Comeback Carries Central to Another Softball Sweep
The 19th-ranked Central College softball team committed five errors and found themselves trailing by three runs in the fifth inning but still emerged with a 6-5 win over the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Saturday after breezing to an 8-2 victory in the opener.
Central extended its win streak to seven games in wrapping up its pre-American Rivers schedule. Clinging to a 2-1 lead entering the fifth inning of the nightcap, the Dutch surrendered four runs—three of which were unearned—and trailed 5-2, only to answer with four runs in the bottom of the fifth. Left fielder Megan Doty lined a clutch two-run double to tie the game. Then, with a 0-2 count on designated player Mariah Parton, head coach George Wares re-inserted Emma Lenox, who promptly singled home the lead run. Freshman Emma Beck improved to 4-0 by limiting Wis.-Eau Claire to one earned run—four overall–on six hits with three walks and eight strikeouts in 5.0 innings. Morgan Schaben allowed a hit in an inning of scoreless relief and game one winner Sydni Huisman recorded her first save by throwing a scoreless seventh inning. She allowed a bloop infield hit and struck out one. Doty had two of Central’s five hits.
Huisman had a 4-0 lead in the fourth inning of the opener before giving up two runs. She allowed four hits while walking two and fanning four over four innings. Schaben allowed just one hit in three innings of scoreless relief for her third save. Second baseman Haley Bach and center fielder Emma Johnson were both 4-for-4 in the game. Bach scored three runs and Johnson scored twice. Third baseman Franie Burnett, who follows them in the batting order, had four RBIs in the game and six for the day.
The Dutch begin the American Rivers four-week whirlwind Friday with a 2 p.m. doubleheader at Waverly against Wartburg College. The Knights were defeated at Illinois Wesleyan 7-2 in what was a scheduled doubleheader Saturday to drop to 8-10.
Dutch Men Split Home Tennis Matches
The Central College men’s tennis team rolled past Cornell College 7-2 Saturday afternoon in the nightcap of Saturday’s doubleheader, after falling in an American Rivers Conference match 8-1 to Luther College earlier in the day.
Matthew Den Adel was 2-0 in singles after earning Central’s only point against Luther with a 6-4, 6-3 win at No. 6 singles. He also won 6-0, 6-1 against Cornell in the spot.
Den Adel and Trey Melvin were 8-1 winners at No. 2 doubles against the Rams. Alejo Marcon and AJ Wilkins also gave Central an 8-1 win at No. 3 doubles.
The Dutch took five of the six singles matches, highlighted by a 6-0, 6-0 whitewashing at No. 2 by Nick Scott and Wilkins won 6-2, 6-2 at No. 3, Caleb Hamerlinck won 6-2, 6-2 at No. 4 and Ayden Fletcher won 6-2, 6-2 at No. 5.
The Dutch host Simpson College on Tuesday for a 4 p.m. dual. Central has defeated the Storm 47 consecutive times dating back to 1992.
Central Shuts Out Cornell Women’s Tennis Team
Putting together its most dominant performance of the spring, the Central College women’s tennis team barreled its way to a 9-0 win over Cornell College Saturday afternoon.
Central was 1-3 on the spring prior to Saturdays’ win over the Rams. The top of Central’s lineup was strong in the victory. Jennifer Larson was a 7-5, 6-4 winner at No. 1 singles while Madi Whalen won 6-2, 7-5 at No. 2 The duo took the No. 1 doubles win 8-5. Jenna Hernandez won in a tie-breaking set 6-3, 4-6, 10-8 at No. 3 singles. Jenna Mitsuko Mahoney won 6-1, 6-3 at No.4. Alli Kreider was a 6-2, 6-1 winner at No. 5 and Becca Vala won 6-1, 6-0 at No. 6. Vala and Mahoney won 8-5 at No. 2 doubles. Hernandez and Brianna Lindstrom won 8-3 at No. 3 doubles.
Next on the schedule for Central is an April 12 home match against Truman State University (Mo.).
Central Distance Crew Starts Outdoor Track and Field Season Strong
A school record fell, and three other top-10 marks were recorded by the Central College track and field team at the Washington University Distance Carnival Saturday. No team scores were kept at the meet.
Between the cross country, indoor and now outdoor track and field seasons, Caroline McMartin set her sixth school record of the year in the women’s 5,000-meter run. Her time of 16 minutes, 50.17 seconds was good for sixth in the competition and is 26 seconds better than the previous school record. In the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase, Megan Johnson crossed the line in 10:51.99 to place fourth and move up to No. 2 in program history. Hailey Hill ran the women’s 10,000-meter race in 37:41.30, moving up to No. 5 in program history. She placed 17th in the event.
The men’s 1,500-meter run featured Adam Sylvia running the program’s fourth-best mark ever in 3:52.15 to finish fourth. In the men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase, Caleb Silver was 15th in 9:35.06 and Cutler Owens was 20th in 9:55.02. Noah Jorgenson was 22nd in the men’s 5,000-meter run in a time of 14:57.14
The rest of Central’s team is at the Wartburg Outdoor Select in Waverly today starting at 11 a.m.