Central pitchers shine in softball sweep
Central College
DUBUQUE — Karly Olson (senior, Winterset) and Mariah Fritz (sophomore, Tama, East Marshall HS) combined to throw 14 shutout innings as the No. 12 Central College softball team swept Loras College Saturday 6-0 and 5-0.
The wins put the Dutch (27-7 overall) alone in second place in the Iowa Conference at 9-3 after No. 10 Coe and Wartburg split a doubleheader Saturday at Waverly, with Coe faltering 8-2 before rallying for a 6-5 victory. That leaves Coe 10-4 in the league with Wartburg 8-4. No. 4 Luther leads at 9-1.
Olson (12-4) fired a two-hitter in the opener, then tossed the first 2.2 innings of the nightcap before Fritz (9-3) took over.
“Karly was really sharp again,” coach George Wares said. “She threw minimal pitches in the first game so we decided we’d get her through the lineup one more time before we came back with Mariah.”
In 9.2 innings, Olson allowed just two hits with no walks and eight strikeouts. Fritz went 4.1 innings, giving up three hits with two walks and two strikeouts.
Olson was tagged for six runs by Luther in two games but she’s yet to yield an earned run to any other league opponent in 39.2 innings.
Central entered the day with a season-worst three-game losing streak after getting swept by first-place Luther at Pella Tuesday and Wares was concerned how his team would respond on the road against a dangerous Loras squad.
“We met the day after the Luther games and I thought the players were handling it in a mature way,” he said. “They realized that was just two games. But you never know. Loras had won at Buena Vista and at Wartburg so we knew they were a quality team and if you don’t come to play, they’re going to beat you.
“But I was pleased with how we responded. It was just business-like.”
Central complemented its pitching performances with a steady defensive showing, despite committing three errors, Wares said.
“Our defense was very good,” he said. “And Paige Dickel (junior, Norwalk) made some way-above average plays at second base. It was a good day.”
Perhaps the day’s pivotal at-bat was in the second inning of what was shaping up to be a tense, low-scoring opener. Freshman Amanda Sigulas (Morton, Ill.), who cooled off after a sizzling start to her college career in Arizona, entered as a pinch-hitter and delivered a two-out, bases-loaded shot that almost left the yard, bringing home three runs with a triple that let the Dutch establish command early.
“That was the hit of the day,” Wares said. “It was big for her and it was big for us.”
The Dutch outhit Loras 8-2 in the opener and 9-3 in the nightcap.
Third baseman Lauren Bagby (sophomore, Norwalk) had a team-high four hits on the day. She’s rounding into form after a late start. Following a preseason injury, she missed nearly all of the team’s 16 games in Arizona and was limited the remainder of the non-conference season.
“She’s getting there,” Wares said. “Coach (Alicia) O’Brien’s spent a lot of time with her after practice, getting some extra cuts and just trying to get her timing and rhythm back.”
First baseman Abbie Voas (senior, Chanhassen, Minn.) belted her second homer, a solo shot to put Central up 2-0 in the fifth inning of game two. Shortstop Emily Wilson (sophomore, Bondurant, Bondurant-Farrar HS) had a pair of RBI doubles.
Central returns home for the final six games of the regular season, starting with a league doubleheader against Nebraska Wesleyan at 3 p.m. at the A.N. Kuyper Athletics Complex field. Central then plays host to the University of Dubuque Saturday with Bethel University (Minn.) visiting for a make-up non-conference twinbill Sunday.
“We’re in great position to get the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament and get a first-round bye, but we can’t take anything for granted,” Wares said. “We’ve got to take care of business. Nebraska Wesleyan has a good pitcher and we’ve lost to Dubuque in the past. And from a regional standpoint, the Bethel games will be big.”
