The Central College softball team received some hardware earlier this week, as the runner-up trophy from this month’s NFCA Leadoff Classic arrived on campus.

The Dutch went 4-1 at the elite 24-team tournament featuring some of the best teams in the country. Only East Texas Baptist University was undefeated, going 4-0, and Transylvania joined the Dutch with a 4-1 mark. Central beat the Pioneers, giving them the nod for second place.

While all NCAA events have been cancelled for the spring, the tournament is a historical barometer of what could have been for the Dutch. The Leadoff Classic is held every other year, and each of the last three winners went on to claim the national championship. Central finished the shortened 2020 season with a record of 6-1 and the #8 ranking in the country.