DECATUR, Ill. - The Coe College baseball team split a pair of games on Sunday, wrapping up its opening weekend of action in 2022. The Kohawks dropped the opening game of the day, falling 9-1 to UW-Oshkosh while pulling out a come-from-behind 8-7 victory over Millikin. The Titans racked up nine hits and nine runs in the opening game, holding Coe to just five hits and one run to secure the victory. The Kohawks bounced back in game two, recording 14 hits and eight runs to salvage a split for the day. Coe scored four runs in the top of the eighth and two in the top of the ninth to grab its first lead of the game and held on in the bottom of the ninth to win 8-7. The results move Coe to 2-2 on the season as UW-Oshkosh and Millikin move to 2-4 and 10-3 overall.
UW-OSHKOSH 9 - COE 1
Game Facts
- The game was scoreless in the first two innings but UWO struck first in the top of the third inning, getting a pair of runs on a single and a fielder's choice. Oshkosh threatened again in the top of the fourth, getting runners on first and second with one out but a strike 'em out, throw 'em out double play got Coe out of the jam.
- Neither team had scoring chances in the next three innings but Coe got on the board in the bottom of the seventh inning. Creighton Kreshel reached safely with a one-out single and moved to third on a single down the right-field line from Tyler Elliott. He scored the Kohawks only run of the game on a sacrifice bunt from James VanHooser as Coe executed the squeeze play.
- Oshkosh blew the game open in the top of the eighth, scoring six runs on two hits while taking advantage of poor control from the Kohawk pitchers. A two-run single extended the lead to 6-1 after two Titans scored earlier in the inning on back-to-back hit batters. UWO got three more runs before the end of the game and closed out the victory to win 9-1.
COE 8 - MILLIKIN 7
Game Facts
- The Kohawk offense immediately came to life in the first inning of game two, getting two hits in the first but a groundout ending the inning and the scoring chance. Millikin also threatened in the bottom of the first, getting back-to-back two-out baserunners before a fly out ending the frame.
- Coe recorded two more hits in the top of the second and this time took advantage with one run in the frame. Jacob Brosius led the frame off with a single and moved to second on a steal. Tyce Johnson singled in Coe's next at-bat to put runners on first and third. Jack Allison then executed the squeeze again for the Kohawks, picking up the sacrifice RBI to score Brosius. The next two batters reached base safely, loading the bases for Coe but a groundout to short ended the inning as the Kohawks pushed just one across.
- Millikin tied the game in the bottom of the fourth inning, getting a solo homer in the frame to even the contest. After a scoreless fifth for both teams, Coe retook the lead in the sixth, pushing one run home on an RBI triple from Elliott as he drove home Brosius to make it 2-1. The hosts responded immediately in the bottom of the inning, scoring two runs on one hit while taking advantage of a Kohawk error. Millikin loaded the bases with two outs and tied the game on a wild pitch before taking the lead on a throwing error by Coe.
- The Big Blue added to their lead in the bottom of the seventh inning, sending nine men to the plate while scoring three runs in the frame. Millikin got three RBI in the inning on a pair of singles and a sacrifice fly to take a 6-2 lead.
- Coe clapped back in the top of the eighth inning, scoring four runs on three hits to immediately tie the game at six. TJ Johnson and TJ Deardorff led the inning off with a double and a walk before a bunt single from Brosius loaded the bases. Tyce Jonson drew a walk in the next at-bat to pick up an RBI and cut the deficit to three before Elliott made it 6-4 on a sacrifice fly to right. Allison picked up his second and third RBI of the day in the next plate appearance, singling up the middle to score Brosius while Tyce Johnson scored on a throwing error to make it 6-6.
- Allison then came in to pitch for Coe in the bottom of the eighth inning and the sophomore retired the side in order to send the game into the ninth. The Kohawks took the lead in the top of the ninth, getting back-to-back RBI from Tyce Johnson and Elliott to make it 8-6. Tyce drew another bases-loaded walk, allowing Kreshel to score before Elliott registered a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Joey Sartain from third.
- Allison remained in the game for the first four batters of the final inning and gave up a leadoff single to begin the frame. He then retired two-straight ground outs, allowing the leadoff man to move to third with two outs. Following a walk, Austin Divello entered the game with runners on first and third, looking for the final out of the game. After an error allowed one run to score, Divello buckled down and struck out the final batter of the game to secure the split for Coe.
Up next: Coe will be back in action next weekend to start its annual Spring Break Trip. The Kohawks will open the week on Saturday afternoon with a matchup against Salve Regina at 12:30 PM.
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