Schaben shines as Central advances with softball shutout

CEDAR RAPIDS—Pitcher Morgan Schaben (senior, Portsmouth, Harlan HS) was tournament-ready.

Inserted into the Central College softball team’s American Rivers tourney game with Nebraska Wesleyan University Friday to get a key out in the third inning, Schaben did that and more, shutting down the Prairie Wolves the rest of the way. She threw 4.2 scoreless innings and the No. 22-ranked Dutch (31-8) advanced with a 1-0 victory.

The win was also No. 900 for associate head coach Alicia O’Brien. She compiled a 423-213-3 mark in 18 seasons as head coach at Western Connecticut State University before joining the Central staff in 2006, helping the Dutch compile a 477-188 mark in that span for a career record of 900-401-3.

Third-seeded Central next takes on second-seeded Luther College (31-7), ranked No. 23, at 12:30 p.m. Saturday in the single-elimination tourney, with the winner advancing to the 3 p.m. title game against the survivor of a 10 a.m. contest between top-seeded host Coe College (31-7), ranked No. 18, and fourth-seeded Wartburg College (22-16). The tournament champ receives the league’s automatic berth in the 62-team NCAA Division III Tournament field, which will be unveiled Monday at noon on ncaa.com.

All of Saturday’s action can be heard live on KRLS-FM (92.1) with the Voice of the Dutch, Trevor Castle, handling the play-by-play. The broadcast can also be heard via kniakrls.com.

Central’s starting pitcher Friday, Sydni Huisman (senior, Treynor), went 2.1 innings and only allowed a hit and a walk. But with a runner at second base, one out and a dangerous hitter coming up, coach George Wares decided to give the opposition a different look.

“The initial plan was to get through the inning but then when Morgan started throwing, you could tell it was one of those days when she’s got everything,” Wares said. “Her screwball was working, her change-up was working, her curve was working, she was just in a really good rhythm. It just didn’t make any sense to take her out.”

Schaben, primarily a starter most of her career, has made 30 relief appearances this year, posting a 5-2 mark with four saves.

“Everybody wants to start but she literally said, ‘Coach, just tell me when, I’ll give you what I can,’ and she truly means it,” Wares said. “I don’t know if even she had any thought of going that long today. Obviously, we made a couple of really good defensive plays behind her and she just didn’t let them get anything going.”

Central, which had split a doubleheader with Nebraska Wesleyan at Pella April 19, got the only run it needed in the first inning. Emma Johnson (senior, Davenport, Assumption Catholic HS), still limited in her return from injury, appeared as the designated player and reached on an error. Third baseman Franie Burnett (junior, Ankeny, Centennial HS) followed with an infield hit and Johnson scampered home on a single through the box by first baseman Megan Stuhr (junior, Sigourney). Central outhit Nebraska Wesleyan 5-3.

The Dutch also got a lift again from Makenna Hall (senior, Keokuk, Central Lee HS), who filled in for Johnson in center field. In just her second career start, she not only shined defensively but had a base hit as well.

“Talk about somebody that’s embracing her role,” Wares said. “She just kind of sticks her body across the plate and tries to bunt or slap it through. And defensively, obviously she’s athletic, she’s got a good arm and she made a couple of really nice plays on line drives. She’s giving us what we need until we get Emma (Johnson) back.”

Wares credited Nebraska Wesleyan senior pitcher Elise Warneke for Central’s limited offensive output.

“She just keeps you off balance,” he said. “She changes speeds all the time and changes locations all the time. She’s been tough on us two times.”

Also tough on the Dutch is star Luther pitcher Kendra Cooper, who beat Central twice at Pella May 3, 6-2 and 1-0. A victory enhances the winner’s resume for possible NCAA tournament selection, just as Friday’s win did for the Dutch.

“As we told the players, you never are 100% confident, but we feel this is another steep towards having our name called on Monday,” Wares said. “But we also want to win the (conference) tournament. That’s something you can’t have taken away. And win two tomorrow and you know you’re in (the NCAA field). So that takes care of that.”

The Dutch will first take time Friday to celebrate yet another milestone for O’Brien, who also serves as Central’s senior associate athletics director, Deputy Title IX Coordinator for Equity in athletics, athletics department senior woman administrator and compliance officer. She’s appreciated by many but none more so than Wares, who’s married to her.

“You could see the players wait until we got away in the field and then they let out the celebration,” Wares said. “That was really fun. She’s very deserving and obviously does so much. That’s a lot of wins.”