Central Baseball Team Squeaks Past Nebraska Wesleyan

A three-run eighth inning pushed the Central College baseball team to a 7-6 win at Nebraska Wesleyan University Friday in the American Rivers Conference opener for both squads.

Trailing 5-4 after seven complete innings, the Dutch started the eighth with Logan McCoy reaching on a hit by pitch and Max Steinlage’s single. Colton DeRocher’s groundout put both runners in scoring position for catcher Dom DeLaPaz, who roped a single into right field for two RBIs and the lead. Declan O’Hare followed with an RBI double to put the Dutch in front 7-5.

Reliever Bryce Haessig picked up his second win after tossing the final three frames. The Prairie Wolves tagged him for two runs on five hits and two walks while striking out twice. Haessig was in relief of O’Hare who gave up just four runs in six innings despite allowing 11 hits and four walks.

DeLaPaz and Steinlage each had two hits while DeLaPaz led the way with three RBIs. Dylan Williams had an RBI double in the fifth and DeRocher had a solo home run in the third. Central was outhit by Nebraska Wesleyan 16-8 but the Prairie Wolves stranded 10 runners compared to just three for the Dutch.

Central and Nebraska Wesleyan play a doubleheader Saturday in Lincoln at noon.

Distance Carnival Yields Big Marks for Central Track and Field Athletes

Competing at the Washington University Distance Carnival in a field of over 1,000 athletes from at least 100 institutions, the Central College track and field team’s distance crew started its outdoor season with strong efforts in the 5,000-meter run.

A total of 32 Dutch student-athletes competed in either a men’s or women’s 5,000-meter race Friday at the distance carnival hosted by Washington University in St. Louis (Mo.).

The only Central athlete to compete in a race other than the 5,000 was Megan Johnson in the women’s 10,000-meter run, in which she finished fourth in 35 minutes, 00.33 seconds and broke the 42-year-old school record by over two minutes.

Johnson and Caroline McMartin were the only athletes to compete on Thursday as McMartin raced in the fastest heat of the women’s 5,000. She was third in her heat in 16:29.11, knocking 21 seconds off her previous best and school record.

Running together in the fifth heat Friday, four Central women worked together in the 5000 meters. Peyton Steffen was the top finisher, taking 25th overall in 17:26.24. Addison Parrott , Kira Hooper and Lindsey Davidson were close behind in 17:40.91 (40th), 18:33.47 (79th) and 18:35.36 (81st), respectively.

Noah Jorgenson was the top Dutch entry in the men’s 5,000-meter race, taking 27th overall in 14:43.14. Caleb Silver, who ran in Jorgenson’s heat, was 48th overall in 15:03.02.

Central’s full team will compete next weekend at the Wartburg Select in Waverly, and a handful of athletes will compete on Friday before the full team joins on Saturday.