In its first action of 2023, the 11th-ranked Central College wrestling team split a pair of non-conference duals Friday night, defeating Albion College (Mich.) 24-12 and losing to Muhlenberg College (Pa.) 21-20.

The Dutch (4-1) hosted the five-team Under Armour Duals in H.S. Kuyper Fieldhouse. Nebraska Wesleyan University and Schreiner University also competed.

After battling through some rust in the win against Albion, Central (4-1) found itself in a hole against Muhlenberg. Muhlenberg won five of the first seven matches and carried a 20-7 lead into the 184-pound match. Peyton Hammerich (senior, Princeton, Ill.) started the rally with a 13-3 major decision before Gage Linahon (junior, 197 pounds, Newton) ignited the crowd with a second-period fall to bring the Dutch within three points.

Miles Berg (senior, 285 pounds, Indianola) secured an 8-4 decision in the final match for the Dutch but it wasn’t enough as the two teams finished tied at 20-20. The Mules (7-2) won the match based on the third tie-breaking criteria, holding a 58-52 advantage on total match points in matches that don’t end in a fall.

Brock Beck (junior, Grinnell) and Pierre Baldwin (freshman, Carol Stream, Ill., West Cicago HS) both had 2-0 days at 133 and 141 pounds, respectively. Baldwin was 10-1 winner via major decision against Albion and Beck had a 14-2 major decision in the Muhlenberg match. Both won by two-point decisions in their other matches.

Linahon also went 2-0, winning a 13-5 major decision against Albion.

Central was also without the services of Rob Areyano (Selma, Calif.), a fifth-year senior and 2021 All-American, at 149 pounds in both matches.

Central hosts the 15-team Under Armour Invitational on Saturday inside H.S. Kuyper Fieldhouse, starting at 9:30 a.m.