Team effort powers Coe

CEDAR RAPIDS - Coe softball subscribes to a 'twenty strong” attitude.

The Kohawks nearly used all 21 players on its roster Wednesday.

Coe received a boost from its bench in key situations, leading to a 3-0 win over St Scholastica in the opening round of the NCAA Division III regional softball tournament at Clark Field.

The top-seeded Kohawks (36-8) enter a game, knowing they can be called on to contribute at any time. Coe Coach Bob Timmons used four substitutes on the bases and three more at the plate.

'Everyone knows their role on this team,” Coe senior catcher Abby Flannagan said. 'Everyone knows what they are here to do, whether they are a starter, pinch-hitter or pinch-runner. It takes all 20 of us to win a ballgame. It's not the starting nine or just one person.”

The last half of the season included more of an emphasis on getting more players in during specific game situations. The Kohawks have plenty of experience, so they know the expectations.

'I will try to give them a little bit of a heads up,” Timmons said. 'We've done it enough times where they know this is a possibility that it is going to happen.”

Timmons turned to Marcie Crawford in the fourth and told her to make sure she had a bat ready to go. An inning later, Crawford got her call. She delivered as a pinch-hitter, smacking a base hit to right field. Pinch-runner Kyleigh Munkel went from first to third and when the outfield throw sailed away from the third baseman, Munkel raced home with the game's first run.

'I was really nervous,” Crawford said. 'I was just like relax, take the swing you always do and you'll get a hit.”

Crawford prepared like she knew she would play during batting practice. She said she is ready to hit for Timmons whenever and wherever needed. The Coe junior is usually Timmons' first choice.

'She's going to get her cuts and that's what I want,” Timmons said. 'I want someone who is going to be aggressive in there.”

The Kohawks added two insurance runs in the sixth. Pinch-hitter Erin Lang led off with a walk and advanced to second on Emily Grell's sacrifice bunt. Mallory McArtor pushed down another bunt, moving Lang to third and getting on base when the Saints failed to cover first.

McArtor, who had a game-high two hits, turned for second and got in a rundown until Lang scored for a 2-0 lead. It was a designed play.

'We talk about it all the time,” Timmons said. 'Do the little things (and) force people to play defense. Don't change what we do (but) force them to do some things.”

Flannagan followed with the line RBI, chasing Nicole Gillette home from second with a two-out single.

'I was glad to get an extra run,” Flannagan said. 'You never know how many you're going to need.”

Coe didn't need it thanks to the gem from Madison Woodruff (21-2). She stifled the Saints, allowing two hits and just three total base runners. St. Scholastica (27-11) threatened in the sixth with Coe holding a one-run edge. Timmons said he knew they had powerful hitters, ranking among the nation's best in doubles and home runs. With one on and two out, Kara Warren nearly hit her seventh homer of the year. After pulling one foul left of the foul pole, she blasted on to center that Brianna Gardner caught before running through the fence.

'I just said keep the ball down and keep it away, because it's the third time through the lineup for most of them,” Timmons said. 'On any given day, if anyone catches one, you never know, and they darn near did a couple of times.”

Coe will face third-seeded Augustana (Ill.) in a winner's bracket game Saturday at 11 a.m. The Auggies (34-11) scored three in the third and sixth innings against No. 2 seed and 13th-ranked St. Thomas (Minn.) for a 7-1 win. Coe beat Augustana twice at a March tournament in St. Louis, including one in extra innings.

'We know it will be a good game,” Flannagan said. 'We're ready to come out and show them what we've got.”

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