LINCOLN, NEB.—Needing to win at least one game to secure a spot in the American Rivers Conference tournament, the Central College baseball took both games 12-5 and 13-1 to end the regular season.
           
The Dutch (23-14, 11-3 conference) piled up 25 runs against the Prairie Wolves (10-24, 8-14 conference) in the doubleheader, giving them 36 for the weekend. Central racked-up three home runs, two triples and nine doubles in Saturday's games.
           
"It was a good weekend at the plate," coach Matt Schirm said. "Qualifying for the tournament is always our first goal. We've given ourselves a chance to play our best baseball and maybe qualify for a regional, which is exciting."
           
Tanner Wood (senior, Pella) got the start in the opener but Tyler Steward (sophomore, Norwalk) got the win after a strong fifth and sixth inning.
           
"Tanner gave us a good start," Schirm said. "Tyler came into a really tough situation and got out of the inning, which was huge for us."
           
Notching his school-record tying eighth save, Ryan Riddle (sophomore, Omaha, Neb., Mt. Michael HS) struck out four in the final three innings.
           
"That's earlier than we've gone to him all year," Schirm said. "With the importance of this game, we decided we needed to do that. He closed the door for us."
           
At the plate in the first game, Garrett Saunders (senior, shortstop, Bonaparte, Van Buren HS) had a pair of triples while catcher Trevor Kimm (senior, Urbandale) and first baseman Ryan Bouwman (senior, Bloomington, Normal HS) each had two doubles.
           
Brent Parker (senior,  right fielder, Bussey, Twin Cedars HS) had an explosive second game, blasting two home runs and doubles. He also had a career-high four RBIs.
           
"I was so happy for him," Schirm said. "He's had limited time so for him to have a pair of no-doubters was awesome. One of them was over 400 feet to dead center field, it was impressive."
           
Catcher Blake Wooten (junior, Peoria, Ariz., Centennial HS) added a grand slam in the fourth inning as part of his 2-for-4 day.
           
The Dutch will be the No. 5 seed at the league tournament next weekend in Cedar Rapids. They will face the No. 4 seed University of Dubuque (23-13-1, 12-11 conference) next Thursday at 11 a.m. from Daniels Park. Dubuque won two out of three games win the two teams played April 19-20.