Back-to-back one-hitters cap Central softball trip

Central College

TUCSON, ARIZ.—It could have been another here-we-go-again moment for the Central College softball team.

On more than one occasion during the team’s 10 days at the Tucson (Ariz.) Invitational Games, the Dutch were stung by defensive miscues that snowballed into momentum-killing innings. So when a one-out walk was followed by a misplayed fly ball and a three-run homer to give Lewis and Clark (Ore.) a 3-1 second-inning lead Saturday, more trouble easily could have ensued.

Instead, that was the only hit that senior Mallory Schulenberg (Kansas City, Mo., St. Pius X HS) allowed and the only error the Dutch (14-5) made as they roared back for a 10-3 victory, then completed the trip with an 8-0, five-inning whitewashing of St. Joseph’s-Brooklyn (N.Y.) Saturday. Both contests were one-hitters as Central outhit the two opponents by a combined 28-2.

Coach George Wares conceded he felt a twinge of apprehension after the error.

“Anybody who is being honest had to have a little thought of that,” Wares said. “But we were able to get one run back right away in the next inning and not only win, but win going away.”

Lewis and Clark, which slipped to 7-13, may not have the credentials of some of the week’s other opponents, but Wares said the Pioneers were more than capable of knocking off No. 19 Central, particularly given some of the defensive struggles it had endured.

“They’re a quality team,” he said. “And when you’re trying to work through some things like we were, it’s not so much about who you play but just finding a way to get through it, which is what we did. That was needed.”

Central got 11 hits from the top three spots in the batting order and outhit Lewis and Clark 16-1. Leadoff hitter Abbey Strajack (senior, Davenport, Assumption HS) had four hits, five RBIs and three runs scored. She was followed by left fielder Abbie Voas (sophomore, Chanhassen, Minn.), who had three hits and three RBIs, and third baseman Whitney Sowers (senior, Marshalltown), who was 4-for-4 with two runs and one RBI, that coming on her third home run. Shortstop Paige Schreiner (junior, Ottumwa) had two hits.

Schulenberg (5-3) yielded two earned runs in seven innings, walking three and striking out five. Monhollon retired the side in order in the fifth.

Trisha Smith (junior, New Hampton) and Jaelyn Monhollon (sophomore, Topeka, Kan., Shawnee Heights HS) combined on the one-hit shutout of St. Joseph’s-Brooklyn. Smith (7-1) threw four innings, allowing the hit but no walks and struck out six. Meanwhile, the Central offense, which had just two scoreless innings on the day, methodically broke it open with two runs in the first inning, another in the second, three in the fourth and two in the fifth that ended the affair. Voas lined her second homer of the year while Strajack was 2-for-2 with a walk and two runs scored and also stole two bases, giving her 14 for the year. Catcher Katie Canney (senior, Adel, ADM HS) had two hits and three RBIs and freshman third baseman Brooke Brommel (St. Charles, I-35 HS) came off the bench to pick up two hits and score two runs.

“I realize that once we get into league play where the teams know each other so well and the weather is colder, that the offensive numbers will probably go down, but I still think we’re pretty solid offensively,” Wares said. “When we add Paige Heesch (senior, Titonka, WCLT HS) to the top part of the order, we should be pretty solid. We’ve got some good options.”

Heesch,a three-year starter in center field, was sidelined by injury throughout the week and remained on the shelf Saturday. She could have played, Wares said, but the preference is to prevent the injury from lingering.

“There’s a temptation to play her,” Wares said. “Obviously, all of these games count. But we rested a lot of people at various times. That may have cost us a game or two, but hopefully it will pay off later with things those players can give us toward the end of the season. They’ll maybe be a little fresher then.”

The Dutch were 12-3 in Arizona.

“As you look at it, the Denison loss (an 8-7 setback Monday after an 11-3 win over the Big Red the previous afternoon) is the one that’s hard to let go of, but we need to,” Wares said. “Overall, we’re not in a bad place. We’re got some challenges ahead, starting next weekend, but I think the team grew up a lot this week.”

Central makes its home-season debut with six games in three days, starting Friday with a doubleheader against Gustavus Adolphus (Minn.) at 2 p.m. at the A.N. Kuyper Athletics Complex field. The Dutch then tackle St. Benedict and St. Norbert (Wis.) Saturday and St. Norbert and St. Scholastica (Minn.) Sunday, before opening Iowa Conference play at nationally ranked Simpson March 31. Video webcasts and live stats for all six contests will be available through the Central athletics website at www.central.edu/athletics.

First on the to-do list, however, is a much-needed break.

“Anytime you have this kind of week you’re going to be tired,” Wares said. “We’ll travel tomorrow, take Monday off and then hopefully get outdoors for a couple of practices before the weekend.”