A promising start but a cruel finish have left the Central College softball team with a daunting road back in the NCAA Division III Pella, Iowa Regional.

The Dutch saw a 2-0 fifth-inning lead vanish as St. Thomas got a pair of unearned runs then erupted for a seven-run sixth for a 10-2, six-inning decision yesterday afternoon in a game heard live on 92.1 KRLS.

That puts Central against highly regarded Washington-St. Louis in a 1:30 p.m. elimination game today. The Bears had a seventh-inning comeback falter in a 2-1 loss to Iowa Conference rival Coe.

Coach George Wares’ Dutch now must win four straight games, two today and two tomorrow, to keep their season alive.

“This is what we talked about with this regional,” coach George Wares said. “It’s the toughest four-team regional in the country. So it’s not so much who you play first but it’s if you get in this position, not only do you have to win four, but you have to do it against nationally ranked teams.”

Today’s action starts with Coe versus St. Thomas at 11:00, then the Dutch against the Bears at 1:30, followed by the Coe / St. Thomas loser against the Central / Wash U winner. We’ll have all of today’s Central College action live on 92.1 KRLS with Trevor Castle and Andrew Schneider on the call.