The bullpen came through for the Central College baseball team during a 15-inning slugfest for a 12-11 win to salvage a non-conference split Tuesday night. The Dutch (15-21) fell 11-4 in the first game against the Rams.
It’s the third time since 1988 that Central played in a 15-inning affair. Tuesday’s game against Cornell went a bonus eight innings after it was originally scheduled to go seven. The official length of game was four hours and 30 minutes.
Central used seven pitchers in the win but it was Connor Susman who stole the spotlight. Making just his second varsity appearance on the mound to start the bottom of the ninth, Susman struck out 12 of the 18 batters he faced in five innings. He gave up no hits and walked just one. His 12 strikeouts were one shy of tying the school record. Another sparsely used reliever, Andrew Doyle would get the win after striking out three in the 14th and 15th innings. It was Doyle’s third appearance of the season.
The game nearly ended in the eighth inning when the Rams tied the game at 11-11 with one out. A fly out to right field appeared to be a game-winning sacrifice fly and Cornell celebrated the presumed victory. However, Central appealed that the runner left early and the umpire confirmed for an inning-ending double play. After both teams were scoreless from the ninth to 14th inning, shortstop Colton Jones ripped a two-out triple down the right field line. He scored a few pitches later on a balk for the eventual game-winning run.
The Dutch logged 20 hits, including a season-high nine doubles. Nine doubles also tied a school record set in 2018. Right fielder Colton DeRocher had two of them among his four hits. Logan McCoy’s three run home run with two outs in the top of the second ignited the Dutch offense to a five-run inning to retake the lead. Designated hitter Garrett Finley had three hits and four RBI. McCoy was the first of three times Central scored the go-ahead run in the first eight innings. Jones had an RBI single in the seventh and pinch hitter Logan Ammerman drove in a run in the eighth but the Rams matched each time. Ammerman and Jones would both finish with three hits.
In game one, Bryce Haessig took the loss on the mound for Central in his varsity starting debut. He allowed five earned runs on six walks and eight hits. Left fielder Chase Martin, catcher Brenden Mudd, and center fielder Max Steinlage each had two hits in the opener, Steinlage also scored twice and drove in a run.
The Dutch are in Decorah Friday and Saturday for a three-game set with Luther College. A top-six finish in the American Rivers Conference and a trip to the league tournament is within reach for Central. A 1 p.m. Friday doubleheader precedes the final regular season game of the year at 1 p.m. Saturday.