PELLA — An 11-run seventh inning by Wartburg College cost the Central College baseball team a chance at victory in game two of a doubleheader Saturday afternoon, falling 18-9.
Central (9-9, 0-8 American Rivers Conference) lost the first game 17-2 in seven innings. The second game was called after eight innings due to darkness.
The Dutch broke through for four runs in the sixth inning of game two to take a 9-6 lead. The Knights answered back with 11 of their own to go ahead 17-9. Central rallied itself after falling behind 6-0 in the third inning.
"I really liked how he fought back," coach Casey Klunder said. "I felt like from start to finish we really tried to string good at-bats together. Wartburg can really hit and the thing they did today well was hit with runners in scoring position."
First baseman Declan O'Hare (junior, Los Angeles, Calif., John Marshall HS) had four hits while left fielder Ian Boline (senior, Albunett), and second baseman Lucas Farren (senior, Yorkville, Ill.) each had three hits in game two. Right fielder Colton DeRocher (sophomore, Sioux City, East HS), smashed a pair of home runs, driving in four runs.
"We hit so much today than we did against Buena Vista or Loras last week," Klunder said. "We outhit Wartburg in two of the three games this weekend, so it feels like some thing are coming together offensively.
Six Dutch pitchers were use in game two, Caleb Evans (junior, Davenport, Central HS) suffered the loss after facing three batters in the seventh, walking two and giving up a hit.
In total, 11 Central pitchers combined to issue 20 walks in 15 innings.
"It's going to be really tough to beat a program like Wartburg if you walk 20 batters in a doubleheader," Klunder said. "All of our pitchers have shown flashes, but we aren't consistent enough. Eventually, nine runs are going to have to be enough to win."
Left fielder Kyler Watson (freshman, Huxley, Ballard HS) and third baseman Quinn Miller (senior, Cedar Rapids, Xavier HS) each had a pair of hits in the first game. Watson added the team's only RBI. O'Hare took the pitching loss in game one, allowing three earned runs and five total runs in 5.0 innings. He struck out three and walked three.
Central makes its first true road trip of the spring for a 6 p.m. game at Loras College Tuesday.
