Kohawks bounce back to eliminate Alma from NCAA Tournament

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. - After Thursday's one-hit performance, the Kohawks bounced back to record 10 hits in a 7-0 win over seventh-seeded Alma. It was the third win all-time in three games against the Scots for Coe.

After a three up, three down first inning, the Kohawk offense started clicking in the second inning. Sophomore Chelsea Zaugg (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Xavier) led off the inning with a walk. Trying to lay down a sacrifice bunt, sophomore Abby Wedemeier (Maynard, Iowa/West Central) reached on an error by the third baseman, allowing Zaugg to advance to third. With runners on the corners, freshman Krystal Kopp (Solon, Iowa/Solon) blasted her third home run of the year to put the Kohawks up 3-0.

The Kohawks put another run on the scoreboard in the third inning to increase their lead to 4-0. Junior Ashley Leonard (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Kennedy) led the inning off with a single to center field before advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore Erica Smothers (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Kennedy). With two outs, Zaugg singled to left field to drive in Leonard.

Coe tried to add to their lead in the fourth inning, but left three runners on base to close out the inning. The offense picked back up in the fifth inning as junior Dani Leavens (Charles City, Iowa/Charles City) led the inning off with her fourth home run of the year, increasing the Kohawk lead to 5-0. Zaugg then singled in the next at-bat before being replaced by freshman Emily Burress (Des Moines, Iowa/Roosevelt). Burress advanced to second on a wild pitch and then moved up to third on an infield single by Wedemeier. Buress was able to steal home as Wedemeier was caught in run down at first base.

The Kohawks added one more run to their total in the sixth inning as junior Amy Hanse (Marion, Iowa/Linn-Mar) led off the inning with a single to center field. Sophomore Katie Kramer (Nevada, Iowa/Ames) came in to pinch run for Hanse and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Leonard drove Kramer home with her second hit of the day.

Zaugg finished the day 3-for-3 with a run and an RBI, while Leonard added a 2-for-4 performance with a run and RBI. Kopp finished with three RBIs on her third inning home run. Seven different Kohawks scored in the game.

Junior Ellie Schultz (Clayton, Iowa/Clayton Ridge) earned her 19th win of the year, throwing a complete game shutout. She gave up just two hits while striking out five.

The Kohawks return to action on Saturday as they square off against Washington University in St. Louis. The two teams have split a pair of games this season, with each team winning in extra innings. First pitch is scheduled for 10 a.m. at Augustana College.