Central outslugged in league baseball loss
Central College
PELLA—Limiting the Central College baseball team to just five hits, Wartburg College handed the Dutch their first Iowa Conference loss in a 5-2 decision Friday night.
The Knights scored first, crossing the plate in the second inning with the help of a Central error. A double to right center brought in two more runs in the third inning and Wartburg took a 5-0 advantage adding two tallies in the fourth.
Held scoreless in the first half of the game, Central posted two runs in the sixth. Shortstop Mike Furlong (junior, Davenport, Assumption HS) singled before third baseman Anthony Miller (senior, Davenport, Assumption HS) reached by an error. A successful double steal advanced both runners into scoring position at second and third. Designated hitter Caleb Rangel (senior, Rock Island, Ill., Alleman Catholic HS) grounded out to score Furlong and a Josh Stanton (catcher, junior, Homer Glen, Ill., Lockport Township HS) punch down the left-field line brought in Miller.
Wartburg (8-11, 1-3 conference) racked up 11 hits, 10 off losing pitcher Joel Pulliam (junior, Des Moines, Lincoln HS). Pulliam (2-1) had seven strikeouts and no walks in seven innings of work. D.J. Glasgow (senior, Burlington) pitched the eighth inning.
Wartburg’s Bradley Watson pitched the complete game, striking out 11 and walking none.
Central, 12-4 overall and 3-1 in the league, will have a chance to avenge the loss in a doubleheader against the Knights Saturday, starting at 1 p.m. in Waverly.
