CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - Sophomore Ashlee Simon (Riverside, Iowa/Highland) struck out 20 batters, while allowing just three hits, as Coe improved to 15-8 overall and 3-1 in the Iowa Conference with a sweep of Wartburg.  The Kohawks have now won four-straight over the Knights, shutting them out for 26-straight innings.

Coe took the first game 1-0, while earning an 8-0 win in five innings in the nightcap. 

After a 1-2-3 inning for the Knights in the top of the first, including Simon starting and ending the inning with punchouts, the Kohawks scored the only run of the game in the bottom half of the frame.  Senior Abby Wedemeier (Maynard, Iowa/West Central) singled up the middle to lead off the inning.  Following a sacrifice bunt by freshman Callie Morningstar (Lisbon, Iowa/Lisbon), senior Chelsea Zaugg (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Xavier) singled to right field, plating Wedemeier for the only run of the game.

The Knights tallied their only hit in the third inning, but Simon struck out the other three batters of the inning to end it.  Wartburg threatened to score in the seventh inning, in part to two walks, but the Kohawks held strong to end the game.

Simon finished the first game with 14 strikeouts, while giving up the one hit.  She improved to 13-3 on the season.  Wedemeier and Zaugg had two hits apiece, while Morningstar and sophomore Sidney Ridout (Indianola, Iowa/Indianola) added one each.

The Kohawks needed just two strong offensive innings in the nightcap to post the 8-0 win in five innings.  Despite a two-out walk, Simon struck out three batters in the top of the first to kick off the second game.

With one out in the bottom of the first, Morningstar singled to left center.  A stolen base and wild pitch moved Morningstar to third with Zaugg at the plate.  Zaugg walked to put runners on the corners.  Senior Mackenzie Lang (Urbandale, Iowa/Johnston) drove in Morningstar, as she reached on a throwing error by the shortstop.  Ridout then ripped her fourth home run of the season over the left field fence, putting the Kohawks ahead 4-0. 

After a scoreless second inning, Coe tacked on the final four runs in the third inning.  Lang walked to start the inning before Ridout drove her second home run of the game over the center field fence, extending Coe's lead to 6-0.  Senior Katie Kramer (Nevada, Iowa/Ames) earned her first hit of the season with a single off the right field fence, falling inches short of a home run. 

A fielding error by the third baseman moved Kramer to second and allowed junior Shanon Aguero (Muscatine, Iowa/Muscatine) to reach base.  A flyout to deep right field by junior CC Williams (Lisbon, Iowa/Lisbon) moved Kramer and freshman Jalisa Phillips (Calmar, Iowa/South WInneshiek), pinch running for Aguero, to second and third.  After a pitching change for the Knights, sophomore Amanda Hanson (Riverside, Iowa/Highland) hit a 3-1 pitch down the right field line for a double, plating both Kramer and Phillips.

Simon improved to 14-3 on the year, earning the win in just four innings in the circle.  She struck out six, while allowing just two hits.  Kramer threw an inning of relief work, striking out one.  Ridout and Hanson led the Kohawks with two hits apiece.

Coe returns to action on Saturday as they face Buena Vista.  First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. in Storm Lake.