The Coe Kohawks took a pair of games from Illinois Wesleyan to earn the right to advance to the NCAA Division III softball championships in Montclair, N.J., May 15. IWU lost by scores of 4-3 and 3-1.

Coe improved to 38-11 and will play Salisbury (Md.) in the NCAA championships on May 15. The Titans' season ends with a 37-6 mark.

Illinois Wesleyan landed four players on the all-tournament team - sophomore Kris Lee (first base), junior Lisa Narotsky (second base), senior Monica Urban (outfield), and junior Christy Engel (pitcher).

In the second game, Coe freshman Ashlee Simon improved to 23-4 in the circle as she limited the Titans to three hits and struck out 14.
Illinois Wesleyan scored their lone run in the first when Urban hit her first home run of the year to right center to lead off the game.
The Kohawks took a 2-1 lead in the third when, with one out, Erica Smothers singled up the middle and Chelsea Zaugg singled up the middle. Amy Hanse then singled to center to drive home Smothers. Sonja Schwenker reached on a fielder's choice to score Zaugg.
Coe added one more in the fifth when, with one out, Hanse singled and pinch runner Emily Burress scored two batters later on a single by CC Williams to leftfield.
Engel (22-5) took the pitching loss, striking out six in five innings.

In the first game of the day, Coe scored three in the seventh to come from behind and earn a 4-3 win.
In the seventh, Amanda Hanson led off with a single and Ashley Leonard followed with a single.Danielle Leavens struck out before Zaugg reached on an error by second baseman Narotsky, scoring Hanson. Hanse hit into a fielder's choice, forcing Leonard at home plate. Schwenker singled up the middle to knock home two runs.
Simon then struck out the side in the seventh

Illinois Wesleyan scored two in the first inning when Urban reached on an error by the shortstop to lead off and went to second on a sacrifice. Allison Ward walked and both runners advanced on a wild pitch. After Val Hackett walked to load the bases, Lee brought home two runs with a single through the right side.
The Titans added an insurance run in the sixth when Hackett led off with double to left field and Jen Monaco pinch ran for her. The Kohawks brought in Simon to face Lee, who doubled down the leftfield line to bring home Monaco.

Coe scored their lone run in the third when Leonard singled to left field and stole second. After Kathrine King struck out, Zaugg reached on a fielder's choice and advanced to second on an error by Ward. Hanse drove home Leonard on a fielder's choice.