Late fireworks in Central softball tourney win, loss
Central College
COLUMBUS, GA.—The thrill of a game-winning rally in a 4-3 victory over Western Connecticut State was rivaled by the stinging disappointment of a lost seventh-inning lead in a 3-2 setback against St. Thomas (Minn.) in a Saturday of intense Central College softball action at the NFCA Division III Leadoff Classic.
The morning victory gave the No. 17 Dutch a 2-1 mark in pool play and put them in the tourney’s eight-team Silver Bracket. The evening defeat means Central (11-5) is in a 9 a.m. Sunday consolation semifinal with Augustana (Ill.), an 8-5 loser to East Texas Baptist Saturday night.
Central carried a 2-1 lead into the top of the seventh against St. Thomas (2-2) and pitcher Karly Olson (junior, Winterset) retired the first two batters, only to give up four straight hits for two runs.
Coach George Wares was concerned with Central’s inability to make a play at the plate following the game-tying hit, a bloop single to right field that brought home a runner from second base.
“We gave ourselves no chance,” he said.
But perhaps more glaring was a missed opportunity in the fourth inning. Singles by Olson and first baseman Abby Voas (junior, Chanhassen, Minn.), followed by a St. Thomas error, gave Central a 2-1 lead and put runners on first and second. A sacrifice moved them into scoring position but the Dutch couldn’t capitalize. Freshman St. Thomas reliever Kiersten Anderson-Glass entered and struck out five of the next six hitters. She allowed just one baserunner in 3.2 innings.
“The game came down to the fact that we didn’t get the key hit when we had a chance to break it open,” Wares said. “Give their pitcher credit.”
That overcame a monumental effort by Olson (6-5), who threw 121 pitches in the game and 214 for the day. She allowed 10 hits and three runs with two walks—both intentional—while striking out two against St. Thomas.
“Karly was good but she wore out,” Wares said. “Clearly she pitched well enough to win.”
Central mustered five hits, including two by Voas, and took advantage of four St. Thomas errors.
The Dutch, with Lauren Bagby (freshman, Norwalk) getting the start at third base as Baugher was given a break, played errorless defense.
“Our defense was solid,” Wares said. “Lauren had a good day and (shortstop) Paige Schreiner (senior, Ottumwa) made a highlight-type play (for a seventh-inning out against St. Thomas).”
Earlier the Dutch extended a remarkable streak by rallying to tie Western Connecticut State after falling behind 3-0, doing so for the third straight game. Western Connecticut State put up all three of its runs in the top of the third inning but Central tied the game in the fourth. Voas doubled and scored while freshman designated player Sadie Baugher (Eddyville, Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont HS) doubled home a run. The Dutch got the eventual winning run in the fifth when left fielder Tabitha Taylor (sophomore, Grimes, Dallas Center-Grimes HS) got a two-out single and scored all the way from first on a single by Kylie Olson (freshman, Mapleton, Minn., Maple River HS), when Olson coaxed the defense into a rundown between first and second base.
Central had nine hits with Voas, Taylor and second baseman Paige Dickel (sophomore, Norwalk) each connecting for two.
Wares frequently reminds his players of the need for a short memory in softball, as there’s typically not a long gap between games. That’s especially true Sunday for the Dutch, as Sunday’s early start is an hour earlier because of the start of Daylight Savings Time, meaning the first pitch will be thrown 11 hours after Saturday evening’s game ended.
“I’m not going to kid anybody, it will be tough,” Wares said. “But Augustana has to do the same thing.”
There’s some additional uncertainty to the day as showers were expected late Saturday night and could linger throughout the morning.
Any Central Sunday action will be called by Trevor Castle, the voice of the Dutch, via an audio webcast at www.kniakrls.com or directly through rdo.to/knia2.
