Pitching Gems Keep Central Softball in ARC Tourney Picture
In the unusual position of trying to claw its way into the six-team American Rivers tournament, the Central College softball team got the pitching performances it needed Saturday in splitting a league doubleheader at Luther College.
A run in the seventh inning gave Luther a 1-0 walk-off win in the opener, spoiling a shutout bid by pitcher Morgan Schaben. But Sydni Huisman came back with a three-hitter in the second game for a 2-0 win that moved the Dutch percentage points ahead of Luther in the conference standings.
Schaben scattered eight hits but squirmed out of trouble until the seventh inning of the opener when the Norse got a walk and three hits from the first four hitters to end it. Central was limited to just three hits. Central had 10 hits in the first four innings of game two before Luther brought Cooper back for the final three frames. Yet the Dutch had no extra base hits and mustered just two runs. Emma Johnson, the league’s top hitter, had three more hits in the game as did Franie Burnett while Megan Stuhr had two hits. Johnson is hitting .482 for the season and Burnett is batting .427. Huisman walked one and struck two, facing just 25 hitters in seven innings.
The victory snapped a five-game Dutch losing streak, their longest since 1998. Central’s record now sits at 18-16 overall and 6-8 in American Rivers Conference play. Central gets a short break, returning to action Thursday with a non-conference doubleheader at Grinnell College starting at 3 p.m.
Central Advances to Women’s Golf Title Match
Pulling out a 3-2 win over Wartburg College, the Central College women’s golf team advanced to Sunday’s championship match in the Battle at Bos at Pella’s Bos Landen Golf Club. Central’s Mackenzie Biggs delivered a pivotal 2 and 1 victory at the No. 1 position. Thea Lunning coasted to a 6 and 4 win at No. 3 and Madison Clark won 3 and 2 at No. 4. Grinnell College was a 5-0 winner over Coe College in the match play tournament and will meet Central at noon today for the title.
Central Wins Both Sides of Track and Field Dual with Simpson
In a rare dual meet, the Central College men’s and women’s track and field team ran past Simpson College Saturday. Central won the men’s dual 161-89 and triumphed in the women’s dual 162-76. The Dutch won 30 of a combined 32 individual event titles.
Abby Gruver topped the 110-meter hurdle field in 16.14 seconds. Lauren Brown was the champion in the 100 meters (13.11 seconds) and Abbi Roerdink won the 200 meters (26.06 seconds). Pella native Caroline McMartin was the winner in the 800 meters (2:22.63) and 1500 meters (4:47.39). Hailey Hill gave Central the sweep in distance races by winning the 3000 meters (11:14.71). High jumpers Abigail White, Malory Jones, and Mackenie Kruse tied for first after all three cleared 5-1. Abby Marr was the winner in the discus throw (119-9), hammer throw (148-5) and shot put (38-11.5) while Krissa Larson took the javelin throw title (108-8). Pleasantville alumni Kasey Pelzer won the long jump crown and Cali Coffman won the pole vault (9-6.25). Gruver, Roerdink, Pella graduate Elsie Thoreson, and Pelzer won the 4×100-meter relay in 51.15 seconds. Roerdink, Gruver, Thoreson and Brown won the 4×400-meter relay in 4:08.20.
Nolan Reynolds took advantage of the favorable winds, winning the men’s 100-meter dash (10.99 seconds) and 200-meter dash (21.80 seconds). Kale Purcell joined the team after basketball season and got his first victory in the triple jump with a mark of 41-9.25. High jumper Sam Beatty cleared 6-9.75 and moved up to No. 2 nationally. Theo Baldus won the discus throw (135-1) and hammer throw (162-4). Thomas Spoehr topped the shot put field (46-7.5) and Nick Thompson had the best javelin throw (153-10). Alec Stahl won the pole vault (12-5.5) and Brock Lewis won the long jump (23-4.75). In the distance races, Will DeHaan was the 1500-meter run champion (4:00.18), Thatcher Krob was the 3,000-meter run champion (9:00.72) and Norwalk alumni Derek Webster won the 3,000-meter steeplechase (10:01.33). Carter Tryon, Lewis, Norwalk graduate Brian Hart and Reynolds won the 4×100-meter relay in 43.42 seconds. Reynolds, Noah Jorgenson, Grant Boyse, and Tryon won the 4×400-meter relay title in 3:28.64.
Central will send athletes to both the Drake Relays and Kip Janvrin Open next weekend. The qualifier list for Drake Relays will be announced on Sunday.
Central’s Dobernecker 5th in Men’s Golf Tourney
Central College sophomore Harold Dobernecker highlighted the Take Back the Night Challenge men’s golf tournament for the Dutch at Millikin University (Ill.) by tying for fifth place.
Playing through fierce winds that gusted up to 50 miles per hour, Dobernecker shot 73-77—150 in the 36-hole tourney. But the winds took a toll on the Dutch team score, soaring to 334 after a 308 Friday to finish at 642, tying for sixth in the 12-team field. Drake Hamilton shot 79-83—152, Pella’s own John Oltman had 82-84—166, Drew Rogers had 77-90—167 and Cole McGriff had 79-90—159.
The 54-hole American Rivers Conference tourney is set for Thursday through Saturday at Geneva Golf and Country Club in Muscatine.
Bethel Outlasts Central Baseball
A strong offensive start by the Central College baseball team cooled off in a 15-4 loss at Bethel University (Minn.) Saturday afternoon.
The Dutch scored two in the first inning and added a tally in the second and third innings but were held off the scoreboard in the final six frames. After being held out of Tuesday’s doubleheader, Declan O’Hare made an impressive return to the Dutch lineup. He was 3-for-4 with an RBI. Lucas Farren had two hits and scored two of the team’s four runs.
Caleb Evans took the loss on the mound, allowing six runs on five hits and two walks in 2.0 innings. Nathan McCombs tossed the next five innings, yielding six runs on nine hits while striking out four. Christian Murphy gave up three runs in the eighth inning.
The loss dropped Central’s record to 11-18 overall on the year and they will look to get back on track today in a pair of seven-inning games with Bethel starting at noon.