The Central College softball team bounced back from a disappointing loss in a doubleheader split Saturday at the University of Dubuque by knocking off Division III’s #23 ranked Loras College 8-0 in six innings and 2-1 Monday.

The Dutch got a two-hit shutout from Morgan Schaben in the opener and the first win of the season for Sydni Huisman in the second game. Equally significant was the Dutch offensive attack in handing Loras freshman pitcher Ashlyn Hemm her first collegiate loss. Hemm had allowed just four runs all season in posting a 14-0 record but was tagged for eight runs in Tuesday’s opener. Emma Johnson collected five hits in six at-bats in the two games, and Lauren Birt added three hits as well. In the nightcap of the doubleheader, Central was limited to six runs on two hits, but Schaben limited Loras to just one run on three hits in 3.1 innings pitched. Emma Neu threw an inning of shutout relief before Huisman entered and gave up just one hit and three walks while striking out two over the final 2.2 innings to collect the win. 

Suddenly the young Central squad finds themselves atop the American Rivers Conference standings by a slim margin with a 4-2 conference record and 16-10 overall record. The Dutch are slated to travel to Storm Lake Wednesday for a 3 p.m. league doubleheader with Buena Vista University.