Dutch fall behind early, drop non-conference baseball game

Central College

PELLA — Allowing seven runs in the first inning was too much for the Central College baseball team to overcome in a 16-6 loss against Grinnell College Wednesday.

The Dutch (6-14, 4-6 Iowa Conference) put themselves in a big hole against the Pioneers (17-4) after just one inning. An untimely error gave the Pioneers a spark, helping them plate seven unearned runs in the first frame.

Central closed the gap to 10-5 after the fifth inning, but a six-run seventh gave Grinnell all the runs they needed to end the game after just seven innings.

Making his varsity debut on the mound, Brandon Zumbach (sophomore, Jesup, Iowa, Don Bosco HS) takes the loss, but gave up no unearned runs and just two hits while walking a pair of batters.

“Brandon and all of our pitchers did a good job,” Schirm said.

It was a committee approach for the Dutch pitching staff as Mitchell Schaffner (freshman, Oskaloosa), Adam Carey (sophomore, Pella) and Drew McDonough (freshman, Underwood) took turns on the bump. Despite just having two errors, half of the runs Central gave up were unearned.

“I told all of our pitchers after the game that I don’t think the scoreboard reflected how well they pitched,” Ferrell said. “We had two errors on the scoreboard, but there were at least three other plays that we should have made to help our pitchers.”

The other half of the Central battery, catcher Ryan Bouwman (freshman, Bloomington, Ill., Normal Community HS), went 3-for-4 at the plate.

“Since we put him in the lineup, he’s been hitting the ball hard fairly consistently,” Schirm said. “He’s definitely been a positive addition to our lineup since we’ve started conference play.”

Center fielder Jake Hirst (junior, Davenport Assumption HS) earned a spot on base three of his four trips to the plate, including an RBI single and two walks. He became the first Dutch player to steal two bases in a single game this year.

“That’s big for Jake,” Schirm said. “He needs to get on base, because when he does he can make things happen”

A crucial four-game set on the road at Buena Vista is up next on the docket for Central this weekend.

“They’re very important games,” Schirm said. “For us to stay in the conference race we need to win the series. We’re not going to do it playing like we have the last four or five games. Our guys know that we have to turn it around really quick.”

First pitch of that series is Friday in Storm Lake at 3:30 p.m.