WAVERLY, Iowa - The Coe College baseball team had to change the location of its 2024 home opener but still celebrated in style, defeating the Wartburg College Knights 7-0 and 11-8 to sweep the first two games of the A-R-C schedule. Junior pitcher
Ethan O'Donnell turned in one of the most dominant starts of his collegiate career in game one, pitching a five-hit complete game en route to his third victory of the season. O'Donnell racked up eight strikeouts in the game and got solid run support from his offense which was led by five RBIs from
Reid Rausch. Coe's offense continued to shine in the second game of the day, totaling 14 hits with RBI from seven different players. The Kohawks erased an early four-run deficit in the win, scoring their runs in a four-inning stretch from the fourth to the seventh.
Creighton Kreshel had a team-high three RBI and was one of five players with multi-hit performances in the nightcap.
COE 7 - WARTBURG 0
Game Facts
- Coe got things started in the bottom of the first, getting a clutch two-out single from Rausch to make it 1-0. The Kohawks extended their lead midway through the contest with a five-spot in the fifth, using four hits including a trio of RBI knocks to gain a comfortable advantage. CJ Johnson drove home the first of the frame to make it 2-0 and was later followed by Mitchell Eckardt who singled for a 3-0 advantage. Rausch delivered the hammer blow with two outs in the fifth, driving home three runs with a bases-loaded double. O'Donnell continued to cruise over the final few innings of the game, allowing just one base runner in the final four innings. His offense scored one final run in the seventh, putting the game away with their seventh run after an error from the Wartburg outfield.
COE 11 - WARTBURG 8
Game Facts
- Wartburg answered the call early in game two, scoring four runs in the opening two innings to jump ahead early. The Kohawks settled in and made things interesting in the fourth inning, scoring three times on four hits. Austin Gomez opened the scoring for Coe with a single three batters in before Creighton Kreshel delivered a two-run single to cut the deficit to one. Wartburg immediately restored a multi-run lead in the top of the fifth, getting back-to-back two-out hits to make it 6-3. The Kohawk offense got both runs back in their half of the inning, getting back-to-back leadoff hits from Eckardt and Jon Wille who drove home Eckardt with a double. Gomez picked up his second RBI later in the frame with two down, singling home Wille to make it 6-5. The Kohawks completed the comeback later in the sixth inning, scoring five runs on three hits and one Knight error. Kreshel reached on the miscue and was immediately driven home by Kaden Haller with an RBI double. Kevin Lamb, Jake Brosius and Daniel Hawes combined later on to help Coe take the lead, each picking up an RBI to make it 9-6. Kreshel finished off the big inning with one final RBI hit, driving Wille home with a single to a 10-6 advantage. Coe's final run came off the bat of Wille, pushing the lead to 11-6 with a sacrifice fly as Ryan Thoreson scored for the Kohawks. The Knights pulled closer in the eighth and ninth innings with a pair of solo home runs but Coe shut the door on Wartburg, stranding a pair of runners on in the final inning of play.
Up Next: The Kohawks look to complete the series sweep on Monday, March 25 at home against Wartburg, hosting the Knights at 3 PM at Daniels Park.
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