Central notches two more softball wins in the desert
TUCSON, ARIZ.-Putting the wraps on a 7-1 week in the desert, the No. 22 Central College softball team had a productive day at the plate in posting two more wins Friday, 7-1 over Dickinson College (Pa.) and 7-4 over Salve Regina University (R.I.).
First baseman Megan Stuhr (senior, Sigourney) had four hits on the day, including a 3-for-4 effort against Salve Regina as the Dutch compiled 21 hits overall.
“She does everything you ask her to do,” coach George Wares said. “She shortens up, she swings away. It means a lot to her, you can tell, and whatever she needs to do between now and our next game besides rest, she will do.”
Meanwhile, Hannah Higgins (sophomore, Macomb, Ill.), who started the season trying to win the designated player spot, has emerged as one of the team’s top bats. She also had four hits along with a walk and a sacrifice while knocking in four runs Friday. She saw a little time in the field at second and third base as well.
“She’s playing well anywhere we put her,” Wares said. “She made a great play at third. It was pretty windy but she made a really good play on a little pop-up in short right field. And she’s swinging the bat really well.
“She’s got a good future.”
Pitcher Chloe Dougherty (junior, Alleman, North Polk HS) picked up her first win of the season in relief of Sydni Huisman (5th-year, Treynor) against Dickinson (1-8) in the opener. She threw the final 5.0 innings, allowing only an unearned run on one hit and one walk while striking out two.
“Chloe never really got in a ton of trouble and she pitched well,” Wares said. “It was a good outing for her.”
Emma Beck (sophomore, Holland, Grundy Center HS) got the victory over Salve Regina (3-6). She limited the Seahawks to a run on seven hits. She was relieved by Morgan Schaben (5th-year, Portsmouth, Harlan HS) but re-entered the game to record the final two outs in the seventh inning and improve to 4-3.
Wares saw progress for the Dutch on the week after a challenging start in Georgia at the NFCA Leadoff Classic Feb. 29-March 3.
“To go 7-1, that’s encouraging,” he said. “And we were closer to 8-0 than we were to 6-2. We dug ourselves a bit of a hole, record-wise (in Georgia) and so to get to 10-5 looks a lot better than 3-4.”
The performances were improved as well as the results, Wares said.
“We’re playing better,” he said. “The pitching has definitely improved. So we’re in a better spot than we were.”
After three out-of-state trips, the Dutch have four home doubleheaders, starting with their Pella debut Wednesday with a non-conference doubleheader at 2 p.m. against St. Olaf College (Minn.) at the A.N. Kuyper Athletics Complex field. The Oles are 5-1 after going 21-20 last year. They scored wins over American Rivers foes Nebraska Wesleyan University and Simpson College in indoor games Feb. 17. Wednesday’s contests will be St. Olaf’s first outdoor games of the season. The teams last met in 2014 and Central holds a 6-0 lead in the series.
Wares is impressed with Oles coach Kayla Hatting, a former Luther College standout.
“We have a lot of respect for them,” he said. “Obviously we knew (Hatting) when she played at Luther and she’s doing things to get St. Olaf to another level. They had a really good indoor tournament and got some good wins.
“Our players understand the games against Minnesota teams are important match-ups.”
