Sadler silences Duhawks in Central softball comeback win
With the pitch count climbing for Central College softball starting pitcher Sydni Huisman Sunday, coach George Wares needed some innings from his bullpen. His usual first option, Morgan Schaben, is sidelined by injury so he turned to Skylar Sadler and, for the second time in three days, she came out with a win as the Dutch squeaked past Loras College 2-1.
They’re the first two collegiate victories for Sadler, as the Dutch swept the three-game series to continue clinging to their postseason hopes at 11-5 in America Rivers play and 13-7 overall. But Central was trailing 1-0 when Sadler entered in the top of the fourth inning. She silenced the Duhawks on two hits and no walks with two strikeouts in 4.0 innings. That’s after giving up just two hits over 5.0 shutout innings Friday. Much like in Friday’s opener, Central struggled most of the way against the Duhawks, who were competitive despite their 1-20 overall record and 1-16 league mark.
Things turned in the fifth inning. Freshman right fielder Franie Burnett dazzled with a sliding catch of a pop foul as she crashed into the fence along the right-field line. Then at the plate in the bottom of the inning, she delivered a wind-blown two-out single into center field to bring home left fielder Emma Johnson with the tying run. Johnson had reached on a bunt single and stole second base. Burnett was 2-for-2, raising her team-leading average to .418.
Center fielder Sara Tallman gave Central its first lead in the sixth inning as she singled and scored when a relay throw to the infield was mishandled following a double that Megan Stuhr rocketed to center field.
Central completes its series with Coe College Tuesday in Cedar Rapids. The teams were scheduled for a doubleheader there April 13 but after an eight-inning opener in which the Dutch rallied for a 6-5 victory, the second game was halted after six innings due to darkness with Central down 5-3. That game will resume Tuesday at 2 p.m., followed by the third game of the series. The Kohawks are 19-8 overall and 14-5 in league play, taking a half-game lead in the conference standings ahead of Wartburg College after a three-game sweep of the University of Dubuque Friday and Saturday.
Central cruises to two men’s tennis victories
Scoring 17 of a possible 18 points, the Central College men’s tennis team thumped the University of Dubuque 9-0 and Loras College 8-1 Sunday afternoon. The victories solidified Central (6-2, 6-2 American Rivers Conference) as the third-place team in the conference standings and as the No. 3 seed for the conference tournament.
Central swept all three doubles matches against both teams. The Dutch won all of the singles matches in straight sets.
Central will host the first round of the conference tournament on Tuesday, May 4.
Central women’s golf team gets season-ending home win
A decisive 4-1 match play victory over Nebraska Wesleyan University concluded the spring season for the Central College women’s golf team Sunday in the third-place match of the Battle at Bos. The two-day, four-team match play event was staged at Central’s home course, the demanding par-72 Bos Landen Golf Club. In Sunday’s title match, Wartburg College and Luther College tied, 2.5-2.5, with Wartburg receiving the title on a tiebreaker based on total holes won.
Central, which dropped a narrow 3-2 decision on the final hole to Luther Saturday, cruised against Nebraska Wesleyan. Delaney Underwood was a 6 and 5 winner at No. 2, Avery Woods won 4 and 3 at No. 3, Peyton Bytnar won 7 and 6 at No. 4 and Madison Clark won 3 and 2 at No. 5. The only loss was at No. 1, where Mackenzie Biggs went to the final hole for the second straight day but was edged, 1 up.