Central’s Tallman steals 100th in NFCA softball split
TUCSON, ARIZ.—Center fielder Sara Tallman (senior, Pella) stole her 100th career base as Central College unleashed its trademark running game again Saturday in a split on day two softball action at the NFCA Division III Leadoff Classic.
The Dutch (5-1) absorbed their first loss in the opener, loading the bases in the seventh inning before tumbling against LeTourneau University (Texas) 3-2, then roaring past Emerson College (Mass.) 9-1 in five innings. Central improved to 3-1 in the elite three-day, 24-team event.
The Dutch had nine stolen bases on the day. Tallman was 3-for-3 at the plate against Emerson, with two runs scored and two steals. She’s now 14 behind Central career record holder Daniela Grob (1997-2000).
“Sara’s playing really well,” coach George Wares said. “She’s playing well defensively, too. Every at-bat is a tough one and she’s making good decisions. She’s also showing a lot of leadership. She’s doing a whole lot behind the scenes.”
Central got a pair of unearned first-inning runs against LeTourneau (10-5), only to give up three in the bottom of the inning. Both teams were scoreless the rest of the way. Freshman pitcher Sydni Huisman (Treynor), now 2-1, gave up eight hits and two walks but struck out eight, giving her 17 whiffs in two days.
“It was her first time pitching back-to-back days and that was probably a little bit of a factor,” Wares said. “There were a couple of plays in the first inning that weren’t errors but were plays that didn’t get made that could have gotten us out of it but give LeTourneau credit. They swing it well. And as the game went on, Sydni got better. She made some really good pitches.”
A leadoff single by right fielder Shaye Witte (senior, West Des Moines, Waukee HS) triggered Central’s seventh-inning threat. The Dutch stranded the bases loaded but Wares was encouraged.
“It was a really good softball game,” he said. “It was a loss but in some ways it leaves me even more optimistic with the way we were able to hang around and do some things defensively that gave us a chance.”
Central’s two other rookie hurlers, Skylar Sadler (Lisbon) and Morgan Schaben (Harlan), shared the pitching duties against Emerson with senior Lauren Shirley (Queen Creek, Ariz., Seton Catholic HS). Sadler threw 2.2 scoreless innings, allowing two hits and two walks with two strikeouts before being replaced by Schaben (2-0), who had another promising relief appearance. She fanned three in 1.1 hitless innings to get the win. Shirley allowed a run on a hit and two walks in the fifth inning.
“Skylar was fine, there was really no reason to take her out, but we made the decision we were going to split it up,” Wares said. “Morgan is really commanding her change-up right now and throwing with pretty good velocity.”
Shortstop Daria Parchert (junior, Illinois City, Ill., Rockridge HS) was 2-for-2 with a run scored as Central recorded nine hits. Wares used 18 players in the contest.
Central draws two more challenging assignments to complete NFCA Leadoff play Sunday, tackling Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (Calif.) at 9 a.m. (11 a.m. Central Daylight Time) and the No. 19 University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (Texas) at 1 p.m. (3 p.m. Central).
Claremont-Mudd-Scripps took an 8-8 record into Saturday’s action but has played a taxing schedule and is traditionally among the top teams in the region. Mary Hardin-Baylor was 10-2 at the start of the day and plays Claremont-Mudd-Scripps later in the afternoon.
“There’s nothing easy here,” Wares said. “We’d like to win both but even a split would give us a pretty good weekend.”
