Central ends Tucson softball trip with split
Central Dutch Athletics
(Huntington-Central statistics not available)
PELLA—After posting an exhilarating 5-4, eight-inning win over Huntington College (Ind.), an injury-battered Central College softball team ended its Arizona trip with a thud, getting rocked by Centre College (Ky.) 14-10 Wednesday.
The Dutch closed their 10-day appearance in the Tucson Invitational Games with a 7-4 mark and in need of a break. Three key starters–left fielder Shaye Witte (junior, West Des Moines, Waukee HS), shortstop Daria Parchert (sophomore, Illinois City, Ill., Rockridge HS) and third baseman Lauren Bagby (senior, Norwalk) sat out the opener against Huntington, an NAIA squad. Bagby returned against Centre, but was limited.
Central took a 3-2 lead on Huntington in the fifth inning on a pinch-hit double by Katie Banowetz (Grand Mound, Calamus-Wheatland HS), but was tied in the seventh inning. The teams used the international tiebreaker rule in the eighth, placing a runner on second base. The Dutch scored twice in the top of the inning on a two-run single by freshman shortstop Lauren Birt (Ankeny, Centennial HS), then held on for the win.
Mariah Fritz (senior, Tama, East Marshall HS) picked up the win, throwing the final two frames in relief of Danielle Riley (senior, Afton, East Union HS), who limited the Foresters to two runs on five hits in six innings.
“It turned out to be a more intense game than we anticipated,” coach George Wares said. “Danielle threw well and so did Mariah.”
Centre (6-10) exploded for 20 hits in the nightcap as the Dutch pitching staff gas gauge registered empty. Fritz struggled through two innings, allowing six earned runs on seven hits. Riley entered but had little left, giving up nine hits and five runs, although only two were earned. Lauren Shirley (freshman, Queen Creek, Ariz., Seton Catholic HS) yielded two runs on four hits in the final two innings.
Birt, filling in for Parchert, had three hits, including a double, while Bagby returned with two hits and center fielder Sara Tallman (junior, Pella) also had two with a stolen base.
“We could not get anybody out,” Wares said. “It was just one of those days. Danielle pitched more varsity innings than she has in her career. We hit it well. That continued to improve throughout the week. But the injuries were a factor.”
The Dutch need rest and will get it, returning to action March 30 with a 1 p.m. doubleheader at Simpson College in Indianola, in the American Rivers opener.
“I think we need a physical break and a mental break,” Wares said. “But we’ll regroup. We need to get healthy and get a good week of practice. We’re excited to start the conference season but we know we’re not where we need to be yet to contend. Our key goal over the next 10 days is to get healthy.”
