CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – The Coe College softball team split its first American Rivers Conference doubleheader of 2025 Sunday afternoon at Clark Field, defeating Luther College 3-1 in game one before falling 6-2 in game two. The Kohawks rode the back of
Natalie Hitt in game one as the sophomore tossed a complete game, allowing just one run and six hits as she picked up her fifth victory of the campaign. It was a low-scoring affair throughout the contest as the teams were scoreless heading into the bottom of the sixth. An RBI bunt-single from
Addie Menke gave Coe the 1-0 lead before
Maddie Harris added a pair of insurance runs for 3-0. Hitt ran into trouble in the seventh, walking a pair of hitters and allowing a run-scoring single before retiring two straight to end the game. Coe took a lead in the first inning of game two on a
Marisa Vodicka sacrifice fly but Luther answered, scoring the game's next five runs to go ahead. Four runs in the fifth ultimately sealed the deal for the Norse despite a late charge from Coe in the sixth which saw the lead cut to three. Luther scored one final run in the seventh, eliminating any further comeback chance for the hosts.
GAME ONE
COE 3 - LUTHER 1
Game Facts
- Coe finally broke the deadlock in the bottom of the sixth, getting three hits and three runs to finally put Hitt in front. Jessica Meisinger singled and stole second to start the inning before a safety squeeze bunt single for Menke made it 1-0. Harris followed in the next at-bat with a two-run single to left-center, driving home Maggie Strupp and Menke for 3-0. Hitt walked the opening batter of the seventh but quickly responded with a flyout. Another walk put pressure back on the righty and Luther capitalized, getting a one-run single to slice the deficit to two. Hitt buckled down and recorded the final two outs, cutting out a runner at the plate on a strong play from Hadyn Shoots before a game-ending groundout to Vodicka.
GAME TWO
LUTHER 6 - COE 2
Game Facts
- Vodicka got the scoring started in game two, driving home Nicole Wagner with a bases-loaded sacrifice fly. Luther escaped the jam with back-to-back outs and quickly tied the game in the third, scoring once with an RBI single. The Norse exploded for four runs in the top of the fifth, loading the bases with two outs. Luther made it 3-1 with a two-run single and later scored two more times after a defensive mistake extended the frame. Coe threatened in the bottom of the fifth, getting a runner on second but Luther kept the Kohawks off the board to maintain the lead. The hosts put more pressure on the Norse in the sixth, loading the bases with no outs. Luther's defense made a solid play for the first out, cutting out a run at the plate before a defensive miscue allowed Coe to make it 5-2. The visitors got out of the jam with an inning-ending double play, catching a lined shot before tagging out a runner on the ensuing sequence. Luther added an insurance run in the seventh and then finished off the job in the bottom, working around a one-out single from Menke for the split.
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