Central gets extra-inning baseball win
Central College
PELLA — With the score knotted at 2-2 after regulation play, it took the Central College baseball team just one extra inning to drive in the winning run and notch a 3-2 win over Iowa Conference foe Wartburg College Sunday.
After the Knights intentionally walked shortstop Mike Furlong (senior, Davenport, Assumption HS) in the 10th and the senior advanced to second, a single to right center from second baseman Adam Ariola (sophomore, Bloomington, Ill., Normal HS) was enough to bring Furlong in for the winning run.
“We needed to try and get something going offensively so we tried a hit and run but that didn’t work,” said coach Adam Stevens. “Then Adam had a good at bat and put a swing on the ball and found a hole.”
Following two Central (12-3, 3-0 conference) wins in doubleheader action Saturday, the victory spells a three-game weekend sweep over the Knights (7-10, 0-3 conference).
Despite the low score, the Wartburg offense was a threat throughout the game, putting up nine hits and twice ending an inning with three men left on base.
“What stood out this game was our competitiveness,” said Stevens. “We put ourselves in tough situations and Wartburg hit well, but we worked our way out of three or four jams. I give our guys credit for battling all 10 innings.”
Wartburg scraped itself into the early lead Sunday, putting up a first-inning run and adding a second in the fifth. Central responded in the bottom of the fifth with its first run and followed with its second in the sixth.
Furlong and first baseman Seth Carson (sophomore, Woodridge, Ill., Downers Grove South HS) were both 2-4 at the plate and Furlong scored twice. Ariola, left fielder Michael Jontz (junior, West Des Moines, Valley HS) and right fielder Allen Mann (junior, Marshalltown) accounted for Central’s three RBIs. Central tallied 10 hits as a team.
Ryan Goetzinger (junior, Mason City) got the start on the mound, allowing four hits while walking six and striking out two in six innings. Sophomore Judson Mckown (Maple Plain, Minn., Orono HS) threw the final four innings, allowing five hits while striking out two and walking one.
“We’re a little emotionally drained after these three games,” said Stevens. “The guys deserve a day off. We still have things to work on and we’ll get back at it next week.”
The Dutch are back in action Wednesday when they host Grinnell College for a 1 p.m. start. The Pioneers are wrapping up a spring trip to Florida and as of Friday hold a 4-9 record.
