CEDAR RAPIDS — A walk-off home run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning cost the Central College baseball team a road win at Coe College Sunday afternoon in an 8-7 loss.

The Dutch (10-12, 1-11) led 7-3 after seven innings but the Kohawks rallied with five runs in the final two frames. A walk and a hit batsmen put two runners on for the walk-off blast.

"We just had too many costly mistakes at the wrong time and the ball didn't bounce our way," "Give their guy credit for coming through in a clutch situation. We're close, but we still had too many mistakes and free bases."

Declan O'Hare (junior, Los Angeles, Calif., John Marshall HS) started on the mound for Central, going 7.0 strong innings and allowed just one earned run. He scattered seven hits, struck out two and had zero walks. O'Hare also tallied three hits in the batter's box.

"Declan was great on the mound today," Klunder said. "He had three pitches working. When he gets the third pitch going, it makes him even more effective."

First baseman Garrett Finley (junior, DeWitt, Central DeWitt HS) had four hits and right fielder Colton DeRocher (sophomore, Sioux City, East HS) had a pair.

"Garrett hit line drives all over the field," Klunder said. "He's seeing it really well and he's got a great swing."

Catcher Dom DeLaPaz (freshman, Davenport, West HS) had his second home run in as many days, driving in three with blast in the seventh inning.

"I thought it was going to be the difference in the game," Klunder said. "He caught a nice game and he's picking it up offensively. He's responded well to being thrown into the deep end of the pool as a freshman. The sky is the limit down the road.'

Junior relief pitcher Kurby Vowels (junior, Waverly, Waverly-Shell Rock HS) took the loss after allowing five runs in 1.2 innings of work.

Central hosts Simpson College Tuesday at 3 p.m.

"Simpson has probably the best pitcher in the league and he's on schedule to throw against us," Klunder said. "We know that game will be a real tough test and we'll have to be at our absolutely best offensively to be hang with them."