Central offense erupts in spring break baseball split
Central College
MESA (ARIZ.)—The Central College baseball team outslugged Dickinson State (N.D.) with a record-breaking 21 hits, cruising to a 20-10 victory before struggling to shut out Marian (Wis.), falling 5-4 in extra innings Thursday night.
Dickinson jumped on top with two runs in the first inning, but the Dutch responded immediately in the second, cranking out nine runs and adding two more in the third. The Blue Hawks added a tally in the fourth before putting together a seven-run sixth inning. Central came back with two runs of their own before breaking things open with seven runs in the seventh, shortening the game with a 10-run margin.
With 21 hits, Central’s performance at the plate edged the previous team record of 20, set against Buena Vista (April 22, 2000) and St. Michael’s (Vt.) (March 14, 2004).
“That was the best we’ve looked offensively all year,” coach Adam Stevens said. “We haven’t been struggling at the plate but I didn’t think we were performing as well as we could. We certainly did against Dickinson (4-8).”
It’s the fourth time this season Central has reached double-digit hits.
Anthony Miller (senior, Davenport, Assumption HS) and Adam Ariola (freshman, Bloomington, Ill., Normal HS) led the Dutch with three hits and four RBIs. Sam Stetzel (sophomore, Perry) had three hits, scored four times and drove in two runs. Mike Furlong (junior, Davenport, Assumption HS) and Jarred Lackey (junior, Davenport, Assumption HS) each had three hits and Caleb Rangel (senior, Rock Island, Ill., Alleman Catholics HS) had two.
Sophomore Ryan Goetzinger (Mason City) snagged the win on the mound.
Playing as the visiting team in the nightcap, Central outhit Marian 11-8 and held a 4-2 lead in the bottom of the ninth inning. But the Dutch were unable to close the door as the Sabres scored twice to take things into a tenth inning, where they held Central scoreless before gathering a run to capture the win.
“We had it down to the last out in the ninth and we couldn’t hold on,” Stevens said. “Give Marian (3-5) credit, they came back to score in the ninth and add another run in the tenth.”
At the plate Furlong had three hits and scored twice. Lackey had two hits and drove in three runs. Rangel and Ryan Allison (senior, Rock Island, Ill.) both had two hits.
Joel Pulliam (junior, Des Moines, Lincoln HS) had the start for the Dutch, pitching seven and two-thirds innings. Bret Bell (junior, Jewell, South Hamilton HS) threw one-third and D.J. Glasgow (senior, Burlington) was tagged with the loss, finishing out the game in the ninth and tenth.
“It’s tough loss but we’ll shake it off and get ready for our last game in Arizona tomorrow,” Stevens said.
Central, now 8-3, plays St. John’s (Minn.) Friday at 1 p.m. Mountain Time. The Johnnies sport a 3-2 record and compiled a 21-18 campaign last season.
At Mesa, Ariz.
Game one
Dickinson State (N.D.) 2 0 0 1 0 7 0 10 12 2
Central College 0 9 2 0 0 2 7 20 21 1
Leading hitters—C: Furling 3×4, Miller 3×6, Lackey 3×5, Rangel 2×3, Ariola 3×5, Stetzel 3×4; DS: Gunderson 2×4, Elizondo 2×4, Park 2×4. W—Goetzinger, L—Gonzalez.
Game two
Central College 1 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 4 11 2
Marian (Wis.) 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 5 8 0
Leading hitters—M: Porcaro 3×5, Dorn 2×4; C: Furlong 3×5, Lackey 2×5, Rangel 2×4, Allison 2×4. W—Andrus, L—Glasgow.
