Monmouth escapes Central baseball team
Central College
FORT MYERS, FLA.—The Central College baseball team held Monmouth College (Ill.) scoreless for seven innings but struggled to find a third out in the eighth frame, suffering a 4-2 setback Tuesday.
Monmouth kept the inning alive with a runner on base and two outs, capitalizing on a Central error and hit pitch. The Scots drove in two runs with a single and notched two more tallies with a walk and another single before the Dutch forced a popup to end the inning.
“We played good defense throughout the game but we didn’t make a routine play in the eighth and it just snowballed,” coach Adam Stevens said.
The Dutch battled back in the ninth, also scoring on two outs. Designated hitter Jace Ahrendsen (sophomore, Clarence, North Cedar HS) doubled and crossed the plate on a single from catcher Josh Stanton (senior, Homer Glen, Ill., Lockport Township HS). But the Scots managed a strikeout to end the game.
“We showed some life at the end and it’s always your goal to have the tying run up to the plate when you’re down,” Stevens said.
The pair also provided the offense for Central’s first run in the third inning, when Ahrendsen tripled and scored on a Stanton single.
The Dutch were limited to four hits, a season low in the young season, and left eight runners on base. Central stole seven bases, one shy of the school record set last season.
“We threatened to score every inning, but we just didn’t get the big hit we’ve been getting in other games this week,” Stevens said.
On the mound, Judson McKown (sophomore, Maple Plain, Minn., Orono HS) struck out three batters and yielded six hits and four runs, none earned, in 7.2 innings. Mike Werkheiser (senior, Stockton, Ill.) closed the eighth inning facing three batters and allowing one hit.
“Judson did a good job,” Stevens said. “He didn’t give up any runs through seven innings and he got out of tough jams early.”
The loss snaps a five-game win streak and puts the Dutch at 6-2 overall. The squad comes back Wednesday, facing Knox College (Ill.) at 1 p.m. (Central Time). The two clubs split their first matchup March 3. Central surged to a 10-2 win the opener but Knox rebounded for a 6-4 victory in the nightcap.
