Building some early-season momentum, the Central College softball team coasted to a pair of victories Sunday to complete a 3-1 weekend at the Fontbonne (Mo.) Invitational. The Dutch rolled past Hanover College (Ind.) 8-1 and the University of the Ozarks (Ark.) 7-1, racking up 24 hits on the day.

Pitchers Sydni Huisman (senior, Treynor) threw six more shutout innings against Ozarks, yielding just a hit and a walk while striking out five in moving to 2-0. Morgan Schaben (senior, Portsmouth, Harlan HS) got the victory over Hanover, throwing the first three innings and returning to pitch the seventh. She allowed four hits in four innings with two strikeouts and no walks. Freshman Emma Beck (Holland, Grundy Center HS) pitched three innings, yielding a run on five hits.

Third baseman Franie Burnett (junior, Ankeny, Centennial HS) had five hits and three stolen bases on the day while second baseman Haley Bach (sophomore, Council Bluffs, Lewis Central HS) had four hits and scored four runs. First baseman Megan Stuhr (junior, Sigourney) had three hits.

Central is off until heading to Arizona for the Tucson Invitational Games during spring break. The Dutch open play there Friday, March 10th against Bethany Lutheran College (Minn.) at noon (Central Time). An audio stream of the games with the Voice of the Dutch, Trevor Castle, can be accessed at kniakrls.com. Central will play 12 games on the trip over eight days.