For our number nine entry on the list of the top 10 sports stories at Central College during the 2023-2024 school year, we look at the softball team’s quick start to the American Rivers Conference season.

Coe, Central and Wartburg were picked to finish one-two-three, and the league schedule makers gave the Dutch home matchups against both the Kohawks and the Knights for their first two ARC doubleheaders.

It didn’t get off to a good start, as Coe jumped out to a 6-0 lead after just an inning-and-a-half of game one, but Central eventually rallied to tie it with a four run seventh inning, then walked it off in the eighth, winning 10-9.

Game two was another nail biter, with the Dutch building an early 5-1 lead before the Kohawks clawed back to make it 5-4, but Emma Beck retired the final seven batters to close out the sweep.

Three days later, Wartburg came to town for an expected heavyweight fight, but the Dutch landed a pair of easy knockouts, winning 10-2 and 8-0, both in five innings.

That 4-0 start propelled Central to a 13-3 conference record and the program’s 14th regular-season championship. The Dutch also added a regional championship and advanced to the NCAA Super Regionals, finishing the season at 33-13.