COLUMBUS, Ga. - The Coe College softball team opened its 2022 campaign at the annual NFCA Leadoff Classic on Friday, dropping a pair of games to Manhattanville College and #3 Texas Lutheran University. The Kohawks fell to the Valiants 4-1 in the opening game of the day before suffering an 8-5 defeat to third-ranked TLU. Coe struggled offensively in the first game, recording just one hit against Manhattanville but it bounced back in the second game with 10 hits and five runs. Coe, which begins the season 0-2 overall, will continue action at the NFCA Leadoff Classic tomorrow afternoon with matchups against Linfield University and St. John Fisher College.
MANHATTANVILLE 4 - COE 1
Game Facts
- The Valiants got on the board first in the opening game, putting up three runs in the bottom of the first inning after Coe stranded runners on second and third in the top of the frame.
- Manhattanville added its final run of the game in the bottom of the third inning after a leadoff triple started the turn. Coe starting pitcher Hannah Ausenhus bounced back despite surrendering the run, ending the inning with three-straight outs to keep the Kohawks close.
- Coe got on the board in the top of the fifth after the first three batters reached base safely. Keera Ball reached first on an error to lead off the frame before Chloe Severson was hit by a pitch to put runners on second and third. Nicki Wood singled in Coe's next at-bat, loading the bases with no one out.
- Natalie Blank gave the Kohawks their first run of 2022 in the next at-bat, recording a sac-fly to score Ball. The Kohawks were unable to push any other runs across in the frame as Manhattanville worked itself out of trouble. The Valiants closed out the victory, recording six-straight outs on defense to pick up the win.
TEXAS LUTHERAN 8 - COE 5
Game Facts
- The Kohawks opened the scoring in game two, pushing one run across in the bottom of the first inning as Bree Mangelsen recorded an RBI single to score Skyler Stookey. TLU tied the contest in the top of the third, getting an RBI double with two outs to make it 1-1.
- Coe responded in the bottom of the frame, scoring four runs on four hits to jump ahead 5-1. Madi Parson started the inning with a double to right-center and later scored on a single from Ruby Kappeler. Mangelsen picked up another pair of RBI in the next plate appearance, reaching on an error as Stookey and Kappeler scored to make it 4-1. Mangelsen scored the final run of the inning for Coe, crossing home on a fielder's choice.
- Texas Lutheran answered the big inning in the top of the fourth, getting a leadoff homer and an RBI single later in the inning to slice the deficit to 5-3. The Bulldogs added two more in the top of the fifth to tie the score at five, getting a two-run homer after a leadoff double to start the frame.
- TLU ended the scoring in the top of the sixth inning, getting a three-run blast with two outs in the frame to go in front 8-5. Coe put a runner on in both the bottom of the sixth and seventh innings but the Bulldogs pitchers buckled down and recorded the final six outs of the game.
Up next: Coe will return to action tomorrow for day two of the NFCA Leadoff Classic with games against Linfield and St. John Fisher at 1:30 and 3:30 PM CT.
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