The Coe baseball team’s quest for the Iowa Conference baseball tournament title got off to a good start Thursday night as the Kohawks downed Central, 7-2, on Thursday night at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Coe (29-12) is back in action Friday at 1 p.m. against top seed Wartburg, a 7-6 winner over Luther in the late game on Thursday night.

The Kohawks jumped ahead in the first as senior Michael Goerdt tripled to right center and scored on AJ Reuter’s double to right.

Coe broke the game open with four runs in the third Jory Heckenberg’s two-run single, plating Goert and Reuter, was the big hit in the inning. The Kohawks made it 7-0 with two more runs in the sixth.

Reuter led the Kohawks with three hits, while senior Cole Tomlinson had two. Reuter became the 12th player in school history to reach 150 career hits, including 36 career doubles. Heckenberg drove home three runs.

Reuter and Jack Hoffmann each drove in a pair. Goerdt scored three times, with Reuter crossing the plate twice. Craig Konrardy became the eighth player in school history with over 170 at-bats in a season.

Central’s two runs scored on a two-run homer from Michael Reuter, AJ’s brother, in the eighth inning. Central is 21-20.

Senior Connor Alberhasky (4-4) picked up the win. He struck out six, walked four and allowed five hits in pitching the complete game.

Central 000 000 020 – 2 5 2
Coe       104 002 00x – 7 9 2

Divney, Schroeder (8) and M. Reuter. Alberhasky and Henning. W – Alberhasky. L – Divney.