WAVERLY, Iowa - The Wartburg softball team (20-12 overall, 8-4 IIAC) split the doubleheader with No. 10 Coe (28-7, 10-4) in exciting fashion Saturday as the Knights won the opener, 8-2, but fell in the finale, 6-5. This was the first upset win over a ranked opponent since last season, when the Orange and Black upset then-No. 2 Luther on April 19.
In the first game, the Orange and Black scored five of their runs in the bottom of the third inning. Junior Katie Sommer (Marion) had a leadoff triple by slapping the ball along the right field line. Later in the inning, classmate Mara Forsyth (Charles City) hit a three-run homer over the right field fence to make it 4-0. Senior Taylor Smola (Steven Point, Wis.) then went back-to-back and hit the ball out of the park in the same spot as Forsyth's shot.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Wartburg scored three more runs from two hits and two errors by the Kohawks. Junior Erica Countryman (Plainfield, Ill.) had a well-placed ball through the right side of the defense to allow a run to score to make it 6-0.
Senior Kimberly Wedeking (Clarksville) pitched her 14th complete game and 13th win and only allowed two runs. Forsyth finished the first game 2-3 with a homerun and three RBIs.
In the second game, the Knights were down in the bottom of the fourth inning, 1-0, before Forsyth hit her second homer of the day out beyond left field which added two to the scoreboard.
Coe added two more runs to reclaim the lead at 3-2 in the top of the fifth inning. Wartburg responded with three runs in the bottom half to take control again. Sophomore Kailee O'Brien (Altoona) drove a ball between two defenders out in left center field to earn a two-run double to regain the lead at 5-3.
The Kohawks compiled a two-out rally that scored three runs to make it 6-5. In the bottom half, the Knights had two runners in scoring position but couldn't manage to get the walkoff hit this time.
Sophomore Brenna Grey (Waterloo) pitched a tough second game for six and two-thirds innings. O'Brien went 3-4 in the second game including a double and two RBIs and sophomore Liz Roby-Miklus finished 2-4 with one RBI and two stolen bases.
The Knights will travel to face No. 4 Luther Wednesday.
Waterloo Courier recap
