Big 7th-inning comeback sparks Central softball sweep

Central College

PELLA — A sudden surge of offense fueled a four-run seventh-inning comeback and a Central College softball sweep of the College of St. Benedict (Minn.) Sunday.

The No. 22-ranked Dutch (15-3) rallied from a five-run deficit for a 7-6 win in the opener, then needed just six innings for a 9-1 nightcap victory in their home-season debut.

The Dutch had to adjust to a 50-degree temperature drop after competing in Tucson, Ariz. just seven days earlier and their bats appeared well-chilled as well in the early going on the gray, 43-degree afternoon. Central mustered just one hit in the first four innings of the opener.

“It was a real tough strike zone both ways,” coach George Wares said. “I thought their offensive players took advantage of that more than we did.”

St. Benedict (11-5) used a four-run fifth to take a 6-1 lead before Central showed signs of life with two runs on three hits in the bottom of the fifth as shortstop Emily Wilson (sophomore, Bondurant, Bondurant-Farrar HS) and left fielder Tabitha Taylor (junior, Grimes, Dallas Center-Grimes HS) delivered RBI hits.

“Getting those runs in the fifth helped us make it more manageable,” Wares said. “We did enough to stay in it.”

But Central still trailed 6-3 in the bottom of the seventh when first baseman Abbie Voas (senior, Chanhassen, Minn.) roped a leadoff double to center field to spark the winning rally. One out later, pitcher Karly Olson (senior, Winterset) belted a two-run double off the fence, second baseman Paige Dickel (junior, Norwalk) followed with an RBI hit and pinch-runner Sarah Bowen (senior, New Sharon, North Mahaska HS) raced home with the winner on a wild pitch.

Olson (5-2) surrendered four earned runs on nine hits with two walks and two strikeouts. Wares said Olson battled through a tough day.

“I thought she handled it well,” he said. “We were not very good defensively and that didn’t help, combined with the fact that the middle of their order swings the bat pretty well.”

The Dutch finished with eight hits, including two by Wilson. Voas scored three runs with a hit and two walks as Central drew six free passes.

Central took the emotional edge into the second game, staggering the Blazers with a six-run second inning and adding a tally in the third inning before ending the contest early with two runs in the sixth. Wilson’s two-run triple into the right field corner was the final blow. The Dutch racked up 11 hits. Voas, center fielder Sara Tallman (freshman, Pella) and third baseman Amanda Sigulas (freshman, Morton, Ill.) each had two hits. Sigulas rocked her second home run of the year and the first round-tripper at Central’s A.N. Kuyper Athletics Complex field since the outfield fences were pushed back 10 feet, complying with a new NCAA rule that will take effect in 2018.

“I do think we carried a lot of momentum into the second game,” Wares said. “We jumped on them pretty well.”

Mariah Fritz (sophomore, Tama, East Marshall HS) allowed a run on four hits in six innings, walking one and fanning one in improving to 5-1.

“Her ball moved pretty well,” Wares said. “And she got a lot of mileage out of her change-up.”

The wins give Central a 6-0 mark thus far against Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference opponents.

“That was a significant sweep,” Wares said. “A split wouldn’t have been horrible but a sweep is pretty big.”

The Dutch still have some players limited by injury.

“It’s nice to be 15-3 and know we can still get a lot better,” Wares said.

Central has another week of action before its Iowa Conference season begins. League play starts Saturday but the Dutch have an opening-weekend bye. They’ll travel to Grinnell College for a doubleheader Tuesday at 1 p.m., then take on No. 8-rated Wis.-Eau Claire at Pella Saturday at 2 p.m. Grinnell is 2-6 after spending the past week in Clermont, Fla. Central holds a 4-0 record in the teams’ all-time series and last met the Pioneers in 2008.

Posted by on Mar 27 2017. Filed under College Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

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