WAVERLY, Iowa-- The No. 15/20 Wartburg baseball team (29-9 overall, 22-4 IIAC) split the first doubleheader of the weekend series against Coe (17-18, 12-14) Friday. The Knights won the opener 14-7, but narrowly fell 3-2 in the nightcap.
WARTBURG vs. COE HIGHLIGHTS
The loss halted the Orange and Black's 10 game winning streak, but Wartburg did secure the top seed for the Iowa Conference tournament next week.
In the first game, the Knights jumped to an early 3-0 lead on a two-run homer from junior Jacob Thumann (DeWitt) and senior Ryan Kemp (Keokuk) scored on a wild pitch. The Kohawks answered with a solo home run of their own in the top of the second, but the Orange and Black extended their margin in the bottom as they plated four runs on as many hits. Sophomore Blake Mahoney (Des Moines) had a two-run double and Kemp later added a two-run single.
Wartburg took the 11-1 lead in the third which included a two-run homer from senior Tanner Johnson (Oak Creek, Wis.). Both teams tallied a run in the fourth and Coe added one in the fifth and two in the sixth which made it 12-5. Senior Robbie Anstoetter (Farley) hit a leadoff single in the sixth and the next batter, sophomore Clay Henning (Plymouth, Wis.) brought him in on his home run that cleared the right field fence.
The Kohawks scored their final two runs in the seventh.
Kemp was 4-5 with three RBIs while Mahoney was a perfect 3-3 with two RBIs and four runs scored.
In the nightcap, the game was scoreless until the fourth inning when Coe took the 1-0 lead on an RBI double. Senior Milton Croes (Noord, Aruba) plated the Knights' first run on junior Mike Brown's (Bettendorf) base hit to third and sophomore Zach Hovick (Roland) scored on senior Tyler Willis' (Waverly) single that was down the right field line to even it at two all.
In the sixth, the Kohawks regained the lead at 3-2 and the Orange and Black looked to answer in the seventh as they had runners on second and third with one out. Unfortunately, the next two batters were retired to end the threat.
In the ninth, Coe had runners on second and third with one out and drew an intentional walk to load the bases. Wartburg's defense held the baserunners as the next two batters popped out to shortstop and flew out to center to give the Knights one last at-bat.
Unfortunately, the Orange and Black were unable to compile a rally as the leadoff man was walked, but the next three were retired for the split.
Both teams return to Hertel Field tomorrow at 1 p.m. The baseball Class of 2016 will be recognized prior to game two.
KCRR recap
Waterloo Courier recap
