CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - Coe College swept Central College in a doubleheader on Friday, as the Kohawks won their eighth-straight game. It was the 400th win at Coe for Head Coach Steve Cook.
The Kohawks started the scoring in the bottom of the fourth in the opener. With two outs, seniorCole Tomlinson (Trabuco Canyon, Calif./El Toro) doubled to right center, moving juniorMichael Redmond (Marion, Iowa/Linn-Mar) to third after he reached on a fielder's choice earlier in the inning. SophomoreBen Jacobson (Ottosen, Iowa/Humboldt) walked to load the bases before junior Craig Konrardy(Waterloo, Iowa/Columbus) singled up the middle to plate Tomlinson and Redmond.
A sacrifice fly put the Dutch on the board in the top of the fifth. Central tied the game in the top of the seventh with another sacrifice fly. Konrardy led off the bottom of the seventh with a double. SeniorMichael Goerdt (Waterloo, Iowa/Columbus) then reached on a fielder's choice sacrifice bunt that moved Konrardy to third. SeniorAJ Reuter (Monticello, Iowa/Monticello) was intentionally walked to load the bases. Freshman Grant Henning (DeWitt, Iowa/Central-Clinton) reached on a fielder's choice, as Konrardy was thrown out at home. Goerdt scored the winning run on a wild pitch.
Konrardy, Goerdt, senior Jack Hoffmann (Dubuque, Iowa/Wahlert) and Tomlinson had two hits apiece. Konrardy drove in a pair of runs. Konrardy moved into a tie for sixth with 36 career doubles. Reuter threw six innings on the bump, striking out seven and walking one. He gave up an earned run on seven hits. Junior Tony Becker (Waterloo, Iowa/Don Bosco) picked up his first win of the year, as he threw the seventh inning. Becker gave up an earned run on one hit.
Coe started the scoring in the bottom of the first in the nightcap. With one out, Goerdt singled down the right field line. Back-to-back wild pitches moved Goerdt to third. Reuter grounded out to shortstop, but drove in Goerdt for the first run.
Central evened the game with an unearned run in the top of the third. Coe took the lead back in the bottom of the fourth. Goerdt doubled down the right field line to start the inning. With one out, Henning doubled to center field, plating Goerdt in the process. The Dutch tied the game on a double by Adam Lindell and a single to right center by Michael Reuter that plated Lindell.
The Dutch took the lead in the top of the seventh, as Jacob Hirst led off the inning with a triple. With one out, Zach Zylstra singled down the right field line to plate Hirst. Coe tied the game in the bottom of the seventh. With one out, Redmond walked. After a second out, senior Jory Heckenberg (Stockport, Iowa/Van Buren) doubled to left field to plate Redmond.
Coe broke the game open in the eighth. Goerdt blasted a 2-1 pitch over the right center wall to open the inning, giving Coe the lead for good. With one out, Henning doubled to right center. Hoffmann was then hit by a pitch before Redmond singled to load the bases. Tomlinson then hit a double to right field, clearing the bases.
Goerdt led the Kohawks with three hits, while Henning had two. Goerdt scored three times, while Redmond scored twice. Tomlinson drove in three runs. Senior Connor Alberhasky (Iowa City, Iowa/City) took a no decision in seven innings on the hill. He struck out seven while walking three. Alberhasky gave up three runs (two earned) on six hits. Alberhasky moved into fourth in school history with 225.2 innings pitched. Hoffmann improved to 6-1 with the victory. He struck out one while giving up a hit in two innings.
The Kohawks (20-9, 12-8 IIAC) earned their 20th win for the 15th time in school history. Cook has been the head coach for 12 of the 15 20-win seasons. Coe and Central (11-16, 7-9 IIAC) return to action on Saturday at 11 a.m. at Daniels Park. Live stats are available at CoeAthletics.com.