The Coe baseball team left their hot bats in Florida.

The Kohawks hit a lusty .396 as a team while compiling a 7-1 record on their spring trip to the Sunshine State last week, but they hit only .231 and dropped both ends of their Iowa Conference twinbill Friday at Daniels Park.

Wartburg's pitchers had a lot to do with Coe's problems as the Knights swept the doubleheader, 5-2 and 7-1, on a sunny 60-degree afternoon in northeast Cedar Rapids.

Coe Coach Steve Cook thought his team would hit better in the league opener.

"I really did," he said. "We thought we saw some decent pitching down there (in Florida).

"That's baseball. We just kind of came out flat, and they (Wartburg) did a good job. We just didn't have an answer today."

Coe collected only 12 singles and one double in the twinbill. The Kohawks hit the ball hard at times, but usually right at people. And they had trouble delivering in the clutch.

Wartburg's starting pitchers, Parker Bolt and Michael Knouse, did a good job of changing speeds, spotting their fastballs in good locations and keeping the Kohawks off-balance.

"We never really pressured them," said Cook. "They (Wartburg) were just really comfortable all day long today."

Cook thinks Coe will have a successful club, despite the disappointing start to the league campaign.

"Today hopefully won't deter that. We still think we've got a good baseball team," he said. "It's a good mix."

Wartburg raised its records to 12-1 overall and 2-0 in the league. Coe fell to 7-3 and 0-2. The Knights and Kohawks play another twinbill Saturday at Daniels Park at 1 p.m.

Wartburg shortstop Tyler Mougin, a Cedar Rapids Prairie grad, went 2-for-3 in the first game and scored two runs.

Shortstop Craig Konrardy and right fielder Cole Tomlinson had two hits for Coe in the opener. Designated hitter AJ Reuter had two hits in the second game.

Reuter broke his finger in the second game of the Florida trip and can swing the bat now, but will be sidelined for an indefinite period as a pitcher.

Game 1

Wartburg    021 100 1 - 5 6 0
Coe         101 000 0 - 2 8 2

Bolt and Wilson. Alberhasky and Henning. W - Bolt (2-1). L - Alberhasky (1-1). 2B - Mougin, Konrardy. HR - Anstoetter.

Game 2

Wartburg    001 001 104 - 7 18 0
Coe         000 000 001 - 1 5 2

Knouse, Nadermann (9) and Wilson. Hoffmann, Santiago (7) and Henning. W - Knouse (3-0). L - Hoffmann (2-1). 2B - thumann, Kemp, Croes. 3B - Kemp. HR - Thumann.