PELLA, Iowa - The Coe College softball team clinched its first American Rivers Conference postseason title in 15 years on Saturday afternoon, defeating Luther 3-2 in a semifinal matchup before knocking off top-seeded Central 5-3 in the championship.
Ellie Thurow pitched all 14 innings during the afternoon for the Kohawks, earning wins in both games as she allowed just eight hits and one earned run. Coe's offense edged Luther in the opener, scoring single runs in the third, fourth and sixth inning to take a narrow lead into the final frame.
Madi Parson's run-scoring double in the bottom of the sixth proved the winner as Thurow shut down Luther in the seventh with the tying run in scoring position. Thurow pitched another gem in the championship, allowing just four hits and three unearned runs in the victory. Her offense racked up nine hits and five runs, giving her an early 2-0 lead in the first inning. Central got two in the bottom of the fourth to tie the game but a pair of runs in the sixth gave the Kohawks enough for the trophy. The opening run of the frame was scored on a double steal play before an RBI
double from
Ruby Kappeler that gave the Kohawks insurance.
COE 3 - LUTHER 2
Game Facts
- Coe started the scoring in the third as Kappeler produced a sacrifice fly to score Addie Menke. Luther immediately tied it with one in the fourth, getting a tying score on a defensive miscue. The Kohawks regained the lead in the bottom of the inning again with a sacrifice fly as Bree Mangelsen drove home Shaylee Dodd. The seesawing action continued in the fifth as Luther again tied the game, getting a one-out RBI double to make it 2-2. Coe's game-winning hit came two batters into the sixth as Kappeler led off with an infield single before Parson's run-scoring double. Luther got a leadoff single but failed to capitalize, stranding the tying runner on second as Thurow retired three in a row.
COE 5 - CENTRAL 3
Game Facts
- Coe's offense got Thurow run support early on in the championship game, scoring two in the first inning on RBI from Parson and Mangelsen. Central pulled one back in its half of the inning, taking advantage of a defensive mistake from Coe to halve the deficit. The Kohawks regained a multi-run lead in the fourth with a sacrifice fly from Menke, pushing the lead to 3-1. Central tied the game in the home half of the fourth, again using defensive miscues from the Kohawks to score both runs. The Dutch failed to pick up any further runs despite runners on second and third as Parson gunned down the potential go-ahead runner trying to tag from third on an inning-ending double play. The Kohawks scored the winning runs in the top of the sixth, using three hits for two runs. Keera Ball led off with a walk and later moved to third on a single from Menke. The pair teamed up moments later for an attempted double steal, allowing Ball to score the go-ahead run while Menke occupied the defense in a run down before being tagged out. Coe's final run came on a clutch two-out double from Kappeler, driving home Boeckenstedt for a two-run lead. Thurow allowed just one more base runner in the final two innings, ending the game in style with a 1, 2, 3 seventh.
Up Next: Coe will find out its NCAA Regional assignment on Monday, May 13 at 11 AM during the NCAA selection show live streamed on ncaa.com.
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