Central bats quiet in key league softball matchup
Central College couldn’t generate the offense it needed as Coe College strengthened its hold on first place in the American Rivers softball race Tuesday with a pair of wins. The Dutch (13-9 overall, 11-7 conference) dropped a 5-3 decision in the completion of a suspended game from April 13, finishing a scoreless seventh inning Tuesday, before getting blanked 4-0. That lifts Coe to 16-5 in league play (21-8 overall) with Central in third place. Coe only outhit the Dutch 6-5, but two of the hits were home runs by Bree Mangelsen, who knocked in three runs.
Second baseman Lauren Birt had two of Central’s hits. The Dutch advanced a runner to third base three times but came away scoreless. Pitcher Sydni Huisman went the distance, giving up six hits and four walks over 6.0 innings while striking out eight, slipping to 9-6.
The suspended game was halted by darkness after six innings April 13 with Central trailing 5-3. The Dutch went down in order in the seventh inning Tuesday. They had outhit Coe, 5-4, in the contest and right fielder Franie Burnett homered for Central. Pitcher Morgan Schaben, who was not in uniform Tuesday due to injury, took the loss, dropping to 2-3.
The best news of the day for Central was the return of all-conference shortstop Daria Parchert, who was injured in a collision late in the suspended game and sidelined until Tuesday. Wares said she’s nearing full strength.
The Dutch will try to regain their footing this weekend at Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln. The teams play a 2 p.m. doubleheader Saturday with a 1 p.m. contest Sunday. The Prairie Wolves took a 10-16 overall record and an 8-10 league mark into a doubleheader at Buena Vista University Tuesday. Pitcher Kailey Meyer is the conference strikeout leader with 96 in 97.1 innings.
Dutch women to league tennis semifinals
For the eighth consecutive season, the Central College women’s tennis team advanced to the American Rivers Conference tournament semifinals after a 5-2 win over Loras College Tuesday. The No. 4 seed, Central (6-5, 5-3 conference) knocked off the fifth-seeded Duhawks (7-5, 4-3 conference).
After a 3-0 sweep through doubles, Alex Griggs and Maddie Hartley got it done in singles for Central to earn the team’s final two points for the victory. Griggs won 6-2, 6-4 at No. 6 singles, her first appearance in the singles lineup for the 2020-21 season. Hartley cinched the match 6-2, 6-3 at No. 4 singles as the final point.
Karleigh Schilling and Alyssa Lewton won 8-6 at No. 1 doubles, the same score Hartley and Bronwyn Metcalf won at No. 2 doubles. Griggs and Sarah Schirm were 8-5 winners at No. 3 doubles.
In its semifinal match, Central matches up with the No. 1 seed and league regular season champions from Luther College. The match starts at 4 p.m. in Decorah.