Schaben Shines as Central Advances with Softball Shutout
Pitcher Morgan Schaben was tournament-ready. Inserted into the Central College softball team’s American Rivers Conference tourney game with Nebraska Wesleyan University Friday to get a key out in the third inning, Schaben did that and more, shutting down the Prairie Wolves the rest of the way. She threw 4.2 scoreless innings and the No. 22-ranked Dutch (31-8) advanced with a 1-0 victory.
The win was also No. 900 for associate head coach Alicia O’Brien. She compiled a 423-213-3 mark in 18 seasons as head coach at Western Connecticut State University before joining the Central staff in 2006, helping the Dutch compile a 477-188 mark in that span for a career record of 900-401-3.
Central’s starting pitcher Friday, Sydni Huisman, went 2.1 innings and only allowed a hit and a walk. But with a runner at second base, one out and a dangerous hitter coming up, head coach George Wares decided to give the opposition a different look.
Schaben, primarily a starter most of her career, has made 30 relief appearances this year, posting a 5-2 mark with four saves.
Central, which had split a doubleheader with Nebraska Wesleyan at Pella April 19, got the only run it needed in the first inning. Emma Johnson, still limited in her return from injury, appeared as the designated player and reached on an error. Third baseman Franie Burnett followed with an infield hit and Johnson scampered home on a single through the box by first baseman Megan Stuhr. Central outhit Nebraska Wesleyan 5-3.
Third-seeded Central next takes on second-seeded Luther College (31-7), ranked No. 23, at 12:30 p.m. Saturday in the single-elimination tourney, with the winner advancing to the 3 p.m. title game against the survivor of a 10 a.m. contest between top-seeded host Coe College (31-7), ranked No. 18, and fourth-seeded Wartburg College (22-16). The tournament champ receives the league’s automatic berth in the 62-team NCAA Division III Tournament field, which will be unveiled Monday at noon on ncaa.com.
All of Saturday’s action can be heard live on 92.1 KRLS with the Voice of the Dutch, Trevor Castle, handling the play-by-play. The broadcast can also be heard via kniakrls.com.
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Central’s Bohlen Bags Conference Heptathlon Title
Olivia Bohlen led the heptathlon from wire-to-wire to give the Central College women’s track and field team its first individual title Friday at the American Rivers Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
In the team standings with eight of 22 events scored, Central is tied for third with 47 points. Wartburg College leads the way with 74 points.
Bohlen won the first of seven events Thursday and never relinquished that lead. She started Friday by winning the long jump (16 feet, 4.50 inches) and closed with solid marks in the javelin throw (98-6) and 800 meters (2 minutes, 42.42 seconds) to clear the field by 304 points with a total of 4,241.
Caroline McMartin reset her own school record in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, finishing second in 10:32.58. Megan Johnson gave Central a pair of all-conference performers in the event by taking third in 10:38.03. Addison Parrott finished seventh in 11:12.09 while moving up to No. 5 in program history. The 4×800-meter relay squad of Lauren Coon, Leah Bontrager, Abby Alberti, and Hadyn Miller were fourth in 9:35.23. Kira Hooper was seventh in the 10,000-meter run in 39:04.25.
A strong outdoor season continued for long jumper Jasmyn Williams, who took fourth with a leap of 18-1.5, good for No. 9 on Central’s top-10 list. High jumper Abigail White (sophomore, Centerville) was fifth by clearing 5-0.5. Discus throwers Alyssa Streigel and Allison Van Gorp added sixth and seventh-place finishes with marks of 133-2 and 130-3, respectively. Abbi Roerdink and Lauren Brown are both going to the 400-meter dash finals Saturday after qualifying fourth (57.03 seconds) and eighth (59.89 seconds). Roerdink enters Central’s top-10 list at No. 7. Abby Gruver also advanced to the 400-meter hurdles final in 1:05.96, good for fifth.
Bohlen also squeezed in the 100-meter hurdles prelims before the last event of the heptathlon and qualified sixth for Saturday’s final in 15.54 seconds. Emily McMartin secured a spot in both the 100 and 200-meter dash finals Saturday by qualifying eighth in 12.42 seconds and 25.61 seconds, respectively.
The third and final day of the competition starts at 10 a.m. Saturday.
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Klein Secures Conference Decathlon Crown
Brody Klein’s decathlon title highlighted four all-conference performers for the Central College men’s track and field team Friday at the American Rivers Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
In the team standings with eight of 22 events scored, Central is fourth with 46 points. Wartburg College leads the way with 80 points.
Klein racked up 6,587 points over 10 events to win the decathlon. He had the best discus throw and pole vault in the field. His pole vault set a new decathlon championship meet record. Lucas Heitz moved up from No. 6 to take the runner-up position with 6,251 points. He had the best 110-meter hurdles mark in the field in 15.08 seconds. Gavin Smith finished fourth in the decathlon with 6,063 points and Reid Pakkebier was sixth with 5,988 points.
One of two runners to break the conference championship meet record on the day, Caleb Silver took second in the 3,000-meter steeplechase in 9:02.28. Theo Baldus gave Central a fourth all-conference finish, taking third in the discus throw (148-1). High jumper Sam Beatty shared fourth place after clearing 6-6.25. Joey Hovinga chipped in a point with an eighth-place finish in the 10,000-meter run (32:16.98). In the 800-meter run prelims, Noah Jorgenson had a school-record time of 1:50.91 and the second-fastest qualifying time.
Other runners to qualify for Saturday’s final during Friday’s preliminary heats were Grant Miller in the 110-meter hurdles (fourth, 14.74 seconds) and Kaleb Brand in the 400-meter dash (sixth, 49.05 seconds).
The third and final day of the competition starts at 10 a.m. Saturday.