MANKATO, Minn. - The Coe College softball team opened its 2023 season on Saturday afternoon, earning a pair of non-conference wins against St. Catherine and Gustavus. The Kohawks, who played both games at the Maverick All-Sports Dome, defeated St. Kates 2-1 in the opening contest before beating Gustavus 8-0 in six innings. Coe got a stellar pitching performance from
Hannah Ausenhus in game one with the senior hurler surrendering just three hits and one run in a complete-game victory. The lone run-scoring hit for the Kohawks came from freshman
Marisa Vodicka who doubled home two runners to put her team ahead for good. The bats came to life in game two, recording 12 hits and eight runs after mustering just four knocks in the opener. The Kohawks scored in every inning but the fourth, pushing one across the board in the opening two frames to jump ahead.
Ellie Thurow and
Abbie White combined for a three-hit shutout inside the circle and Thurow earned her first win of the season after four innings of one-hit action.
Ruby Kappeler and
Bree Mangelsen both registered a pair of RBI in the game while Mangelsen bashed the first homer of the season for Coe. The Kohawks begin the 2023 season with a 2-0 record while St. Kates and Gustavus fall to 0-1 each.
COE 2 - ST. KATES 1
Game Facts
- Coe and St. Kates both had chances to score in the opening frame of the game, putting a runner on base before both squads worked around them. The Kohawks struck in the top of the second, taking advantage of a lead-off single from Shaylee Dodd. Keera Ball drew a two-out walk later in the inning to set stage for Vodicka who delivered a two-run double for her first collegiate RBI. The opponents had a chance to respond in the bottom of the second, putting a pair of runners on thanks to two walks but Ausenhus escaped the jam with a strikeout and groundout.
- St. Kates got its lone run two innings later, capitalizing on a leadoff hit batter. The Wildcats cashed in with two outs in the fourth, getting an RBI double to slice Coe's lead to just one. Ausenhus walked the next batter to ramp up the pressure but she avoided further damage with a grounder to third. The pitchers dominated the remaining innings in the game, combining to allow just four base runners. Ausenhus closed the door in the final inning with a perfect 1-2-3 frame, getting back-to-back groundouts and a game-clinching strikeout.
COE 8 - GUSTAVUS 0
Game Facts
- Coe started immediately in game two, scoring the game's first run in the bottom of the first on a double from Kappeler. Coe added an insurance run in the bottom of the second, making the score 2-0 on a Nicki Wood single. The game was blown open one frame later as the Kohawks pushed three more runs across on four hits. Skyler Stookey opened the inning with a double and later came around to score on a double from Addie Menke. Ball made it 4-0 in Coe's next at bat, singling home Menke to give the Kohawks more breathing room. Vodicka picked up another RBI to cap off the big inning, registering another RBI single for Coe.
- Gustavus threatened in the top of the fifth inning, putting pressure on White with two runners on and two down but the sophomore buckled down and produced a rally-ending groundout. The Kohawks added to their lead in the bottom of the fifth, starting the inning with a walk from Dodd before Mangelsen cashed in with a two-run dinger. The game was put to rest in the bottom of the sixth as Coe saw its first two runners reach base before Kappeler ended the game with a RBI double.
Up next: Coe continues its season next weekend, taking on WashU and Illinois Wesleyan on March 4 and March 5 in St. Louis.
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