Central rebounds after softball disappointment
Central College
DUBUQUE — Reeling from another Iowa Conference loss and suddenly staring at a 4-0 first-inning deficit in the nightcap, the Central College softball team found a way Saturday, pulling out a split of a twinbill at Loras College, tripping 4-3 before winning 11-6.
The No. 13 Dutch (25-8 overall, 6-2 conference) had stumbled with a doubleheader split at home against the University of Dubuque Friday, then saw a 3-2 sixth-inning lead at Loras melt away in Saturday’s opener. The Duhawks tied it in the sixth before scoring a 4-3 walkoff victory in the seventh.
The second game was headed down the same dark path after Central clawed its way back to a 6-5 lead as Loras again tied it in the sixth.
But this time, the Dutch had the answer.
And not surprisingly, the big blow came from the bat of designated player Karlee Rock (senior, Wheatland, Calamus-Wheatland HS), who drilled her school-record 12th homer of the season over the left field fence to lead off the seventh inning. Central went on to post a five-run frame, getting run-scoring hits from second baseman Abbey Strajack (senior, Davenport, Assumption HS) and third baseman Whitney Sowers (senior, Marshalltown).
Coach George Wares said his squad needed all the resilience it could must.
“It was tough between games and it was tough when we were down 4-0 in the second game,” he said. “Give the players credit. Any chance we had left of contending in the conference we were able to salvage.”
Wares said Rock’s homer fueled the rally.
“That was big, obviously,” he said. “It’s true that hitting is contagious. Sometimes when one person comes through, everyone starts hitting.
“If you have to point to one thing that cost us that first game, it was not having quality at-bats. It was nice to break out.”
For the second straight day, freshman Annie DeVries (Eldridge, North Scott HS) got the victory in relief. DeVries (5-1) recorded all 21 outs after starter Trisha Smith (junior, New Hampton) failed to retire the first two batters and left trailing 1-0 in the first inning. DeVries gave up eight hits and four runs in seven innings with four walks and three strikeouts.
“Annie really gave us some solid innings,” Wares said. “She’s just getting more and more confident.”
Wares thinks Smith will rebound.
“We’re going to need Trish, going forward,” he said. “But she was struggling finding the strike zone.”
Rock’s two-run first-inning double gave Central the early lead in the opener. Strajack’s RBI single in the second inning pushed the Dutch ahead 3-1 before Loras put up a run in the bottom of the inning. Pitcher Mallory Schulenberg (senior, Kansas City, Mo., St. Pius X HS) was able to wriggle free from Loras scoring threats until yielding the game-tying hit in the sixth and the winner in the seventh. Schulenberg (9-6) gave up four runs on 11 hits with three walks and four strikeouts in 6.1 innings. The Dutch were outhit 11-5.
“Mallory pitched well enough to win,” Wares said. “We had opportunities, but we just didn’t get the timely hit. We had runners on first and second twice with no outs and didn’t score. That’s not a good formula for winning.”
But Central continues to get production from Strajack. She was 6-of-9 on the day with four hits and three RBIs in the second game, vaulting her season average to a team-high .477.
“She’s what we said she was,” Wares said. “She’s a very good leadoff hitter.”
Sowers had two hits and three walks while Rock had four hits.
Central returns home next Saturday to tackle No. 4-ranked Luther College, the conference leader at 8-0. Game time is 2 p.m. at the A.N. Kuyper Athletics Complex field.
The Norse are 29-1 overall after sweeping No. 22 Simpson College Saturday, 1-0, 9-6. Luther has six players hitting .400 or better, including two players above .500.
The Dutch will first have a rare week off.
“It’s a good thing if we can get some quality practices in,” Wares said. “We need a few days to recover, both physically and emotionally.”
And with the return this weekend of center fielder Paige Heesch (senior, Titonka, WCLT HS), Wares said the Dutch now have some different options at the plate to consider this week.
“We’re 33 games in and we’re still not sure which lineup to use,” he said. “That’s rare for us. We’ve got people who can hit, it’s just a matter of determining how everyone fits together.”
While Luther has firm command of the league race, Wares said his battered club can regroup.
“Even with all that’s happened, we still have a chance to play for first place Saturday,” he said. “Obviously Luther is a very good team, but that’s the way we’re going to look at it.”
