Former Linn-Mar prep Strellner throws gem to help Coe to IIAC title

CEDAR RAPIDS - No late-inning drama this time for the Coe Kohawks. None at all.

Not with Ben Strellner sitting in his rocking chair on the pitcher's mound, pumping strike after strike after strike.

“I've always been a guy who throws a lot of strikes. Sometimes too many,” Strellner said after his complete-game six-hitter helped Coe past Buena Vista, 4-1, and to a second consecutive Iowa Conference baseball tournament championship. “I just ended up pounding the zone. With a 4-1 lead, I really wanted to go at them and make them hit to beat us.”

Coe (27-15) won all three of its games here, not needing an ‘if' game to move on to NCAA Division III regional play. The school won't know its regional destination until Monday, though the bet is it'll be either Whitewater, Wis., or Millington, Tenn.

“Very proud of these kids,” said Coe Coach Steve Cook. “I've got a big senior class now that goes out two years in a row and has a chance to play in an NCAA tournament. Really proud of those guys for leading this group.”

Second-seeded Coe was stressed in its first two tournament games, building big leads and then surviving Wartburg, 10-9, and BV, 12-11. But two-run second and third innings Saturday was more than enough support for Strellner, a junior lefty from Linn-Mar who didn't pitch last season because of injury and who was primarily a reliever this season.

This was only his third start, and, boy, was it a beauty. He didn't overpower, recording just one strikeout, but changed speeds and moved the ball in and out, inducing one routine flyball after another from Buena Vista (24-19).

“Every time Ben went out there and got that first guy out, it was like a huge weight off our shoulders,” said Coe outfielder Sean Raisch. “In the ninth inning, it was like ‘He's got it.' The coaches told me to go down to the bullpen and warm up, but I was like ‘There ain't no way I'm getting into this game.'”

“I've started before, it wasn't a big deal,” Strellner said. “Just come out and pitch your game. I knew we had guys behind me (in relief) if we needed them, but we ended up not needing them. It was just a great team win.”

Coe hit .378 as a team in its three tournament games, with outfielder Tyler Leadley going 6-for-11, second baseman Scott DeAngelis 6-for-12, first baseman Adam Nisenson 5-for-9 and Raisch 4-for-8 with a home run and four RBIs. Every starter had at least one hit and one run.

“We've got nine seniors, and it's a great accomplishment to get two in a row,” Raisch said. “Especially this one, which I think is more special than last year.”