Central Baseball Team Falls Short in Wartburg Series Opener

The offense did not click enough for the Central College baseball team in a 6-2 loss Friday night against Wartburg College.

The Dutch (13-19, 7-12 American Rivers Conference) offense had eight hits, including five in the final two innings combined. Right fielder Colton DeRocher had two hits, including a sixth inning double that helped Central score a run two batters later. Garrett Finley had an RBI hit by pitch in the sixth inning and Logan McCoy had an RBI single in the ninth. A large crowd was cheering on the Dutch Friday and starting pitcher Kurby Vowels returning to the site of his high school career was at least partially responsible. Vowels struck out six in 4.1 innings while allowing four earned runs on seven hits and three walks. Reliever Brendan Short, struck out four of the 12 batters he faced 2.2 innings. He scattered four hits and allowed one run. Caleb Evans allowed one run while pitching the ninth.

Central and Wartburg continue the series with a doubleheader at 1 p.m. Saturday in Waverly.

Another Dutch Women’s Distance Event Record Rewritten at Drake

The barrage of broken records for the Central College women’s track and field’s distance crew continued Friday at Drake Relays in the 4×1600-meter relay.

The record was the fourth new record in races over 1,500 meters set this outdoor season. An additional five records were broken indoors. Megan Johnson, Peyton Steffen, Sara Goodenbour and Caroline McMartin crossed the line in 20 minutes, 41.75 seconds, beating the old record by 37 seconds. Seven of the 10 teams in the field were NCAA Division I programs. The women’s 4×100-meter relay team of Mary Gustason, Abbi Roerdink, Willa Sickelka and Emily McMartin ran a season-best time of 48.54 to take 11th in the prelims. Roerdink, Abby Gruver, Olivia Bohlen and Lauren Brown were 14th in the women’s 4×400-meter relay in 4:01.47, also a season-best mark. Gustason, Sickelka, Bohlen, McMartin were 16th in the women’s 4×200-meter relay in 1:43.92

The men also ran the 4×1600-meter relay and Noah Jorgenson, Adam Sylvia, Ben DeValk, and Caleb Silver were 10th in 17:18.34. In the field events, Sam Beatty tied for ninth in the men’s high jump after clearing 6 feet, 6.75 inches. Kale Purcell was 12th in the triple jump with a mark of 44-6.75 The men’s 4×200-meter relay team of Connor Miklos, Jackson Moats, Brian Hart, and AC Carson finished 18th in 1:29.72

The men’s shuttle hurdle relay team is set to close out Central’s Drake Relays appearance at 12:08 p.m. Saturday.