Offense struggles as Dutch suffer baseball sweep

DECATUR, ILL. — Mustering just three runs on 10 hits wasn’t enough for the Central College baseball team as it was swept 7-2, 11-1 (7 inn.) at Millikin University (Ill.) Saturday afternoon.

The Dutch evened their season record at 2-2 overall while the Big Blue are now 7-1.

Seven of the team’s hits came in the first game, but the Dutch also went down on strikes 12 times.

“The first pitcher we faced was very good,” coach Matt Schirm said. “But we needed to be able to do more off him. They made some great defensive plays to steal some hits away from us.”

A ninth-inning single by designated hitter Seth Mora (sophomore, Pueblo, Colo., South HS) in the ninth-inning of game one was the only run-scoring hit. Catcher Trevor Kimm (senior, Urbandale) scampered home on a wild pitch for the only run of game two.

Outfielders Lucas Farren (senior, Yorkville, Ill.) and Jared Kampf (junior, Peoria, Ariz., Mountain Ridge HS) each had a pair of hits in the first game and second baseman Quinn Miller (junior, Cedar Rapids, Xavier HS) had a base knock in each contest.

Ryan Riddle (senior, Omaha, Neb., Mt. Michael HS) pitched four innings of scoreless relief in the first game after starter Marcus Wenzel (senior, Chicago, Ill., Luther College North Prep) allowed five in three innings and took the loss. Landon Vander Leest (junior, Pella) was the game two starter and was handed the loss after giving up six runs in 3.1 innings of work.

“Ryan did a good job in relief of Marcus Wenzel,” Schirm said. “He kept us in that game.”

The Dutch jump into conference season Thursday, hosting Coe College in a 1 p.m. twinbill.

“We have a lot to improve up going into conference next week,” Schirm said.