Central can’t complete softball sweep

PELLA—Two classes of Central College softball seniors were recognized Sunday and both left disappointed as the Dutch stumbled to a 6-2 loss to Buena Vista University and failed to sweep the teams’ three-game series.

Central defeated the Beavers Thursday at Pella 9-5 and 5-1.

Central’s 2020 class, which had its season come to an abrupt and unceremonious end last March due to the global pandemic, was saluted prior to the game while this year’s seniors completed their regular season and were honored afterwards. What happened in between turned on a missed opportunity in the fifth inning followed by a letdown in the sixth.

Buena Vista (16-20 overall, 8-16 American Rivers) erupted for five runs in the sixth inning, highlighted by a 3-run homer by Mcknyze Nicholson-Hansen. But Wares said the game turned on what preceded it.

Trailing 1-0 in the fifth inning, Central (18-12 overall, 15-9 conference) loaded the bases, sparked by a leadoff pinch-hit for Denae Howes (senior, Denver, Colo., Arvada HS). Hitting for just the third time this season, Howes delivered her second consecutive pinch-hit, bouncing a single into center field.

“Give Coach (Alicia) O’Brien credit for that because she’s the one that suggested we have her hit there,” Wares said. “Denae’s come up two times now and got us going and has been a very valuable pinch-runner as well. That should give her some confidence if we decide to use her in the conference tournament.”

The Dutch then loaded the bases with no outs and the heart of the order coming up but managed only one run on a sacrifice fly by right fielder Franie Burnett (freshman, Ankeny, Centennial HS).

“That was definitely a huge moment for us to only get one out of that,” Wares said. “Even though we tied it, you’re walking away thinking you should get more than that.”

It all went sour in the sixth inning. A single and intentional walk left two on with one out and Wares opted for relief help for starting pitcher Sydni Huisman (sophomore, Treynor). It’s a move that’s paid off previously for the Dutch but it took three more hurlers to finally get out of the inning, walking four and giving up five runs on three hits in the frame. Freshman Emma Neu (Rochelle Park, N.J., Hackensack HS) threw the final 1.1 innings for Central, allowing no runs or hits while walking one.

Huisman (11-9) was tagged with the loss, allowing three runs on four hits and one intentional walk in 5.1 innings.

“In hindsight, obviously, we should have kept Sydni in, but I thought they were getting to her a little bit,” Wares said. “We’ve been (changing) successfully but it definitely did not work today.”

Central did claw back for another run in the bottom of the sixth inning as third baseman Paige Roehlk (senior, Davenport, West HS) surprised a drawn-in Buena Vista outfield by roping an RBI triple to left field but then the rally fizzled.

The Dutch actually outhit Buena Vista 8-6 and played errorless ball as center fielder Sara Tallman (senior, Pella) made an eye-popping diving grab in center field on a ball that looked like it was ticketed for a safe landing spot and Daria Parchert (senior, Illinois City, Ill., Rockridge HS) stretched for a flare over her head to end the seventh inning.

Tallman, who broke the school career stolen bases mark Friday at Bethel University (Minn.), tied Abbey Strajack (2012-15) for the career runs scored record of 151. She also raised her career hits total to 197 and stands fourth, one shy of Donell Hotze (1997-2000).

“That’s not why she came back (for a fifth season) but you want to try to establish some of those marks,” Wares said. “She’s clearly one of the best players that has ever played here and good for her for doing that.”

The game had no effect on the league seedings for the American Rivers Conference tourney, as pairings were already determined by Saturday night. Central opens tournament play Thursday against Nebraska Wesleyan University (13-19) at 10 a.m. in a double-elimination four-team pod at Waverly. Central won two of three meetings with the Prairie Wolves last Saturday and Sunday in Lincoln, Nebraska. The Dutch were outscored 10-2 in six innings before prevailing 11-6 later Saturday and 5-1 Sunday.

The other Thursday first-round game at Waverly is a noon contest between second-seeded Wartburg College (26-8) against the seventh-seeded University of Dubuque (22-17). The losers of the first two Thursday games meet in an elimination game Thursday at 2 p.m. while the winners clash at 4 p.m.

Another four-team pod is set for Cedar Rapids with the two pod winners to meet Saturday.

The tourney provides teams an opportunity to enhance their records in hopes of getting an at-large NCAA Championships berth, although there are fewer berths in play as the field was reduced from 63 to 48 teams for this year. NCAA regional tournaments will be staged May 21-23.

Central won the league tournament the last time it was played, in 2019. The 2020 conference season was canceled due to the global pandemic.

“As we’ve said repeatedly, we’re going to go do whatever we can to let our seniors go out on as good of a note as possible and play as many games as possible,” Wares said.

“It gives us a chance to play as many as six more games and that’s what these players are here for, to have an opportunity to play.”

Tournament schedule
At Cedar Rapids

Wednesday, May 12 (play-in game)

At Cedar Rapids

No. 8 Buena Vista (15-20) vs. No. 9 Loras (2-26)

Thursday, May 13
Game 1 – No. 4 Luther (25-13) vs. No. 5 Simpson (16-16), 10 a.m.

Game 2 – No. 8/9 winner vs. No. 1 Coe (23-11), noon

Game 3 – Game 1 loser vs. No. 8/9 loser, 2 p.m.

Game 4 – Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner

Friday, May 14

Game 5 – Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 loser, noon

Game 6 – Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 2 p.m.

Game 7 – If Game 5 winner wins Game 6, 4 p.m.

At Waverly

Thursday, May 13
Game 1 – No. 6 Nebraska Wesleyan (13-19) vs. No. 3 Central (18-11), 10 a.m.

Game 2 – No. 7 Dubuque (22-17) vs. No. 2 Wartburg (26-8), noon

Game 3 – Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 2 p.m.

Game 4 – Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner

Friday, May 14

Game 5 – Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 loser, noon

Game 6 – Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 2 p.m.

Game 7 – If Game 5 winner wins Game 6, 4 p.m.

Saturday, May 15 (championship, at highest remaining seed)

Game 1 – Waverly pod winner vs. Cedar Rapids pod winner, noon

Game 2 – 2 p.m.

Sunday, May 16

Game 3 – if necessary, 1 p.m.

Posted by on May 9 2021. 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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