Coe vs. St. Thomas (Minn.)
A momentum-changing third inning helped push St. Thomas (Minn.) into Sunday’s regional championship with a 3-0 victory over Coe College.
The Kohawks used a hit, walk and hit batter to load the bases with no outs in the top of the third. But St. Thomas brought in pitcher Jessica Eppenberger and she wriggled free from the jam without a run. Then the Tommies’ Rachel Suter, who had made a nice grab of a Coe looper in the top of the inning, reached second on an error, stole third and raced home when the throw went into left field.
St. Thomas (36-9) added a two-run Brenna Walek home run for a 3-0 lead and Eppenberger (18-4) silenced Coe the rest of the way. She allowed just two hits over five innings.
Coe (30-10) was slated to come back later Saturday against Washington-St. Louis (Mo.) or Central who were playing an elimination game Saturday afternoon.
