PELLA—With the pitch count climbing for Central College softball starting pitcher Sydni Huisman (sophomore, Treynor) Sunday, coach George Wares needed some innings from his bullpen.
           
His usual first option, Morgan Schaben (sophomore, Portsmouth, Harlan HS), is sidelined by injury so he turned to Skylar Sadler (sophomore, Lisbon) and, for the second time in three days, she came out with a win as the Dutch squeaked past Loras College 2-1.
           
They're the first two collegiate victories for Sadler, as the Dutch swept the three-game series to continue clinging to their postseason hopes at 11-5 in America Rivers play and 13-7 overall. But Central was trailing 1-0 when Sadler entered in the top of the fourth inning. She silenced the Duhawks on two hits and no walks with two strikeouts in 4.0 innings. That's after giving up just two hits over 5.0 shutout innings Friday.
           
""We weren't going to go more than three innings (with Huisman), regardless of score," Wares said. "But Skylar was great. She pitched some stressful innings. It's not like we were cruising 4-0 or 5-0. We're happy with what she's done. She locates the ball well."
           
Much like in Friday's opener, Central struggled most of the way against the Duhawks, who were competitive despite their 1-20 overall record and 1-16 league mark.
           
"They played well," Wares said. "Give them credit. They could have packed it in but they didn't. They've got some good players."
           
Things turned in the fifth inning. Freshman right fielder Franie Burnett (Ankeny, Centennial HS) dazzled with a sliding catch of a pop foul as she crashed into the fence along the right-field line. Then at the plate in the bottom of the inning, she delivered a wind-blown two-out single into center field to bring home left fielder Emma Johnson (sophomore, Davenport, Assumption Catholic HS) with the tying run. Johnson had reached on a bunt single and stole second base. Burnett was 2-for-2, raising her team-leading average to .418.
           
Center fielder Sara Tallman (senior, Pella) gave Central its first lead in the sixth inning as she singled and scored when a relay throw to the infield was mishandled following a double that Megan Stuhr (freshman, Sigourney) rocketed to center field.
           
Stuhr is hitting .407 and has a team-high six doubles as she and Burnett continue surprisingly productive rookie seasons.
           
"They're both really good players," Wares said. "And as much as we talk about the offense they're giving us, the catch that Franie made in right field was just incredible. I really thought there was no way and was just applauding the effort but the next thing you know, she caught the ball."
           
Central completes its series with Coe College Tuesday in Cedar Rapids. The teams were scheduled for a doubleheader there April 13 but after an eight-inning opener in which the Dutch rallied for a 6-5 victory, the second game was halted after six innings due to darkness with Central down 5-3. That game will resume Tuesday at 2 p.m., followed by the third game of the series. The Kohawks are 19-8 overall and 14-5 in league play, taking a half-game lead in the conference standings ahead of Wartburg College after a three-game sweep of the University of Dubuque Friday and Saturday.