CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - The No. 21 Coe College softball team extended its winning streak to eight games on Thursday afternoon with a doubleheader sweep over Dubuque, defeating the Spartans 9-4 in game one and 2-1 in game two. The Kohawks hit three homers in the opening game to complement a solid pitching performance from
Hannah Ausenhus.
Skyler Stookey hit her seventh and eighth homers of the year including a grand slam while
Ruby Kappeler added her first bomb of the season. Ausenhus, who went all seven innings, picked up her eighth win of the year and racked up nine strikeouts.
Abbie White and
Ellie Thurow combined for a dominant pitching effort in game two, allowing just one run and five hits in the victory. White tossed five innings and allowed just one run while striking out seven before turning it over to Thurow who earned her first save of the year with two scoreless innings. Coe's runs came on RBI hits from
Shaylee Dodd and
Hannah Gralund as the pair recorded just of the five knocks for the Kohawks. The sweep moves Coe to 19-3 overall and 4-0 in the A-R-C while Dubuque drops to 6-16 and 0-2 in the league.
No. 21 COE 9 - DUBUQUE 4
Game Facts
- Coe started well in the opening game, getting a pair of runs on a two-run homer from Stokey, her seventh of the year. The Kohawks continued to add runs in the second, pouring on four more to break the game open. Marisa Vodicka and Nicki Wood singled to put runners on first and second before Kappeler walked to load the bases. Stookey delivered her second long ball of the day in the next at-bat, clearing the bases with a grand slam while giving Coe a 6-0 advantage.
- UD quickly got one back in the third, scoring on a sacrifice fly to get on the board. The Spartans added another single run in the fourth, taking advantage of a pair of leadoff hits. Ausenhus allowed the run to score on a wild pitch but she recorded back-to-back strikeouts to limit the damage.
- The Kohawks got more insurance in the bottom of the sixth on its third homer of the game as Kappeler hit a three-run blast to make it 9-2. UD refused to go away quietly, putting pressure on Ausenhus with a pair of no-out runs in the top of the seventh but the senior buckled down and got three-straight flyouts to end the game.
No. 21 COE 2 - DUBUQUE 1
Game Facts
- The Kohawks got another first-inning run in game two, using a pair of hits to grab an early lead. Kappeler singled with one out and moved to second with a steal before Dodd singled her home to open the scoring. Coe added a crucial run in the fourth, scoring what proved to be the game-winning run with two outs and two on. Addie Menke doubled to start the rally and was joined on base by Vodicka who walked to put Kohawks on first and second. Gralund came in clutch for Coe in the next at-bat, singling up the middle to drive home Menke.
- UD immediately got the run back in the top of the fifth, striking for a solo homer to leadoff the frame. White settled in despite the big blast, recording three strikeouts in the next four hitters. Thurow entered in the top of the sixth and run into trouble, allowing back-to-back singles but she settled in and got three straight Spartans out to keep the lead intact. Coe had a chance for more insurance in the sixth, getting a two-out double from Menke but again UD got out of the jam and kept it a one-run game. Thurow saw the first two hitters reach again to start the seventh however she managed to escape the jam unscathed, ending the game with a strikeout.
Up next: Coe returns to the road for its next series, heading to Indianola for an A-R-C doubleheader at Simpson on Saturday, April 8 at 1 PM.
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