DeRocher Sets Career Home Run Mark in Dutch Baseball Split
The Central College baseball team took the opener 12-11 Friday over Loras College while Colton DeRocher’s 25th career home run was a bright spot in a 21-6 loss in the second game.
The Dutch (15-23, 9-13 American Rivers Conference), propelled by a seven-run eighth inning, outslugged the Duhawks in the opener. Central entered the eighth frame in an 8-4 hole, and two of the first three Dutch batters were retired before stringing together seven runs with two outs. Central had 16 total hits, including one from each starter. Declan O’Hare and Jaden Kramer each had three hits. Immediately after a pitching change, Dom DeLaPaz had a two-RBI double in the middle of the eighth that gave Central the lead for the first time since the second inning. Max Steinlage started on the mound and went four innings, allowing six earned runs on seven hits and four walks. Bryce Haessig came on in relief and worked around eight hits and four earned runs in five innings to get the win.
In game two, Colton DeRocher hit his 25th career home run with a solo shot in the third inning. With that blast, DeRocher bypassed Rick Hassman, who had held the record for home runs in a career at 24 since 1989. Brayden Sawyer took the loss in game two after giving up seven runs and 11 hits in 3.0 innings. Four other Dutch relievers combined to finish the game.
The Dutch close out the 2024 season with a third game at Loras at 9:30 a.m. this morning.
Central Completes Conference Track and Field Preparation
In its final tune-up before the American Rivers Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships next weekend, the Central College men’s and women’s track and field teams both took second at a triangular hosted by Wartburg College Friday.
Central’s women had 108.5 points, trailing Wartburg’s total of 232.5. The Dutch men had 99 points while Wartburg won with 262 points.
Running the fastest time in the American Rivers Conference so far this season, Kaleb Brand won the men’s 400-meter dash in 47.91 seconds. That mark is also 23rd on the national qualifying list. Brand also anchored the runner-up squad in the men’s 4×400 meter relay, alongside Noah Erickson, JD Elefson and Jrake Van Hemert. The squad ran a time of 3 minutes, 17.89 seconds, cracking the top-50 list nationally. Gunner Meyer and Nolan Meyer finished first and second in the men’s high jump after clearing 6 foot, 5 inches and 6-3.25, respectively. The duo are No. 4 and No. 6 on the conference performance list.
Megan Johnson and Caroline McMartin took first and third in the women’s 1,500 meters in 4:29.41 and 4:30.85, respectively. The duo are now No. 9 and No. 13 on the national qualifier list. Mary Gustason, Abbi Roerdink, Emily McMartin and Ava Parkins were second in the women’s 4×100-meter relay in 47.99 seconds and are now No. 38 nationally. Amber Vroman won the women’s pole vault and now has the best mark among league athletes this season at 11-0.25.
Other event champions on the women’s side were Gustason in the 100-meter dash (12.64 seconds), Peyton Steffen in the 800-meter run (2:13.35), Kate Hoogensen in the 3,000-meter steeplechase (11:47.29), and Roerdink, Parkins, Emily McMartin and Hadyn Miller in the 4×400-meter relay (3:54.06). Kale Purcell in the triple jump was Central’s only other men’s event champion in 47-1.5.
The three-day American Rivers Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships are set to start next Thursday in Lincoln, Nebraska for the decathlon and heptathlon. The rest of the action starts Friday and runs into Saturday.