May 10, 2007

Maroons Drop Regional Opener in Extra Innings

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. -- Coe College third baseman MacKenzie Lang scored the winning run in the top of the ninth inning as the fifth-seeded Kohawks edged the fourth-seeded University of Chicago softball team 2-1 in the opening game of the 2007 NCAA Division III Championship Regional Thursday at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.

With one out in the top of the ninth inning, Lang singled to left field and stole second base. Then with two outs, Lang swiped third and came home on junior catcher Vanessa Pineros's (Mukilteo, Wash./ Kamiak) error.

Lang's two steals in the ninth inning gave Coe (28-12) five for the game.

Coe opened the scoring in the top of the third inning. Shortstop Ashley Leonard singled with one out and stole second with two outs. Designated hitter Abby Wedemeier then delivered a run-scoring base hit to right field.

Senior pitcher Petra Wade (Batavia, Ill./ Batavia) then set down 15 of 18 Coe batters from the fourth through eighth innings. Wade (15-6) finished the game with a career-high 14 strikeouts and no walks.

The Maroons (25-10) tied the game with a two-out rally in the fifth. Following back-to-back walks to senior shortstop Jessica Mayhew (Plymouth, N.H./ Plymouth) and Pineros, sophomore third baseman Jen Jacobson (Schaumburg, Ill./ Conant) singled to left field to plate Mayhew.

In the bottom of the second, Chicago had runners at second and third with one out before Coe hurler Ellie Schultz struck out senior center fielder Nancy Bugajski (Chicago, Ill./ Marian Catholic) and junior first baseman Cassie Wierenga (Worth, Ill./ Shepard) to end the threat.

Schultz (24-8) yielded three hits -- two by Jacobson -- and four walks to go along with four strikeouts.

Lang, Leonard, and Wedemeier each went 2-for-4 for Coe.

Chicago returns to action in the double elimination regional Friday at noon against the loser of Thursday's game between second-seeded Illinois Wesleyan University and seventh-seeded St. Norbert College.

Coe advances to face top-seeded University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh in Thursday's final game.

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