Central softball team secures game two at Luther

DECORAH – Playing its third doubleheader in four days Sunday, the Central College softball team rallied from a game one loss and early deficit in game two to earn a split with a 6-5 victory.

Central (22-6, 5-3 American Rivers Conference) lost the opener 5-4 after a seventh-inning single by Luther (17-11, 6-4 American Rivers Conference). The Norse started game two with a three-run first inning to put Central’s back against the wall.

The Dutch got on the board with a double steal in the second inning as Emma Anderson (sophomore, right fielder, Forest City) swiped home. Central went on to score one in the third, two in the fourth, one in the fifth and the winning run in the seventh when Jadyn Huisman (sophomore, Treynor) took a bases loaded walk.

Rylee Dunkin (junior, catcher, Hamilton, Twin Cedars HS) led the Duch offense in victory with two hits and two RBI. Hannah Higgins and Addi Starr (sophomore, first baseman, Ankeny) had two hits apiece. Dunkin also had two hits in the opener and Starr drove in a pair of runs.

Ella Morse (freshman, Tucson, Ariz., Sabino HS) got the win in game two after not allowing a hit in four innings of relief in the circle and working around three walks. Starting pitcher Peyton Levine (freshman, Oswego, Ill., Yorkville HS) was lifted after allowing five earned runs on six walks and four hits in 3.0 innings.

Huisman was the losing pitcher in game one. She started and faced 29 of 32 batters over the course of 6.1 innings. She gave up four earned runs on three hits and eight walks