After a 3-2 loss in 8 innings to Gusutavus to open the NCAA Division III softball regional Friday afternoon, Central College found itself facing a difficult proposition – win four games in two days to keep their season alive. Mission accomplished, as Central swept Aurora yesterday at the Kuyper Athletic Complex, 2-1 and 10-4. The journey looked like it would be short lived, when the Dutch found themselves trailing Fontbonne 3-1 with two outs in the seventh inning Saturday afternoon. Karlee Rock hit a three-run jack in the seventh, and Central held on to defeat the Griffins, 4-3, getting out of a bases load jam in the bottom of the seventh. The Dutch had to come right back Saturday afternoon agains the Golden Gusties, who had beaten them Friday, and Abbie Voas delivered a pinch-hit RBI single in the sixth inning to break a 4-4 tie in a game Central eventually won 7-4. That set up championship Sunday yesterday, and the sweep against the Spartans. Mallory Schulenberg earned the victory in all four Central wins this weekend, throwing a whopping 477 pitches in 30 innings of work. She struck out 17, only walked 3 and allowed just 9 earned runs over the weekend to garner the regional’s Most Outstanding Player award.
After losing to Gustavus Friday, Central Coach George Wares knew his club had a chance to go on this run, but also knew how daunting of a task it was. He says that the experience and leadership of his 10 seniors made it possible.
Central is now 34-10 on the season, and will play Linfield this Friday and Saturday in a Super Regional, with the winner of the best-of-three-series advancing to the National Tournament later this month in Salem, Virginia. Like Central, the Wildcats came through the loser’s bracket of their regional in Decorah, sweeping Luther yesterday to keep their season alive. You can hear every pitch between Central and Linfield on 92.1 KRLS and www.kniakrls.com.