Schaben wins two in Central softball sweep
PELLA—Prepping for what lies ahead, Central College pushed pitcher Morgan Schaben (junior, Portsmouth, Harlan HS) into some extended duty and she responded with a pair of softball wins over Fontbonne University (Mo.) Sunday 4-1 and 8-0 in six innings.
After dropping a pair of decisions to Bethel University (Minn.) Saturday, Schaben pitched 12 innings Sunday. She scattered seven hits and a walk in giving up one run while striking out five in a seven-inning complete game in the opener. In the second game, she blanked Fontbonne (3-11) on two hits and a walk over 5.0 innings with two strikeouts.
“That was the plan,” Wares said, noting the Dutch will need extra innings from their most veteran healthy pitcher in conference action. “She was around the plate and commanded the count reasonably well. Just like every pitcher tries to do, she kept them out of rhythm. She didn’t have too many strikeouts but she got a ton of easy outs.”
Emma Neu (junior, Rochelle Park, N.J., Hackenack HS) threw a hitless sixth inning. The Dutch ended it early with a four-run sixth inning.
Central (12-8) was outhit in the opener, 7-6, but broke on top with a three-run first inning as first baseman Megan Stuhr (junior, Sigourney) and designated player Lauren Birt (senior, Ankeny, Centennial HS) stroked run-scoring hits. Center fielder Emma Johnson (junior, Davenport, Assumption HS) was 2-for-3 in the game and had five hits on the day to take over the season batting lead at .469. She batted .636 in four games for the weekend.
“The top six in the order are doing a good job and I was happy with the two pinch-hitters we had come off the bench,” Wares said, referencing freshmen Emma Lenox (Fremont, Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont HS) and Alexa Anderson (Mount Ayr). “They both hit the ball hard.”
After some missteps on the basepaths and defensively against Bethel, Wares saw progress in both areas. Right fielder Franie Burnett (sophomore, Ankeny, Centennial HS) pulled off her second steal of home of the season and second baseman Haley Bach (freshman, Council Bluffs, Lewis Central HS) swiped her team-leading 18th base of the year. Bach also drew three walks and had a hit on the day as Central outhit Fontbonne 8-2 in the second game. The Dutch were the beneficiaries of five Fontbonne errors.
Bach drew some defensive praise as well.
“She’s getting better and better at second base,” Wares said. “She’s still learning, but I think we’ve found her position.”
Central opens American Rivers play Thursday with a home doubleheader with Simpson College starting at 2 p.m. at the A.N. Kuyper Athletics Complex field. A video webcast and live stats can be accessed through athletics.central.edu with an audio webcast airing on kniakrls.com or directly through rdo.to/krls3. Simpson is 15-6 after sweeping a Sunday doubleheader at Monmouth College (Ill.) 4-1 and 7-1. Simpson split with Greenville College (Ill.) Saturday, winning 6-0 before stumbling 3-2. Central took two of three games from Simpson last year and holds a 77-52-1 lead in the teams’ all-time series.
“The league is a little more wide-open this year,” Wares said. “One thing is this team is never lacking in energy or heart. They’ve been beaten up a few times but they always respond and bounce back.”
