A remarkable Central College softball season that extended beyond what many anticipated nearly went another step further before an abrupt halt in NCAA Division III tournament play Saturday, as heard on 92.1 KRLS. After one of the year’s more disappointing showings in a 10-1 six-inning setback against Lake Forest College (Ill.) in the Regional Friday, the Dutch rebounded with a 6-1 victory to oust the College of Saint Benedict Saturday before getting toppled by Wis.-La Crosse 5-1. The Dutch knew they faced perhaps the season’s biggest challenge in needing to win four straight games for the regional title after dropping Friday’s opener, particularly having to ride the arm of pitcher Mariah Fritz most of the way. But Fritz did what she needed against Saint Benedict, with one of her most efficient outings of the year. She threw just 79 pitches for the complete-game six-hitter, walking three. That’s after enduring 73 pitches just to get through the first two innings Friday and finishing with 128 over five innings. She then held Wis.-La Crosse scoreless for the first four innings in Saturday’s second game before yielding a two-run homer in the fifth. But that loomed large as Central had mustered just one through the first five frames, and a comeback attempt came to a tie but no lead late. Central hit just .192 for the weekend. And easing the sting of Saturday’s setback was a dizzying regular-season finish that saw Central soar to an American Rivers title after staring at a three-game deficit with just four league games to play. The Dutch followed that by capturing the league tournament title as well. Central graduates six seniors in Lauren Bagby, Danielle Riley, Mariah Fritz, Kylie Olson, Sadie Baugher and pinch-runner Kendra Sexton.