BASEBALL – SATURDAY
Five players notched at least three hits and the Central College baseball team pounded out 21 total hits in a 13-5 win over Elmhurst University Saturday afternoon.
Freshmen Chance Dreyer and Kasey Carter had stellar debuts at the plate for the Dutch. The third baseman Dreyer was 3-for-6 with two solo home runs and a double. Shortstop Carter was 4-for-6 and scored three times.
Pitcher/designated hitter Declan O’Hare, centerfielder Logan McCoy and left fielder Chase Martin also had three hits apiece.
BASEBALL – SUNDAY
A seven-run eighth inning brought the Central College baseball team back against Elmhurst College Sunday afternoon and led to a 10-8 victory.
Central started the season 3-0 by beating Eureka College 10-4 in an early game Sunday after trailing 2-1 in the fifth inning
In the Elmhurst game, Central trailed 8-3 heading into the bottom of the eighth. Central responded with six hits and seven runs in that inning, including a trio of 2 RBI doubles from catcher Brenden Mudd, center fielder Logan McCoy and right fielder Colton DeRocher.
Against Elmhurst, left fielder Chase Martin had three hits. In the Eureka game, DeRocher had five RBI, thanks in large part to a three run home run in the sixth inning. McCoy was also 3-for-3 at the plate.
Central flies to Florida next Saturday for an eight-game spring break trip. The week gets started with a 1 p.m. (EST) game against The College of St. Scholastica (Minn.) in Auburndale.
MEN’S TENNIS – SATURDAY
Squaring off with one of the best NCAA Division III teams in the region, the Central College men’s tennis team lost to Grinnell College 9-0 Saturday morning.
A 2022 NCAA Division III tournament team and Midwest Conference champions, the Pioneers (6-4) handed the Dutch (3-5) their third loss of the season against NCAA Division III opponents.
WOMEN’S TENNIS – SATURDAY
Competing for the first time this semester, the Central College women’s tennis team was defeated 8-1 by Grinnell College Saturday afternoon. It was the first match of the spring for both the Pioneers (9-1) and the Dutch (4-8).
TRACK & FIELD – SATURDAY
Looking to increase its qualifiers for next week’s NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships, the Central College men’s and women’s track and field teams had a smattering of entries at the Wartburg Final Qualifier Saturday.
Men’s miler Adam Sylvia put himself very much on the bubble for a spot at the national meet, moving up to No. 21 on the qualifying list with his third-place time of 4 minutes, 10.36 seconds. The top-20 declared entries will run at the national meet. He’s dropped nearly 10 seconds off his best time from 2022 and is No. 2 on Central’s program top-10 list.
In the women’s 3,000-meters, Caroline McMartin further solidified her spot by dropping her best time of the year down to 9:50.39. She’s comfortably going to qualify with the country’s No. 15 mark. She’s also a likely qualifier in the mile and is one the distance medley relay team that also is in line to go.
Megan Johnson is the second female mile runner at Central to break five minutes, crossing the line in 4:59.92. She sits No. 33 nationally and has an outside chance of qualifying for the national meet. Abbi Roerdink had a new personal best time in the 400-meter dash in 58.87 seconds. She’s No. 7 in program history and top 50 nationally. Both Johnson and Roerdink are on the distance medley relay team.
Pole vaulter Amber Vroman took sole possession of the school’s women’s record with a clearance of 10 feet, 10.25 inches, finishing 11th in a loaded field.
Men’s 60-meter hurdler Connor Miklos clocked in at 8.38 seconds in the prelims, .01 better than his previous best. He finished the eighth in the final (8.45). Jaxon Thompson was fourth in the heptathlon with 4,421 points.
The official entry list for the 2023 NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships will be announced by 7 p.m. on Sunday. The national meet is set for Friday, March 10 and Saturday, March 11 in Birmingham, Alabama.