1200! Another Wares milestone in Central softball opener
EDWARDSVILLE, ILL.—The winningest coach in NCAA Division III softball history needed just one game in 2023 to reach yet another milestone in an epic career.
Central College coach George Wares became the first Division III coach to post 1,200 victories as the Dutch softball team opened with a 1-0 win over Webster University (Mo.) before dropping a 5-4, eight-inning battle with DePauw University (Ind.) at the Fontbonne (Mo.) Invitational Saturday.
Wares, starting his 39th year at Central, has a 1,200-427-3 (.737) career mark and has won four NCAA national titles.
The latest milestone win, like so many previous Dutch victories, was the result of dominant pitching, solid defense and just enough offense.
Pitchers Sydni Huisman (senior, Treynor) and Morgan Schaben (senior, Portsmouth, Harlan HS), both coming off an off-season of recovery after dealing with injuries in 2022, combined on a one-hit shutout in the opener over Webster (0-6). Huisman, who missed most of last year, sparkled, yielding just one hit and a walk over 5.2 innings while striking out six. Schaben threw 1.1 innings of hitless relief to secure the save.
“They both pitched well,” Wares said. “The percentage of first-pitch strikes for Sydni was way better than it’s ever been. That’s something we’ve really tried to emphasize with all of (the pitchers).”
Central mustered just three hits but had two in the second inning as left fielder Megan Doty (senior, Grinnell) doubled and scored on a single to center by designated player Emma Lenox (sophomore, Fremont, Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont HS).
Central struck first against DePauw (2-0) as second baseman Haley Bach (sophomore, Council Bluffs, Lewis Central HS) walked, stole two bases and raced home on a wild pitch. But then the Dutch yielded three unearned DePauw runs in the bottom of the first. Catcher Madison Farrington (senior, Marshalltown, East Marshall HS) tripled and scored in the second. DePauw made it 4-2 in the fourth but Central tied it in the fifth as Bach reached on an error and center fielder Emma Johnson (senior, Davenport, Assumption HS) walked, with both coming home on a single by third baseman Franie Burnett (junior, Ankeny, Centennial HS).
The international tiebreaker was employed in the eighth and DePauw got the winner on a two-out wild pitch.
Central had seven hits but was the victim of a triple play.
“The disappointing thing is we had so many opportunities,” Wares said.
Freshman pitcher Emma Beck (Holland, Grundy Center HS) threw six innings, allowing just three hits—including two in the first inning—while striking out four. Schaben threw two innings of relief and absorbed the loss.
Wares was encouraged by Beck’s collegiate debut.
“It was a very good outing against a team that is going to win a lot of games,” he said.
While acknowledging the milestone, Wares is keeping his attention, as always, fixed squarely on the game ahead. But he said the record is reflective of the hundreds of talented players he’s coached.
“I don’t want to downplay the record because that kind of disrespects all the players and coaches that were a part of it,” he said. “I was obviously aware of it because I had plenty of time in the off-season to see it was at 1,199. So I knew it was going to happen and it was fun for the players.”
Central continues play Sunday, meeting Hanover College (Ind.) (0-2) at 1 p.m. and the University of the Ozarks (Ark.) (3-3) at 3 p.m.
