The Central College softball team will battle St. Benedict of Minnesota this afternoon in the opening round of the NCAA Division III tournament in Indianola. The Dutch are the number three seed in the four team regional and enter the postseason with a record of 29-12. St. Ben’s has won 22 games in a row, including the Minnesota Conference tournament, and are seeded second with a record of 33-9.
The Dutch have had an up-and-down season, with a pair of signature wins over top 10 teams in Simpson and Washington University, but erratic pitching has also led to some frustrating losses. Along the way, the Central defense has been steady, as they enter the postseason fifth in the country with a .976 fielding percentage. Offensive, the Dutch are ninth in the nation in walks and 13th in stolen bases.
Central and St. Ben’s have played 11 times in a series dating back to 1993. The Dutch are 7-4 in those meetings, and most recently split a regular season doubleheader in 2024.
First pitch is scheduled at 1:30pm at Simpson College, with pregame set to hit the air at 1:15 on 92.1 KRLS.
