Dutch baseball team loses late against Nebraska Wesleyan

PELLA – A three-run ninth inning by Nebraska Wesleyan University broke a scoreless tie as the Central College baseball dropped the series opener with a 3-0 loss Friday.

Central (14-16, 5-11 American Rivers Conference) and Nebraska Wesleyan (17-13, 6-8 conference) were locked in a scoreless tie through eight innings. It was a pitcher’s dual as Central’s Jackson Torbit (sophomore, St. Louis, Mo., Webster Groves HS struck out 10 in the first eight frames. He issues his first walk to lead off the ninth before giving up a two-run home run to lose the lead.

“We got a great start from Jackson,” coach Adam Carey said. “When you go 8+ innings with 11 strikeouts and one walk, you expect to win the game.”

Reliever Bryce Haessig (junior, Huxley, Ballard HS) allowed an unearned run to cross as well to put the Dutch in 3-0 hole.

The Dutch got two runners on in the ninth inning but couldn’t get any runs across the plate. Central stranded nine base runners, including with the bases loaded in the eighth. The Dutch were limited to just four total hits.

“Our offense has to be better,” Carey said. “We have to take a better approach in the box.”

Third baseman Brayden Sawyer (junior, Grundy Center) and shortstop Garrett Guenther’ (sophomore, Grayslake, Ill., Central HS) were responsible for all four Dutch hits on the day, each notching two.

“Those two were good in the box,” Carey said. “Garrett made good adjustments throughout the game and made some good swings on balls. Sawyer was pretty locked in from the jump. He had one fall for him early and then stayed on everything throughout the game.”

Central can win the series with a doubleheader sweep starting Saturday at 1 p.m.