Coe vs. Washington-St. Louis
A Paige Wieland squeeze bunt pushed across the game’s first run and Coe College withstood a seventh-inning Washington-St. Louis (Mo.) comeback bid for a 2-1 opening-game triumph at the NCAA Division III Pella, Iowa softball regional Friday.
Coe (30-9) struggled to solve Washington ace Anna McKee but Madi Miller singled to right field with out in the fifth inning and raced to second on a wild pitch. Jess
Brooks punched a single through the left side to put runners at the corners. Wieland then delivered a bunt in front of the plate that McKee fielded but not in time to catch Miller at the plate.
Coe added what turned out to be a huge run in the sixth when Allie O’Brien led off with a couble to the center field fence. She moved to third on a sacrifice and sprinted home on a Haley Jones fly ball.
But Washington came to life in the seventh inning. Janet Taylor doubled and Hera Tang singled to start the inning, then pulled off a double steal for the Bears’ first run. Pinch-hitter Maggie Clapp delivered a single, but Coe hurler Alyssa Olson notched back-to-back strikeouts to end the game.
Olson (13-5) limited Washington to five hits, walking one and fanning six. McKee (16-4) gave up just four hits, walking one and striking out three.
