A ninth-inning rally featuring four home runs by the Central College baseball team helped the Dutch finish the 2024 season on a winning note in a 16-15 victory over Loras College Saturday morning.

Central was trailing 13-9 entering the final frame of the weekend series against Loras. A two-run home run by Declan O’Hare was immediately followed by a Colton Jones solo shot. Coming off the bench for his first varsity game since April 9th, Garrett Guenther planted a three-run home run over the fence to give Central a 15-13 lead. Guenther’s blast had tied the school record for team home runs in a game after Brayden Sawyer and Dom DeLaPaz each had two-run homers earlier in the contest. Max Steinlage made it a school record six homers, when his deep drive to center field went off the fence and kicked away from the Duhawk outfielders, enabling the sophomore to connect for an inside-the-park home run. Senior Logan McCoy scored three times from his leadoff spot, and fellow senior Colton DeRocher had two hits and two runs scored.

After removing starting pitcher Boston Devault in the third inning following seven earned runs on eight hits in 2.2 innings, Central used three different relievers. It was O’Hare who got the win in his final collegiate appearance, pitching the eighth and ninth innings and allowing two runs on three hits and three strikeouts. He stranded the winning run on first base to end the game.

Central finishes the season with a 16-23 overall record and graduates nine seniors from this year’s team.