LINCOLN, Neb. - The No. 23 Coe College softball team improved its winning streak to six games on Saturday afternoon, sweeping Nebraska Wesleyan in an American Rivers Conference doubleheader. Coe racked up 21 hits in the victories, exploding for 20 RBI across the two games.
Hannah Ausenhus picked up her seventh win of the year in game one, tossing a one-hit complete game while surrendering no earned runs.
Marisa Vodicka and
Hannah Gralund led the offense in the opener, registering two RBI to push Coe to an 8-1 decision. The bats stayed hot in game two, tallying 13 hits and 16 runs in a dominant 16-1 victory.
Ellie Thurow turned in another outstanding pitching performance for the Kohakws in the second contest, going the distance for Coe while allowing just five hits and one run. The sweep gives Coe a six-game winning streak and moves the Kohawks to 17-3 overall while NWU falls to 15-9.
No. 23 COE 8 - NEBRASKA WESLEYAN 1
Game Facts
- NWU got its lone run in the first inning, getting the opening tally on one hit and one Kohawk error. The Prairie Wolves took the lead on a hard-hit ground ball to short, scoring on a defensive miscue from Coe. The Kohawks wasted no time finding a response, scoring three runs in the second with three hits and one Prairie Wolf error. Vodicka tied the game on a single to left before Skyler Stookey scored on a dropped popup to make it 2-1. Ruby Kappeler got the final RBI of the frame, walking with the bases loaded to push home Gralund.
- Coe added one more in the fourth and fifth inning, scoring one in each frame to extend the lead to 5-1. Stookey got the first insurance run for the Kohawks, hitting a solo homer to make it 4-1. Heather Boeckenstedt then came home for the fifth run of the game, scoring on another error from the Prairie Wolves. Coe put the game away for good in the seventh, adding three more runs to put the contest on ice. Vodicka picked up another RBI on a single to right, pushing home Rylie Newhard who had pinch run earlier in the frame. Gralund then made it 8-1 with a two-run single, plating Shaylee Dodd and Vodicka to end the rally.
No. 23 COE 16 - NEBRASKA WESLEYAN 1 - FIVE INNINGS
Game Facts
- The Kohawks started early in game two, scoring four runs in the opening inning. Dodd picked up the first two RBI, singling to center to allow Boeckenstedt and Kappeler to score. Stookey stayed hot later in the frame, belting a two-run homer for her fourth dinger in the last four games. The Kohawks added three more runs in the top of the second, getting four hits while taking advantage of two errors. Nicki Wood started the scoring with an RBI double and was quickly followed by Kappeler who singled to make it 9-0. Boeckenstedt scored in the next at-bat on an error from the hosts, extending the lead to 10-0 on a miscue from the center fielder. Bree Mangelsen capped off the rally two batters later, doubling home Kappeler for her 21st RBI of the season.
- Coe continued to dominate the game in the final few innings, adding two in the fourth and three in the fifth. Wood made it 12-0 on an error from the hosts and Kappeler later extended the advantage to 13-0 with a single to right field. Gralund capped off the offensive explosion for the Kohawks in the top of the seventh, blasting a three-run dinger to secure the sweep for the visitors.
Up next: Coe is back in action on Tuesday, hosting the University of Dubuque in an A-R-C doubleheader at 2 PM at Clark Field.
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