Daria Parchert’s bases-loaded single in the bottom of the seventh inning scored Sara Tallman to lift the Central College softball team to a 3-2 walk-off victory over Claremont Mudd Scripps Sunday afternoon in the final game of the NFCA Leadoff Classic as heard live on KRLS3.

The Dutch struck first on an infield RBI single by Shaye Witte, and after the Athenas tied the game on a wild pitch, Central reclaimed the advantage on an RBI fielder’s choice by Emma Johnson.  The lead stood at 2-1 with two outs in the seventh when CMS got a game tying homer from Maddie Valdez.  Tallman led off the bottom of the inning with an infield single and was sacrificed to second by Lauren Birt before Kaitlyn Andresen was hit by a pitch and Witte laid down a bunt single to load the bases for Parchert.

Freshmen Sydni Huisman and Morgan Schaben combined to allow just five hits, while each striking out three.  Huisman got the win to improve to 3-1, while the Dutch finish the prestigious tournament with a 4-1 record, moving to 6-1 on the season.  A game later Sunday against Mary Hardin Baylor was cancelled due to steady rains that caused the fields to be deemed unplayable by Tucson city officials.  Central travels back to Iowa today then heads to Florida for 10 games on spring break next week.