Central 10th in Powerful Illinois Women’s Golf Field
Competing against some of the NCAA Division III’s best women’s golf squads, Central College stands 10th in a 19-team field at the Kathy Niepagen Spring Fling Saturday.
Teams completed 27 holes in the 36-hole tourney, leaving nine holes for a shortened final round Sunday as wet, cold and windy conditions are expected to roll in. Central shot 326-159—485, 53-over-par on the par-72 Ironwood Golf Course.
Thea Lunning shot 82-37—119 while Delaney Underwood had 80-40—120, Mackenzie Biggs shot 82-41—123, Madison Clark shot 82-43—125 and Lydia Grond had 85-40—125.
The Dutch, who claimed the American Rivers title last fall, have secured a berth in the NCAA Division III Championships May 9-12 at Howey-in-the-Hills, Florida.
Dutch Rally Past Duhawks for Men’s Tennis Win
Needing to win the last two matches on the court, the Central College men’s tennis team got the job done for a 5-4 American Rivers Conference road win at Loras College Saturday morning.
After slipping 6-4 in the first set, Trey Melvin stormed back for a 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 victory at No. 1 singles. Melvin’s win leveled the score at 4-4 with just the No. 5 singles match remaining on the court. Ayden Fletcher secured the team win 20 minutes later with a 6-2, 6-2 win. Matthew Den Adel gave another steady effort at No. 6, winning 6-0, 6-3. Nick Scott and Caleb Hamerlinck won 8-6 at No. 1 doubles. Alejo Marcon and AJ Wilkins won by the same margin at No. 3 doubles.
Central evened its overall record at 9-9 overall and 4-1 conference. The Dutch travel to Buena Vista University Wednesday for a 4 p.m. match in Storm Lake.
Central Loses in Shortened Women’s Tennis Match
In its final regular season competition, the Central College women’s tennis team lost to Augustana College (Ill.) 6-0 Saturday afternoon
The Dutch (6-12) were defeated by the Vikings (9-6) in a match that was also delayed over three hours by weather. Central lost all three doubles matches and the top-three singles matches. The Nos. 4-6 singles matches were not completed. Becca Vala was leading the No. 6 singles match 7-6 (7-2), 3-0 when it was called off.
The single-elimination American Rivers Conference tournament starts Tuesday for Central with a trip to Nebraska Wesleyan University for a 4 p.m. match. The Prairie Wolves are the No. 3 seed and Central is the No. 6. The Dutch lost 7-2 in Lincoln on September 9.
Central Baseball Team Swept in Minnesota
Stepping out of American Rivers Conference action for the weekend, the Central College baseball team was swept at Gustavus Adolphus College (Minn.) on Saturday. The Dutch (11-16) lost the opener 13-6 against the Gusties before falling 10-0 in a seven-inning nightcap.
Freshman Max Steinlage got the start in center field in both games and had a two RBI single in the second inning of the opener. Second baseman Colton Jones had two hits in game one including an RBI single. Right fielder Colton DeRocher and third baseman Declan O’Hare each had solo home runs as well. Chance Dreyer was the losing pitcher in game one, allowing five earned runs in three innings of work. O’Hare took the loss as the starter in game two, giving up two earned and three unearned runs in his only inning of work. Central used a total of five relievers to close out the games.
Central returns home Tuesday for a 3 p.m. game against Buena Vista University. It’s the finale of a three-game series against the Beavers that started with a Buena Vista sweep in Storm Lake on April 4.
Dutch Women Battle Wind at Kansas Relays
On another windy day in Kansas, the Central College women’s track and field team wrapped up its trip to the Kansas Relays Saturday with important experiences.
The meet was called off due to the worsening weather conditions before Central’s 4×400-meter relay team could compete. In the 400-meter dash finals, Abbi Roerdink took seventh in 1 minute, 0.68 seconds. The 4×100-meter relay team of Mary Gustason, Olivia Bohlen, Willa Sickelka and Emily McMartin cut .50 seconds off its preliminary time, finishing eighth in 49.51 seconds.
Central has a pair of meets in Nebraska next week. The multi-event crew will be in Crete, Nebraska for the John Green Combined Events hosted by Doane University on Thursday and Friday. The rest of the team will be at the Nebraska Wesleyan and Simpson triangular on Saturday.