Salina was hosting an opening round of the national baseball tournament. He also noted the Coyotes were the No. 2 seed in the Salina bracket and had opened tournament play with a 5-4 win.

“They played at 11 o’clock today, and they won five to four,” Hoppock said. “So they’ll be in the winner’s bracket.”

Kansas Wesleyan defeated Concordia University of Nebraska 5-4 Monday at Dean Evans Stadium. The official Salina bracket lists KWU as the No. 2 seed, Concordia as the No. 3 seed, Johnson University of Tennessee as the No. 1 seed and Our Lady of the Lake University of Texas as the No. 4 seed. Johnson also won Monday, defeating Our Lady of the Lake 20-10 in eight innings.

Hoppock also pointed to the strength of Kansas Wesleyan’s season, saying the Coyotes were tied for the second-most victories in the NAIA with 48 wins entering the tournament.

Kansas Wesleyan entered the Opening Round at 48-7 and ranked No. 9 nationally, according to KWU Athletics. The Coyotes won both the Kansas Conference regular-season title and the KCAC tournament before being placed in the Salina bracket.

The Salina Opening Round is being played May 11-14 at Dean Evans Stadium. KWU and Salina were selected as one of 10 host sites for the NAIA Opening Round. The tournament uses a double-elimination format, with winners advancing to the NAIA World Series in Lewiston, Idaho.

For Kansas Wesleyan, Monday’s win kept the Coyotes in position to continue their postseason run. For Salina, the tournament brings national-level college baseball to Dean Evans Stadium and gives the city another local sports event to showcase.

Hoppock closed his comments by congratulating Kansas Wesleyan and wishing the team luck as tournament play continues.