Central baseball squad falls in shootout
Central Dutch Athletics
LINCOLN, NEB.—Even with 16 hits to its credit, the Central College baseball team could not outscore Nebraska Wesleyan University in a 12-11 loss Friday night.
Nebraska Wesleyan (10-23, 8-13 American Rivers Conference) was outhit by Central (21-14, 9-13 conference) by a 16-15 margin.
“I don’t think we necessarily played bad,” coach Matt Schirm said. “It’s just one of those games where it was a slugfest and we came up a little short.”
Eight of Central’s nine starters recorded at least one hit. Third basemen Ben Wallace (freshman, Knoxville), right fielder Tanner Wood (senior, Pella) and center fielder Coy Moore (senior, Hamilton, Twin Cedars HS) each had three hits. Moore has been in the leadoff spot much of the season but has recently shifted into the No. 5 spot
“It may have taken a little pressure off of him and given him a little bit of a different perspective on things,” Schirm said. “He had a good game offensively.”
Garrett Saunders (senior, shortstop, Bonaparte, Van Buren HS) drove in a trio of runs from the leadoff spot, while Wallace knocked in a pair.
“Garrett’s RBIs tells you the bottom of the order was getting on base,” Schirm said. “Garrett hit the ball hard every time up. He was seeing the ball really well.”
The only Dutch player not to record a hit, second baseman Lucas Farren (sophomore, Yorkville, Ill.), matched a school record after getting hit by three pitches.
Nick Long (junior, Marshalltown, East Marshall HS) went 4.1 innings as the starter on the mound. He struck out four while yielding six total runs and four earned runs. In relief, Rece Martin (junior, Saydel) took the loss by allowing five earned runs in 3.2 innings.
The two teams will complete the three-game series with a doubleheader tomorrow at 1 p.m. Central just needs one win to solidify its spot in the conference tournament next weekend.
“It’s nice to have complete control over whether we make the tournament or not,” Schirm said. “I like the way we came out to play today and battled. We need to come out with the same approach. If we play well, I like our chances to take both games.”
