Central pitchers quiet Monmouth in softball sweep
Central Dutch Athletics
PELLA—The Central College softball team needed some innings and pitcher Danielle Riley (senior, Afton, East Union HS) delivered in a fast-paced 4-0, 5-1 non-conference sweep of Monmouth College (Ill.) Monday.
Dutch hurler Mariah Fritz (senior, Tama, East Marshall HS) has shouldered a heavy load, starting both ends of a pair of American Rivers doubleheaders last week. Fritz made quick work of Monmouth (13-17) in the opener, needing just 81 pitches in a 5-hit shutout. But with two more league doubleheaders looming this week, coach George Wares turned to Riley for the second game.
Riley (7-1) responded with seven strong innings, allowing only an unearned run on six hits with one strikeout and no walks while needing only 70 pitches for Central (20-8).
“Everyone knows we needed something,” Wares said. “It was good not just for Danielle but for the team to see her do that.”
Riley was tested early as an infield hit and an error put the first two hitters of the game on base. A sacrifice moved them into scoring position but Riley retired the next two hitters.
“Danielle made a couple of nice inside pitches, fisted them up and she got two pop-ups,” Wares said. “That was a big inning to get out of. That might have been the difference in the game.”
Central mustered just two hits in the first six innings but took advantage of some Monmouth charity, scoring three fourth-inning runs on three straight errors and three stolen bases.
“In the second game, our execution wasn’t good and our approaches weren’t very good, but good enough to get the job done and we got what we needed, a couple wins,” Wares said.
Center fielder Sara Tallman (junior, Pella) drove in another run with an infield hit in the sixth inning.
Central outhit Monmouth, which leads the Midwest Conference, 7-5 in the opener but was held scoreless until a four-run sixth inning highlighted by a bloop two-run hit to right field by third baseman Lauren Bagby (senior, Norwalk). Designated player Lauren Birt (freshman, Ankeny, Centennial HS) had two hits and a walk while shortstop Daria Parchert (sophomore, Illinois City, Ill., Rockridge HS) had two hits. Parchert raised her average to .382, moving into second on the team behind Tallman’s .407. Second baseman Kaitlyn Andresen (junior, Davenport, Assumption HS) follows closely at .381 with a team-high 22 RBIs and left fielder Shaye Witte (junior, West Des Moines, Waukee HS) is at .380.
Central, which committed two errors in the second game, played errorless ball in the opener and turned its 16th double play of the season, which ranks fifth in the NCAA Division III. Fritz struck out four and walked one, needing just 1 hour, 8 minutes to improve to 13-7, after suffering a pair of losses Friday at Coe College.
“It was a good bounceback,” Wares said. “It was nice to get the taste of winning again.”
Central returns to league action Wednesday at Dubuque with a 2 p.m. twinbill with Loras College (10-23-1 overall, 1-11 conference)
“It’s always tough for us there,” Wares said. “They’re 1-11 (in the league) but they’re better than that. They’ve got some good wins.”
