Second place Coe College put the pressure on in the top of the ninth inning, but the Iowa Conference-leading Central College baseball team held on for a 6-5 win in the first of a three-game conference series Friday.  

Joel Pulliam did 8.2 innings of work from the mound, giving up two earned runs on five hits. The senior walked two and struck out six on the day. Sophomore Judson McKown came in for the final out, allowing two hits. The win moves Pulliam to 6-1 on the season, while McKown earns his second save.  

The Dutch committed six errors in what coach Adam Stevens called an uncharacteristically sloppy defensive effort.  Central balanced its defensive woes with a sterling offensive performance. The Dutch accumulated 10 hits as a team. Senior shortstop Mike Furlong led the charge with homerun in the first inning to start off a 2-for-5 day. 

Central will look to take the series from the Kohawks today in doubleheader action. 

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