‘Nameless, faceless’ Coe College advances to the NCAA Division III World Series

CEDAR RAPIDS — They are “nameless, faceless” no longer.

Their name? The Coe Kohawks. Their faces: Full of joy.

Madi Parson drove in both runs, Hannah Ausenhus allowed just four hits, and 21st-ranked Coe held off a seventh-inning charge to edge Hiram (Ohio), 2-1, in Game 2 of an NCAA Division III softball super-regional Saturday afternoon at Clark Field.

The Kohawks (37-9) won the series in two straight games and advance to the national tournament next week at Marshall, Texas.

“At the beginning of the season, we always say that it’s ‘the first step on the road to Texas,’” Parson said. “It’s always in the back of our minds, but we don’t necessarily think about it.

“This year, it really is the road to Texas.”

Coe’s first game in the double-elimination tournament will be against No. 20 Rowan, N.J. (40-8).

It came down to a two-out, bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the seventh inning, but Ausenhus (14-3) induced a ground-out to Larissa Baeza, sending the Kohawks into celebration, gloves flying into the sunny sky.

“That last inning, there was some stress,” said first-year Coe coach Jake Koolbeck. “Overall, (the feeling is) just joy. It’s unreal. To do this with this group of seniors, it’s incredible.”

Hiram (27-16) was blanked, 5-0, in Game 1 on Friday, and was shut out of the first six innings Saturday.

Five of the first six Terriers reached in the bottom of the seventh, though. The play of the game turned out to be on a one-out single by Angel Santel.

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Center fielder Ruby Kappeler gloved the grounder up the middle, came up throwing, and nailed pinch runner Danielle Robles at the plate for the second out.

“It’s something we practice often ... do or die,” Kappeler said. “They’re an aggressive team, so I had no doubt they were sending her. I got the ball and made a pretty good throw.”

A really good throw.

Still, a walk, an error and a single combined to score a run and fill the bases before Ausenhus got the final out.

“(Kappeler’s throw) was huge,” Ausenhus said. “I knew she had it in her. I had faith in her and she got the job done.”

Parson singled home Kappeler in the top of the third inning, then walked with the bases loaded in the fifth to plate Nicki Wood.

The Kohawks had prime chances to break it open in the fifth and sixth, but both times, a line-out double play drenched the threat.

Coe’s 24-player roster features nine seniors, seven of whom started Saturday. Those seven all are Iowans, coming from places like Hanlonton (Ausenhus), Durant (Kappeler) and Camanche (Parson).

Next week, they’ll all be headed to Texas.

“We worked hard to get here,” Ausenhus said. “It’s exciting and bittersweet, because so many of us are seniors.

“We just need to continue to be ourselves and not let up.”

Koolbeck said, “We talk about being nameless, faceless. We can’t control what our opponents do. We control ourselves, the energy in our dugout.

“We’re one of eight teams left, and we expect to give everybody our best.”

Coe 2, Hiram (Ohio) 1

NCAA Division III Super-Regional, Game 2

At Cedar Rapids

(Coe wins series, 2-0)

Coe 001 010 0 — 2 7 1

Hiram 000 000 1 — 1 4 0

Hannah Ausenhus and Skylar Stookey. Trinity Meza, Jeskari Rodriguez (6) and Giselle Bahe. W — Ausenhus (14-3). L — Meza (7-6).

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com

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