CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - The Coe College softball team swept St. Kates in a two-game series on Saturday afternoon at Clark Field. The Kohawks won the opening game 4-3 and completed the sweep with a 3-1 victory in game two. The wins improve Coe to 4-2 on the season while St. Kates falls to 3-3 on the year. 
 
The Kohawks picked up 14 hits over the two games, recording eight in game one and six in game two. Kelsey Hora, Skyler Stookey and Natalie Blank all recorded multiple hits in the double-header, with each recording three hits on the day. Starting pitchers Ellie Thurow and Hannah Ausenhus combined to allow just four runs while scattering 13 total Wildcat hits. Thurow earned her first win of the season after going seven innings and striking out five hitters. Ausenhus started game two and was equally dominant, tossing six and 1/3 innings while giving up just one run. The sophomore moves to 2-1 on the season while Abby Stock earned the save after recording the final two outs of game two. 
 
GAME 1 
COE 4 - ST. KATES 3
St. Kates got off to a good start in game one, scoring one run in the first inning after an early triple from Alex Ehde. The Kohawks answered back in the bottom of the frame, as Weber drove home Ball on a single to tie the game. Coe starting pitcher Ellie Thurow shut down the Wildcat offense in the second inning setting up the Kohawks in the bottom of the frame where they would add two runs to their total. After a lead-off strike-out, the Kohawks had four-straight batters reach base while plating two of those runners. After Hansen reached on an error, Coe got back-to-back-to-back singles from Blank, Hora and Ball as Hora and Ball both drove in runs. After a scoreless third, the Kohawks struck again, this time on an RBI ground-out from Stock. St. Kates threatened in their half of the sixth inning and scored two runs but Thurow retired the side in the bottom of the seventh inning to lock up the victory. 
 
GAME 2
COE 3 - ST. KATES 1
The Kohawks took the early lead in game two thanks to a two-run second inning. Stookey kicked-off the inning with a single and advanced to third after an error and single from Stock. Shaylee Dodd then stepped to the plate and drove home Stookey to take the early 1-0 lead. Coe was not done in the frame as Natalie Hansen picked up an RBI sacrifice fly to score Dodd and give the Kohawks a 2-0 lead. The squads combined for a scoreless third and fourth inning but the Wildcats cut into the deficit in the fifth. With two outs in the inning, St. Kates got an RBI single from Alex Ehde to make the score 2-1 but the combination of Ausenhus and Stock buckled down to record the final six outs of the game. 
 
Up next: Coe will return to the diamond tomorrow for its first conference double-header against Luther with the first-pitch scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
 
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