Central wins marathon game for baseball split
MOUNT VERNON — The bullpen came through for the Central College baseball team during a 15-inning slugfest for a 12-11 win to salvage a non-conference split Tuesday night.
The Dutch (15-21) fell 11-4 in the first game against the Rams (20-17).
It’s the third time since 1988 that Central played in a 15-inning affair. Tuesday’s game against Cornell went a bonus eight innings after it was originally scheduled to go seven. The official length of game was four hours and 30 minutes.
Central used seven pitchers in the win but it was Connor Susman (junior, Corona, Calif., Hillcrest HS) who stole the spotlight. Making just his second varsity appearance on the mound to start the bottom of the ninth, Susman struck out 12 of the 18 batters he faced in five innings. He gave up no hits and walked just one. His 12 strikeouts were one shy of tying the school record.
“I’m so impressed with Conor,” coach Casey Klunder said. “He was ready when his number was called. He comes to work every single day and I love the way he prepares. He earned this opportunity and he made the most of it.”
Another sparsely used reliever, Andrew Doyle (junior, Bettendorf, Pleasant Valley HS) would get the win after striking out three in the 14th and 15th innings. It was Doyle’s third appearance of the season.
“That’s the best he’s looked in a Dutch uniform,” Klunder said. “The breaking ball was sharp and he had a little zip on the fastball.”
The game nearly ended in the eighth inning when the Rams tied the game at 11-11 with one out. A fly out to right field appeared to be a game-winning sacrifice fly and Cornell celebrated the presumed victory. However, Central appealed that the runner left early and the umpire confirmed for an inning-ending double play.
“I’m so proud of our effort in game two,” Klunder said. “We talk about persevering through adversity and there was plenty of it. It’s the best we’ve handled adversity all year.”
After both teams were scoreless from the ninth to 14th inning, shortstop Colton Jones (junior, Knoxville) ripped a two-out triple down the right field line. He scored a few pitches later on a balk for the eventual game-winning run.
“Colton played well all day,” Klunder said. “He’s been the odd man out in some instances but he was ready. He’s another upperclassmen who comes ready to play and it was fun to watch him compete.”
The Dutch logged 20 hits, including a season-high nine doubles. Nine doubles also tied a school record set in 2018. Right fielder Colton DeRocher (Sioux City, East HS) had two of them among his four hits.
Logan McCoy’s (junior, second baseman, Galva, Alta-Aurelia HS) three run home run with two outs in the top of the second ignited the Dutch offense to a five-run inning to retake the lead. Designated hitter Garrett Finley (senior, DeWitt, Central DeWitt HS) had three hits and four RBI.
McCoy was the first of three times Central scored the go-ahead run in the first eight innings. Jones had an RBI single in the seventh and pinch hitter Logan Ammerman (junior, Rapid City, S.D., Spearfish HS) drove in a run in the eighth but the Rams matched each time. Ammerman and Jones would both finish with three hits.
In game one, Bryce Haessig (freshman, Huxley, Ballard HS) took the loss on the mound for Central in his varsity starting debut. He allowed five earned runs on six walks and eight hits.
Left fielder Chase Martin (sophomore, Port St. Lucie, Fla., John Carroll HS), catcher Brenden Mudd (senior, Greenwood Village, Colo., Cheery Creek HS) and center fielder Max Steinlage (freshman, Cedar Falls) each had two hits in the opener, Steinlage also scored twice and drove in a run.
The Dutch are in Decorah Friday and Saturday for a three-game set with Luther College. A top-six finish in the American Rivers Conference and a trip to the league tournament is within reach for Central. A 1 p.m. Friday doubleheader precedes the final regular season game of the year at 1 p.m. Saturday.
