Spartans Take Game One of Baseball Series Against Dutch
In a back-and-forth affair, the University of Dubuque finished on top in a 5-4 win against the Central College baseball team Friday.
Starting pitcher Declan O’Hare scattered eight hits over six innings and held the Spartans to one run, which came in the first inning. Parker Jones takes the loss after allowing a pair of runs in the eighth inning. Two swings of the bat were responsible for three of Central’s runs. Freshman catcher Dom DeLaPaz hit a solo home run in the sixth inning and right fielder Colton DeRocher added a two-run shot in the seventh inning. Garrett Finley had the RBI on Central’s first run, drawing a bases loaded walk in the third inning. Left fielder Ian Boline also had two hits. Three Central innings were stifled by double plays.
Central drops to 11-12 overall and 2-12 in American Rivers Conference play. The Dutch and the Spartans meet for two more games today that can be heard live on 92.1 KRLS starting with pregame coverage at 11:45 p.m., followed by first pitch at noon.
Central Walks It Off With 3-run 7th for Softball Split
The Central College softball team’s chances were fading as rapidly as the daylight Friday when the Dutch erupted for three seventh inning runs and an improbable 8-7 walk-off victory for a doubleheader split with Wartburg College in a battle for the American Rivers Conference lead.
Shortstop Cassie Severson singled to load the bases and later raced home with the game-winner on an errant throw to the plate, restoring a percentage-points lead in the conference race for the Dutch. Wartburg hung on for an 8-7 win in the opener and took command of the second game by bolting to a 6-0 second-inning lead, but Emma Neu came out of the bullpen to limit Wartburg to one run over the last 4.2 innings, allowing five hits and a walk while striking out one. Meanwhile, Central chipped away with a run in the third and four in the fourth. The Dutch put runners at second and third with one out in the fifth inning but came up empty, then Wartburg added an insurance tally in the top of the sixth inning. The bases were empty and Wartburg was within two outs of a sweep in the seventh inning, but with darkness descending, Central used a walk and two hits to load the bases. Then Madison Farrington’s shot to third base was misplayed and two runs scored to tie the game. Severson tried to race home on a Carson Fisk sharply hit grounder to the pitcher and she slid home safely after an errant throw for the seventh-inning stunner.
Wartburg has an edge in the conference race because of already playing 12 league games but Central’s comeback leaves just about every squad in the league with a chance. Five teams are at .500 in conference play and within two games of Central and Wartburg.
After the split, Central’s record now sits at 17-11 overall, and 5-3 in conference play. A pivotal trip is up next as Central travels to Lincoln, Nebraska to take on Nebraska Wesleyan Tuesday in a 3 p.m. twinbill, then heads to Storm Lake Wednesday for a 5 p.m. make-up doubleheader with Buena Vista University.
McMartin Excels for Dutch at William Penn Track Meet
Caroline McMartin showed off some versatility by winning all three events she entered at the William Penn Statesmen Invitational Friday for the Central College women’s track and field team. No team scores were kept at the meet.
Individually, McMartin improved her career-best mark in the 3,000-meter steeplechase to 11 minutes, 18.13 seconds and also won the 800 meters in 2:29.45. Teammate Elsie Thoreson was second in the 800 in 2:29.58. McMartin also ran the third leg of the winning 4×400-meter relay team that clocked in at 4:18.85. That 4×400 squad also included Abbi Roerdink, Abby Gruver, and Lauren Brown. Gruver, Roerdink, Thoreson and Rayna Sickels also won the 4×100-meter relay in 51.37 seconds. Brown was second in the 400 meters (1:01.27) and Sickels was second in the 100 hurdles (15.80). Central swept the top-three spots in the women’s 1500 meters with Addison Parrott leading the way in 5:09.65. Sara Goodenbour was second in 5:12.89 and Hailey Hill was third in 5:14.21. Cali Coffman and Amber Vroman shared second place in the pole vault after clearing 9 feet, 0 inches. Allison Van Gorp was third in the shot put in 38-0.
On the men’s side, Nolan Reynolds paced the field in the 400 meters in 50.39 seconds and Noah Jorgenson topped the 800-meter run field in 1:54.52. Reynolds and Jorgenson bookended the winning 4×400-meter relay team that finished in 3:30.93. Carter Tryon and Grant Boyse ran the middle two legs. Lucas Heitz added a 110-meter hurdle championship performance (15.07 seconds), edging teammate Reid Pakkebier’s time of 15.23 seconds. Theo Baldus was runner-up in the hammer throw (160-6.5) and third in the discus throw (160-10). Thomas Spoehr also was third in the shot put (46-3). Thatcher Krob was the runner-up in the 1500 meters (4:06.44) and Alec Stahl tied for second in the pole vault (11-0).
The majority of Central’s roster will be in Indianola today for a triangular with Simpson College and Nebraska Wesleyan University.