Coe News
Tue, Apr 21, 2009 - [Softball]
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - The Coe College softball team earned a pair of 7-1 wins over Linn County rival Cornell Tuesday at Clark Field. The wins clinched an Iowa Conference Tournament berth for the Kohawks.After the Rams stranded two runners on base in the top of the first, senior Ashley Leonard
(Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Kennedy) put the first run on the scoreboard in the
bottom half of the inning. Leonard sent the first pitch of the at-bat
deep over the center field fence, putting the Kohawks up 1-0.
The Kohawks struck again in the bottom of the second after a 1-2-3 inning for the Rams. Sophomore CC Williams (Lisbon, Iowa/Lisbon) singled to left field to start the inning. Junior Mackenzie Lang (Urbandale, Iowa/Johnston) followed with a single to left field as well. Senior Megan Jack (Independence, Iowa/Independence) was then hit by a pitch to load the bases.
Freshman Amanda Hanson (Riverside, Iowa/Highland) singled through the left side with the bases loaded to plate Williams. Lang was then thrown out at home as Leonard reached on a fielders choice. With one out, junior Chelsea Zaugg (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Xavier) walked on a full count to bring in Jack. A double by senior Amy Hanse (Marion, Iowa/Linn-Mar) to left field plated Leonard and Hanson for the final runs of the inning.
Cornell scored a run in the fourth inning, but it wasn't enough as Coe added two more runs in the sixth inning to seal the win. Leonard connected on her second home run of the game with a 1-0 count to lead off the inning. Junior Erica Smothers (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Kennedy) then singled through the left side and advanced to second and third on an error by the left fielder. With one out, Hanse reached on an error by the shortstop, which plated Smothers.
Hanse led the Kohawks with three hits, while Leonard and Lang added two hits apiece. Leonard scored three runs, while driving in two. Hanse also had two runs batted in. Ashlee Simon (Riverside, Iowa/Highland) improved to 17-4 on the year with the win. The freshman struck out six in seven innings of work. She gave up just one unearned run, while allowing just four hits.
Both teams started slow, with only two runners reaching base in the first three and a half innings, but the Kohawks woke the bats up in the fourth inning as they added four runs on five hits. With one out, Zaugg doubled a 1-2 pitch through the right side. Hanse then drove the next pitch up the middle to plate Zaugg. Senior Sonja Schwenker (Burlington, Iowa/Burlington) singled to right field to move Hanse to second. Freshman Jackie Finley (Lone Tree, Iowa/Lone Tree) pinch ran for Hanse before Williams blasted her second home run of the week over the left field fence to plate Finley and Schwenker.
Keeping the bats alive, Coe added another run in the fifth inning. Leonard started the inning with a full count walk. After Hanson lined out to center field, Leonard moved to third on an error by the first baseman trying to double Leonard off first base. A single down the left field line by Zaugg scored Leonard.
The Rams plated their only run in the sixth inning, but the Kohawks responded once again with two more runs in the bottom half of the inning. Williams started the inning with a single to center field. A single up the middle by freshman Abby Burger (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Jefferson) moved Williams to second.
During a pitching change for the Rams, Lang pinch ran for Burger and freshman Micah Nardini (Madrid, Iowa/Madrid) pinch ran for Williams. Smother then walked to load the bases for sophomore Alex Grell (Omaha, Neb./Millard North). Grell reached on an error by the shortstop, which allowed all runners to move up and plated Nardini. Leonard then grounded out to second base for the first out of the inning, but plated Lang in the process.
Zaugg, Williams and Smothers led the Kohawks with two hits apiece. Williams drove in three runs in the win. Schwenker improved to 11-5 in the circle with the win. She struck out a career-high 14 batters, while giving up one unearned run.
The Kohawks return to action on Saturday when they host Loras. The final home game for Coe's five seniors will begin at 2 p.m.
The Kohawks struck again in the bottom of the second after a 1-2-3 inning for the Rams. Sophomore CC Williams (Lisbon, Iowa/Lisbon) singled to left field to start the inning. Junior Mackenzie Lang (Urbandale, Iowa/Johnston) followed with a single to left field as well. Senior Megan Jack (Independence, Iowa/Independence) was then hit by a pitch to load the bases.
Freshman Amanda Hanson (Riverside, Iowa/Highland) singled through the left side with the bases loaded to plate Williams. Lang was then thrown out at home as Leonard reached on a fielders choice. With one out, junior Chelsea Zaugg (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Xavier) walked on a full count to bring in Jack. A double by senior Amy Hanse (Marion, Iowa/Linn-Mar) to left field plated Leonard and Hanson for the final runs of the inning.
Cornell scored a run in the fourth inning, but it wasn't enough as Coe added two more runs in the sixth inning to seal the win. Leonard connected on her second home run of the game with a 1-0 count to lead off the inning. Junior Erica Smothers (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Kennedy) then singled through the left side and advanced to second and third on an error by the left fielder. With one out, Hanse reached on an error by the shortstop, which plated Smothers.
Hanse led the Kohawks with three hits, while Leonard and Lang added two hits apiece. Leonard scored three runs, while driving in two. Hanse also had two runs batted in. Ashlee Simon (Riverside, Iowa/Highland) improved to 17-4 on the year with the win. The freshman struck out six in seven innings of work. She gave up just one unearned run, while allowing just four hits.
Both teams started slow, with only two runners reaching base in the first three and a half innings, but the Kohawks woke the bats up in the fourth inning as they added four runs on five hits. With one out, Zaugg doubled a 1-2 pitch through the right side. Hanse then drove the next pitch up the middle to plate Zaugg. Senior Sonja Schwenker (Burlington, Iowa/Burlington) singled to right field to move Hanse to second. Freshman Jackie Finley (Lone Tree, Iowa/Lone Tree) pinch ran for Hanse before Williams blasted her second home run of the week over the left field fence to plate Finley and Schwenker.
Keeping the bats alive, Coe added another run in the fifth inning. Leonard started the inning with a full count walk. After Hanson lined out to center field, Leonard moved to third on an error by the first baseman trying to double Leonard off first base. A single down the left field line by Zaugg scored Leonard.
The Rams plated their only run in the sixth inning, but the Kohawks responded once again with two more runs in the bottom half of the inning. Williams started the inning with a single to center field. A single up the middle by freshman Abby Burger (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Jefferson) moved Williams to second.
During a pitching change for the Rams, Lang pinch ran for Burger and freshman Micah Nardini (Madrid, Iowa/Madrid) pinch ran for Williams. Smother then walked to load the bases for sophomore Alex Grell (Omaha, Neb./Millard North). Grell reached on an error by the shortstop, which allowed all runners to move up and plated Nardini. Leonard then grounded out to second base for the first out of the inning, but plated Lang in the process.
Zaugg, Williams and Smothers led the Kohawks with two hits apiece. Williams drove in three runs in the win. Schwenker improved to 11-5 in the circle with the win. She struck out a career-high 14 batters, while giving up one unearned run.
The Kohawks return to action on Saturday when they host Loras. The final home game for Coe's five seniors will begin at 2 p.m.
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