Central Baseball Team Falls in Extra Innings Twice
Both games went into extra innings but the Central College baseball team lost both ends of a doubleheader at Luther College Friday afternoon. Central dropped the opener to the Norse 3-2 in 10 innings and then lost 5-4 in eight innings in the second game.
Declan O’Hare finished with no decision as the game one starting pitcher in nine innings of work. He struck out four while scattering 10 hits and two walks. He stranded 11 Norse base runners, including escaping a bases loaded jam in the seventh. Landon Thiele took the loss after the walk off by Luther in the bottom of the 10th.
Game two’s starting pitcher Kurby Vowels struck out three over five innings while allowing four earned runs. He yielded seven hits and three walks. Thiele also was saddled with the loss in game two, throwing 2.2 innings of relief. He allowed just two hits and walked one.
O’Hare had a team-high two hits in the opener. His sixth-inning single enabled second baseman Colton Jones to go from first to third before Jones scored on a wild pitch just two pitches later. Right fielder Colton DeRocher had a fourth-inning home run as well. In game two, designated hitter Garrett Finley led the offense with three hits and two RBI. Right fielder Chase Martin had two hits and an RBI.
Central closes out the series against Luther with a single game at 1 p.m. today.
Central Drops to Fourth in Conference Men’s Golf Tourney
Central College’s second round was derailed early as the Dutch men’s golf team fell to fourth place Friday at the 54-hole American Rivers Conference Championship.
Defending champion Luther College shot a sizzling 292 to take command heading into the tourney’s final round Saturday at 305-292—597. Central is at 312-323—635 while Nebraska Wesleyan University is second at 313-311—624 and Wartburg College is third at 311-318—629.
The Dutch struggled on the front nine with the exception of two-time all-conference honoree Harold Dobernecker, who shot an even-par 35, but his quadruple bogey on the 10th hole led to a 45 on the back nine. He’s tied for ninth individually at 76-80—156 on the par-71 Geneva Golf and Country Club course. Central’s Kyle Gabos is tied for 13th at 78-80—158 while Cole McGriff shares 20th at 81-80—161, tied with Lucas Wendel who has 77-84—161. Jake Moffett has an 82-83–165.
The Dutch will try to close out the season strong today, with the final round of the conference championship at 9 a.m. Two players in the lineup, Gabos and Wendel, are seniors, as is Dustin Haines, who is with the squad at the tourney.
Central Wins Three Events at Dr. Tucker Open
A school record effort in the women’s pole vault by junior Amber Vroman was just one of three winning performances for the Central College track and field team at the Dr. Tucker Open hosted by Loras College Friday, where no team scores were kept.
Already the school record holder for the indoor pole vault, Vroman cleared 11 feet, 6.25 inches to claim the outdoor record as well. She’s three inches higher than the previous mark set in 2006. Theo Baldus was the men’s discus throw champion with a mark of 156-11. The women’s 5,000-meter run was won by Ellie Roorda in 20 minutes, 21.40 seconds. Eva Hoch was second in 20:36.57 and Kate Hoogensen was fourth in 21:00.19.
Caroline McMartin lowered the program standard to 4:32.57 in the women’s 1,500-meter run while finishing fourth. Peyton Steffen was fourth in the 800 meters (2:19.12) and Sara Goodenbour was fifth (2:22.71). In the men’s 1,500 meters, Noah Jorgenson was third in 3:49.30 and Adam Sylvia was fifth in 3:52.33. Jorgenson took over the school record from Sylvia, which he set just a few weeks ago.
Emily McMartin was third in the women’s 100-meter dash (12.60 seconds) and fifth in the 200-meter dash (25.58 seconds). AC Carson was fifth in the men’s 100-meter dash (11.07 seconds). Grant Miller was third in the men’s 110-meter hurdles in 15.09 seconds and Gavin Smith was fifth in the men’s 400-meter hurdles in 57.45 seconds. Other top-five places in the field events include Sam Beatty taking second in the men’s high jump (6-6.25). Allison Van Gorp was fourth in the women’s shot put in 41-8.75. Jasmyn Williams was fifth in the long jump in 16-10.25.
The Dutch are in Decorah next weekend for the American Rivers Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships. The three-day meet starts on Thursday with the decathlon and heptathlon and continues with a full slate of events Friday and Saturday.