STORM LAKE, Iowa - The Coe College softball team suffered a 6-3 loss to sixth-seeded Nebraska Wesleyan on Friday afternoon in the opening round of the American Rivers Conference Tournament. The Kohawks, who split the regular-season doubleheader with the Prairie Wolves, jumped ahead early but saw NWU score three runs in the top of the third to retake the lead. The Praire Wolves then scored one in the fifth and a pair of runs in the top of the seventh to secure the victory while advancing to Saturday's semifinals. The loss drops Coe to 22-13 overall while Nebraska Wesleyan improves to 21-13.
 
NEBRASKA WESLEYAN 6 - COE 3
Game Facts

• Coe got on the board first in the game, scoring one run in the bottom of the second inning after loading the bases in the frame. Coe got three-straight base runners to start the second as Bree Mangelsen, Skyler Stookey and Nicki Wood loaded the bases for the Kohawks. The lone run of the inning came in a Ruby Kappeler at-bat as she reached on fielder's choice, driving home Mangelsen to make it 1-0. NWU avoided any further damage as starting pitcher Kailey Meyer got back-to-back outs to escape the jam. 
• NWU immediately answered in the top of the third inning, getting three runs on four hits to grab their first lead of the game. After a groundout started the inning, the Prairie Wolves got four consecutive hits including a pair of RBI hits. The final run came on a fielder's choice on a bunt which allowed Nebraska Wesleyan to grab a 3-1 lead. 
• The Kohawks looked for a response in the bottom of the inning, getting a leadoff double from Madi Parson. Parson scored two batters later on an RBI single from Shaylee Dodd who sliced the Kohawk deficit to one run. Coe threatened to score more in the inning but a chance-ending popout got NWU out of the jam. 
• The defacto visiting team extended its lead back to two runs in the top of the fifth, getting a fourth run on a passed ball with two outs in the frame. Coe quickly responded in the bottom of the frame again, getting a run-scoring foul out from Mangelsen, who did enough to drive home Parson to make it 4-3. 
• Both teams went 1,2,3 in their halves of the sixth inning but Nebraska Wesleyan sealed the game in the top of the seventh with two more runs. A pair of leadoff hits started the threat for the Prairie Wolves before an RBI groundout and RBI double made it 6-3. The Kohawks returned to the plate in the bottom of the seventh but Meyer worked a perfect seventh inning to secure the victory for NWU. 

 
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