Central Bursts into Conference Softball Lead

Forcing its way into the American Rivers Conference title picture, the #20-ranked Central College softball team took down #17 Coe College in assertive fashion, 2-1 and 11-4 Saturday.

The road sweep, which was broadcast live on 92.1 KRLS, propelled the Dutch (29-5 overall) into first place in the tightly contested conference race at 10-2 while Coe remains in hot pursuit at 11-3. The wins also vault Luther College (26-6 overall, 7-3 conference) into the picture as well and the Norse loom next on the Central schedule in a conference twinbill Wednesday at 2 p.m. at the A.N. Kuyper Athletics Complex softball field.

The opener had a familiar feel for the two traditional contenders as Central’s Sydni Huisman had a masterful pitching performance in a tense, one-run win. Huisman was touched for a solo second-inning home run but otherwise kept the Kohawks under wraps. Huisman (14-3) scattered five hits and two walks over seven innings with seven strikeouts.

Central responded to the Coe homer in the third inning with the only offense it needed as first baseman Megan Stuhr rocked a two-run double. The Dutch were also limited to five hits. It was just the second seven-inning complete game of the season for Huisman. 

But while form held in the opener, there was little predictable about game two and certainly not a six-run third-inning explosion that saw Central unleash its small-ball attack, sending 10 batters to the plate. Farrington had a two-run hit and designated player Emma Lenox had an RBI hit.

Morgan Schaben entered in the fifth inning of game two after starter Emma Beck allowed a leadoff double but Coe was able to avert a mercy rule loss by cutting the margin to 8-3. Central responded with two runs in the sixth and, after Coe scored another run in the sixth, the Dutch answered again with a tally in the seventh. Stuhr, who also had a run-scoring hit in the first inning, drove in another in the sixth, as did Lenox. Third baseman Franie Burnett knocked in a run in the seventh. Lenox had three hits in the game while Stuhr and Farrington each had two. Beck returned in the sixth inning and finished the game as she improved to 10-0. She threw 6.0 innings, allowing a run on five hits with five walks and four strikeouts.

Saturday’s victories also pushed associate head coach Alicia O’Brien closer to another major milestone. Her 475-185 record at Central, combined with her 423-213-3 mark in 18 seasons as head coach at Western Connecticut State University, give her a career mark of 898-398-3.

Her opportunity to reach the 900-win mark is a daunting one with Luther up next and the Norse in position to move to the top of the conference. 

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O’Hare Strikes Out Nine in Dutch Baseball Win

Another gem from Central College baseball starting pitcher Declan O’Hare gave the team a split over Wartburg College Saturday afternoon.

O’Hare went the distance in a 3-2 Dutch (14-20, 8-13 American Rivers Conference) win in the opener. Central lost the nightcap to the Knights 5-3. In his second straight complete game, O’Hare struck out a career-high nine batters while scattering eight hits. Central was scoreless through seven innings before first baseman Garrett Finley had a two RBI double and shortstop Kasey Carter drove in a third run with a single to left field to put Central ahead 3-1. The Knights added one a tally in the ninth inning but O’Hare held on for the complete game win.

The Dutch offense struggled early in game two before loading the bases to start the ninth inning while trailing 5-0. Logan McCoy’s double plated two runs and three batters later Finley added another RBI single. Sam Staley took the loss as game two’s starting pitcher, giving up three earned runs in four innings. Landon Thiele allowed one more earned run in his four innings of relief.

The Dutch travel to Mount Vernon Tuesday for a 4 p.m. doubleheader with Cornell College.

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Central Men’s Shuttle Hurdle Relay Team Shines at Drake

In its final appearance at the 2023 Drake Relays Saturday, the Central College men’s track and field team saw another school record fall in the men’s shuttle hurdle relay.

The quartet of Lucas Heitz, Grant Miller, Reid Pakkebier and Connor Miklos finished fourth in 1 minute, 0.17 seconds. It was nearly two seconds better than the previous school record set at the 2022 Drake Relays. The shuttle hurdle relay is typically only contested at the Drake Relays. The record had previously stood from 1993 to 2022.

Central closes out the regular season next Friday at the Dr. Tucker Invitational hosted by Loras College in Dubuque.

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Dutch Compete at Siouxperman Triathlon

With no official collegiate triathlons available this spring, the Central College triathlon team entered age-group races at the Siouxperman Triathlon Saturday

Central’s spring roster of five was entered into either the 13-19 year old age division or the 20-29 year old division to contest the 300-meter swim, 25-kilometer bike and 5-kilometer run. Those distances are not the distances the team will compete in during the fall season.

The Dutch freshmen Grace Benson, Taylor Jones and Luci Laidlaw finished fifth, sixth, and seventh in the overall women’s race, respectively. Benson crossed the line in 1:24.32, Jones in 1:26.46 and Laidlaw in 1:28.15. Laidlaw had the team’s fastest run in 24:15, Jones was the fastest swimmer in 2:48 and Benson had the fastest bike in 50:21.

Seniors Grace Parrish and Jessica Carithers completed their final triathlon for the Dutch. Parrish was 38th in the women’s division in 1:50.11 and Carithers was 45th in 1:57.14.