Dutch win baseball opener

JACKSONVILLE, ILLINOIS — The Central College baseball season got off to a roaring start with a 15-1 win in the opening game against Robert Morris University – Peoria (Ill.) Saturday afternoon.

The Dutch (1-1) lost 5-1 against Rockford University (Ill.) in the second game.

Against the Eagles in the opener, Ryan Riddle (junior, Omaha, Neb., Mount Michael HS) allowed just one hit and struck out seven in five innings of work. Riddle was a closer last year but is moving to a starter role this year. Landon Thiele (freshman, Moline, Ill.) recorded the final three outs.

“Ryan really dominated that game,” coach Matt Schirm said.

Catcher Trevor Kimm (senior, Urbandale) drove in three runs for the Dutch on two hits while three Central players had a pair of RBIs. Second basemen Lucas Farren (junior, Yorkville, Ill.) had three hits and right fielder Patrick Diemer (junior, West Des Moines, Waukee). Farren and Diemer each had a triple.

In the second game, Central was limited to two hits and one run scored in the ninth inning on a sacrifice fly.

“We faced a pair of talented pitchers in the second game and struck out too much,” Schirm said. “They would both be good in our league.”

Four defensive errors by the Dutch diminished a pair of good pitching performances. Starter Rece Martin (senior, Saylorville, Saydel HS) allowed two earned runs with four strikeouts in the first four innings. Ben Wallace (sophomore, Knoxville) struck out seven in his five innings of relief.

“Rece threw well, we just had one bad defensive inning behind him,” Schirm said. “Ben was good in relief as well.”

Central will get a chance to go 3-1 on the weekend with another set of games against the same teams Sunday. A rematch with Rockford is schedule for 11 a.m. and will be followed by a 2 p.m. encounter with Robert Morris.

“We obviously need to be better, but I was proud of how we fought and stuck with it after getting down early in the second game,” Schirm said.