ST. LOUIS, Mo. - The Coe College softball team picked up a pair of non-conference wins on Sunday, taking down Illinois Wesleyan 2-1 and WashU 4-0. The Kohawks benefitted from a pair of excellent pitching performances as
Hannah Ausenhus and
Abbie White each tossed seven innings for their teams. Ausenhus scattered nine hits in the opening game and allowed just one run with the Central Springs product earning her second win of the season. Both of Coe's runs came in the third inning in the opener, scoring on RBI hits from
Shaylee Dodd and
Addie Menke. White picked up her first win of the season in Coe's revenge win over WashU, tossing a three-hit shutout to complete the perfect day.
Bree Mangelsen, who had two hits against IWU, stayed hot against the Bears and racked up two more knocks and three RBI to help push her team across the line. With the wins, Coe improves to 5-1 on the season while Illinois Wesleyan and WashU fall to 1-4 and 1-2 respectively.
COE 2 - ILLINOIS WESLEYAN 1
Game Facts
- Coe threatened immediately to start the game, putting the two leadoff hitters on with a single and walk. The Kohawks later loaded the bases with two outs but the Titans escaped any damage, eliminating the scoring chance with a crucial strikeout. IWU also made some noise in the bottom of the first, putting a runner on third with two outs however White recorded a lineout and got herself out of the jam.
- The Kohawks big inning came a few moments later, putting together three hits for two runs in the top of the third. Coe got back-to-back base runners with one down thanks to a single from Mangelsen and a walk from Skyler Stookey. Dodd broke the deadlock in Coe's next at-bat, singling home Mangelsen to make it 1-0. Menke quickly doubled the lead in the following chance, adding another RBI single to plate Stookey and put Coe up 2-0. IWU almost answered right away, loading the bases with one out but an inning-ending double play got Ausenhus out of the jam to keep Coe in the driver's seat.
- Both pitchers dominated the next few innings, stranding a handful of runners on while keeping the score at 2-0. Coe tried to add insurance in the top of the sixth, putting two runners on with two down but the Titans got out of the inning and remained in touching distance. IWU's lone tally came in the bottom of the frame, leading off with a solo homer to slice the lead to one. Ausenhus then settled down for the final six outs of the game, retiring five of six hitters while getting some assistance from her defense to lock up the win.
COE 4 - WASHU 0
Game Facts
- Coe got things started early in the second game of the day, scoring two runs in the top of the first inning to jump ahead. Heather Boeckenstedt walked to lead off and was driven in two batters later on a two-run dinger from Mangelsen, her fourth of the young season. White had a strong bottom of the first, allowing one hit with two outs but a strong throw from Mangelsen ended the frame as she gunned down the runner trying to take second.
- The Kohawks threatened for more in the second, loading the bases with two outs but a strikeout ended the chance. The pitchers for both teams began to grow into the game, managing the next three innings with little traffic or stress. Coe got a key insurance run in the top of the fifth as Mangelsen continued her stellar day, driving home Boeckenstedt for her third RBI of the game.
- White continued to breeze past the Bear hitters in the fifth and sixth, surrendering just one hit. Coe's final run of the game came in the top of the seventh, adding its fourth of the game on an RBI double from Stookey who pushed home Ruby Kappeler. White ran into a little bit of trouble in the bottom of the seventh, allowing a lead-off single but the sophomore hung tough and got three-straight outs to clinch the 2-0 day.
Up next: Coe is back on the field in a week from today, heading to Arizona for its Spring Break trip. The Kohawks will open with a pair of games on Sunday, March 12, facing RIT and Dickinson College on the initial day of competition.
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