INDIANOLA — The Simpson College and Central College baseball teams scored a combined 10 runs in a Tuesday night doubleheader and Central came out on the wrong side of both 4-3 and 2-1.
The Dutch (11-17, 2-16 American Rivers Conference) outhit the Storm (15-14, 6-9 conference) by a 14-11 margin, but committed five errors compared to two for Simpson. Central also struck out 26 times as a team.
"We just didn't play complementary baseball," coach Casey Klunder said. "The pitching was great tonight, we just didn't score enough runs. We've got just to put it all together where there's a night with good pitching and good hitting in the same game.'
Central had a pair of great outings from its starting pitchers. Marcus Wenzel (senior, Chicago, Ill., Luther College North Prep) struck out nine in 8.0 innings of the opener. He allowed one earned run and scattered three hits. Sam Staley (junior, Cedar Rapids, Jefferson HS) got the ball in the nightcap and struck out three and yielded two runs in 6.0 innings. Kurby Vowels (junior, Waverly, Waverly-Shell Rock HS) threw 2.0 scoreless frames at the end of game two.
"Collectively, that's the best our pitching has looked all season," Klunder said. "Marcus was tremendous again. He had one long inning in the eighth and he finished with almost 130 pitches. Sam made his first collegiate start and he was really, really good. Kurby looked a lot more effective than he had in his previous two outings."
Landon Thiele (junior, Moline Ill.) pitched the ninth inning of the first game and took the loss after a Simpson walk-off. Staley was game two's losing pitcher.
Ian Boline (senior, left fielder, Alburnett) led the team with four hits on the night. He scored Central's only run in game two on a Jared Kampf (senior, second baseman, Peoria, Ariz., Mountain Ridge HS). Tanner Bigelow (sophomore, shortstop, Gilbert, Ariz., Highland HS) had two hits and an RBI in game one.
"He's such a steady player for us," Klnder said. "He's going to give us quality at-bats and be willing to do whatever it takes to win."
Central was without the services of one of its top players, pitcher/first baseman Declan O'Hare (junior, Los Angeles, Calif., John Marshall HS), who missed the game for medical reasons. First baseman/designated hitter Garrett Finley (junior, DeWitt, Central DeWitt HS) and Bigelow played in the first game but could not go in the second.
"It's the most banged up we've been all year," Klunder said.
Central steps out of non-conference play this weekend for a trip to Arden Hills, Minnesota for a three-game series with Bethel University (Minn.). The series starts with a 2 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday.
