Central fourth in NFCA softball tourney bracket
Central College
COLUMBUS, GA.—Scrapping to the end of its 10-day, 16-game trek through the Southeast, the No. 17 Central College softball team split its final two NFCA Division III Leadoff Classic games Sunday, taking home fourth place in the eight-team Silver Bracket.
Rebounding from a disheartening late-inning setback against St. Thomas (Minn.) Saturday night, the Dutch came back early Sunday to post a 9-6 victory over Augustana (Ill.). That advanced Central to the third-place contest with Alma (Mich.) where the Dutch trailed 5-1 entering the seventh inning, but clawed back within a run and had two runners aboard before dropping a 5-4 decision.
As was its habit throughout the three-day tourney, Central (12-6) quickly fell behind Augustana 2-0 in the third inning, but again quickly answered with four runs in the bottom of the frame, three more in the fourth and two in the fifth. The young Dutch were outhit 10-7 but took advantage of four Augustana errors.
“One of the things we were concerned about with this team was how much grit the players would show,” coach George Wares. “That part we’ve handled pretty well. We’ve kept responding and battling. But the part we haven’t done is on defense. Our defensive philosophy is to not give up the big inning, which we consider to be two runs or more. We’ve given up nine big innings so far. We’re flawed in some of the fundamental things that we just need some time to practice on.”
Offensively Sunday, designated player Sadie Baugher (freshman, Eddyville, Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont HS) sparked the four-run third, leading off with her first collegiate home run, a first-pitch shot to left-center field. It was just Central’s second homer of the sesason. First baseman Abbie Voas (junior, Chanhassen, Minn.) continued to swing a hot bat with two hits, including a three-run double.
“Abbie’s hitting with a lot more confidence,” Wares said.
Pitcher Annie DeVries (sophomore, Eldridge, North Scott HS), 3-0, threw to all but two hitters, giving up nine hits and four earned runs in 7.0 innings with no walks and one strikeout.
“Annie didn’t have her best stuff, but she showed the ability to pitch around things, which she hadn’t showed previously,” Wares said. “She still competed, which is a good sign.”
An RBI hit by shortstop Paige Schreiner (senior, Ottumwa) put Central ahead of Alma 1-0 in the top of the first, only to have the Scots respond with two runs in its half of the inning. Alma (11-5) seemingly broke the game open with three fifth-inning runs. Pitcher Katie McClure stymied the Dutch on just one hit in the first five innings. But the Dutch got an RBI hit from catcher Kylie Olson (freshman, Mapleton, Minn., Maple River HS) in the sixth. Alma brought in staff ace Morgan Stratton to close in the seventh, only to see the Dutch string together four hits, including three that didn’t leave the infield. That produced two more runs and Central had the potential tying and go-ahead runs on base, but couldn’t convert.
Schreiner had two of Central’s six hits in the game.
Pitcher Karly Olson (junior, Winterset), who shouldered much of the weekend pitching load, throwing 394 pitches over 24.1 innings in the three days, was charged with three earned runs on eight hits with four strikeouts and non walks over 4.1 innings Sunday.
DeVries threw a scoreless sixth inning with a walk and no strikeouts.
After 18 games—two indoor games in Minnesota, 10 in Florida last week and the six in Georgia–right fielder Sarah Bowen (junior, New Sharon, North Mahaska HS) remains Central’s top hitter with a .348 mark and a team-high 13 runs scored. Baugher is batting .321 and has driven in 11 runs from the leadoff spot. Karly Olson is the RBI leader with 20 to go with a .304 average. Voas is tops in slugging percentage at .450 with four doubles, a triple and a home run. She’s also 9 of 9 in stolen bases.
Offense was a major concern heading into the season with seven new starters and the Central team average has dipped to .293, but the Dutch are averaging a respectable 5.9 runs per game. Even throwing out Central’s 22-1 rout of Mitchell (Conn.), the Dutch are putting up more than 4.9 runs an outing.
“Our offense has gotten better,” Wares said. “One nice thing about the trip, we saw some solid pitching. It was a little tougher spring trip that we’ve usually had. We went against some pitchers who really know how to pitch.
“I thought our overall approach at the plate was good but not great. We’re not running the count a lot or drawing walks.”
For the pitchers, Karly Olson has a 2.39 earned run average over 67.1 innings with 60 hits and 54 strikeouts to go with 37 walks. DeVries has a 2.62 ERA in 37.1 innings with 50 hits, nine strikeouts and eight walks. Trisha Smith (senior, New Hampton) is 3-0 with a 1.97 ERA but just 18 innings of work.
“We’re not giving up on Trish,” Wares said. “She was a little better in the second game today.”
Central travels to Iowa Monday and doesn’t return to action until Saturday, facing perennial Division III tournament contender Fontbonne (Mo.) at St. Louis in an 11 a.m. twinbill. The contests will be played at St. Louis University while work continues on Fontbonne’s home field. The Griffins were also in Georgia for the Leadoff Classic and came away 0-5, but last spring they pushed Central to the limit in NCAA regional action at Pella and are likely to be in the hunt for another tournament berth.
Saturday’s second game will be called by Trevor Castle, the voice of the Dutch, via an audio webcast at www.kniakrls.com or directly through rdo.to/knia2.
