Central Softball Sweeps Grinnell College
Energized by a four-hit day by Franie Burnett, the Central College softball team’s offense sprung to life Thursday, sweeping Grinnell College 9-0 in five innings and 9-3.
Burnett was 4-for-4 and reached base in each of her six plate appearances. She doubled, drove in four runs, scored two runs and stole two bases in the sweep. Megan Stuhr had three hits and two RBIs while Megan Doty had two hits, including a three-run double. Pitcher Morgan Schaben blanked Grinnell on one hit in four innings of the opener, walking one and fanning three. Then she came on in relief to retire the final three hitters in the seventh inning of the second game. Emma Neu threw a scoreless fifth inning in the opener, then threw 4.2 innings of relief in the second game, giving up three runs in the second inning. She allowed three hits with two walks. Chloe Dougherty gave up four hits but kept Grinnell scoreless for 1.1 innings before giving way to Schaben.
The Dutch improved to 20-16 on the season with the wins. Central closes the regular season with a big Senior Day doubleheader Sunday against Coe College at 2 p.m. The Dutch are in the drivers’ seat to clinch a berth in the six-team American Rivers tournament. Central are 6-8 in the conference and hold a tiebreaker over Luther College and Loras College based on percentage points for the sixth and final spot in the conference tourney. The doubleheader between Central and Coe can be heard live on 92.1 KRLS with the Voice of the Dutch, Trevor Castle on the call.
Central three shots off league men’s golf lead
Central College is in the thick of the American Rivers Conference men’s golf tourney title chase after the first day of the condensed two-day tournament. Due to forecasted bad weather Saturday, the 54-hole tourney is being contested over two days.
Central grabbed a two-shot lead with a 308 over the first 18 holes at the par-71 Geneva Golf and Country Club, which is hosting the tournament for the first time, before finishing with 152 on the par-35 front nine for 458. The Dutch stand three shots out of the lead behind Nebraska Wesleyan University and Luther College who are locked in a tie for first place. Lucas Wendel is fourth individually at 75-37—112. Harold Dobernecker is tied for fifth at 75-38—113, Drake Hamilton is 13th at 76-40—116, Jake Moffett is tied for 14th at 80-37-117 and Drew Rogers is 39th at 87-41—126.
Day two of the ARC men’s golf tourney begins today at 9 a.m. with Central’s first tee time at 10:40 a.m. The tourney winner gains an automatic berth in the NCAA Division III Championships May 10-13 at Howey-in-the-Hills, Florida.
Caleb Silver Competes in the Steeplechase at Drake Relay
A returning national qualifier in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, Caleb Silver contested the event for the second time this spring at the Drake Relays Thursday night.
One of just four Division III athletes in the 41-runner field, Silver took 38th in 9 minutes, 39.93 seconds. Silver ran his first steeplechase on April 9 and has only one competitive race since then, a 3,000 meters on April 23, due to an injury.
Central has 10 more entries at the Drake Relays on Friday and Saturday as well as a large contingent of athletes competing at the Kip Janvrin Open in Indianola on Friday.