DUBUQUE — A pair of home runs by catcher Michael Reuter (junior, Monticello) in the opener spearheaded the Central College baseball team to an 8-7 victory, securing a split against Loras College Friday night.

Central (9-29, 6-20 Iowa Conference) fell in the nightcap 16-5 to the Duhawks (13-23, 7-19 Iowa Conference).

Reuter helped the Dutch get out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning of game one with his three-run shot.  He followed that up with a two-run blast in the third inning to match his season-high with five RBI's in the game.

"It was nice to set the tone early in the first game," coach Matt Schirm said. "That gave us a little bit of cushion."

Dakotah Wolken (senior, Dillon, Iowa, East Marshall HS) went the full seven innings to register his second win of the season. He allowed five earned runs after allowing 13 hits but held the Duhawks off by stranding the game-tying run on base in the bottom of the seventh.

"I don't think he had his best stuff, but he battled," Schirm said. "He got out of some jams and did enough for us to win."

First baseman Ryan Bouwman (freshman, Bloomington, Ill., Normal Community) was 5-for-7 in the doubleheader, including a home run and a double in the opener with a triple in the nightcap.

 "All of those five hits were crushed," Schirm said. "There were no cheap hits there. He's a guy that we can count to put together a good at-bat almost every time. He's really been our most consistent hitter for the last three or four weeks."

Taking the loss in game two was Matt Schissel (senior, Milan, Ill., Rock Island Alleman HS)who allowed 11 earned runs with 13 hits and three walks.

Second baseman Noah Stochl (junior, New Hampton) reached on an error and connected for a sacrifice fly to drive in two runs in the loss.

Central wraps up the regular season with two more games against the Duhawks starting tomorrow at 1 p.m. at Petrakis Park in Dubuque.