PELLA—Central College rallied for a softball split Saturday at the University of Dubuque but providing the team an emotional lift as big as the game two win was a return to the pitching circle for Sydni Huisman (junior, Treynor).
           
After enduring a 9-1, six-inning loss in the opener, Central (14-10 overall, 2-2 American Rivers) outlasted Dubuque 11-9 in the second game.
           
Huisman, who was expected to handle much of the pitching load this year but minutes before the March 4 opener at the NFCA Division III Leadoff Classic in Columbus, Georgia, she suffered what was feared to be a season-ending injury. But she was the starter in game two, throwing 3.0 innings. While she's not expected to be at full strength again until next spring, coach George Wares is hoping to give her limited duty in the final weeks of the season. Just seeing her back on the field gave the Dutch an emotional lift, he said.
           
"When they announced her name as the starter, you could tell her teammates were really excited," Wares said.
           
Huisman was charged with four earned runs on six hits and two walks.
           
"She got into the fourth inning," Wares said. "It's a little hard to tell (how well she threw) because Dubuque swings it well, but she competed. She made some good pitches and didn't seem to have a lot of pain.
           
"It's quite a unique story."
           
But Central was let down by its defense in game one, Wares said. The Dutch were charged with one error but failed to make some needed stops in the infield.
           
Morgan Schaben (junior, Portsmouth, Harlan HS) sustained the loss, getting charged with six earned runs on eight hits and a walk with three strikeouts in 3.1 innings. Emma Neu (sophomore, Rochelle Park, N.H., Hackensack HS) allowed two runs over two innings on five hits and two walks with one strikeout.
           
Designated player Lauren Birt (senior, Ankeny, Centennial HS) had two hits and scored Central's lone run. Dubuque (16-6 overall, 4-4 conference) outhit Central 13-5.
           
"We hit it pretty well in the first game, to be honest," Wares said. "But we didn't score."
           
A 3-run first inning helped Central rebound in the second game. Central pounded out 14 hits to pull out the win. Birt had two more hits and scored twice while shortstop Cassie Severson (junior, Ankeny, Centennial HS), center fielder Emma Johnson (junior, Davenport, Assumption Catholic HS) and right fielder Franie Burnett (sophomore, Ankeny, Centennial HS) each had two hits. First baseman Megan Stuhr (junior, Sigourney) and left fielder Megan Doty (junior, Grinnell) each hit their first homers of the year.
           
Schaben (10-7) threw the final 4.0 innings to record the win, giving up two earned runs on three hits and two walks with four strikeouts.
           
"It was good that she could finish," Wares said. "She made some really good pitches."
           
Central returns to conference action with a home-field doubleheader against No. 22-ranked Loras College, one of the season's early surprises. The Duhawks were last in the league last year and finished 2-27 overall. They're now 16-2 overall and 3-1 in league play after splitting two games against Buena Vista University at Dubuque Saturday, winning 2-0 and tumbling 5-0. Loras is riding the arm of freshman pitcher Ashlyn Hemm who is 13-0. She's p
osted a miniscule 0.33 earned run average and fanning 147 batters in 83.2 innings, ranking third in Division III in both ERA and strikeouts.
           
Game time is 2 p.m. at the A.N. Kuyper Athletics Complex softball field. A video webcast and live stats for the games will be provided through the Central athletics website at athletics.central.edu.
           
"We've just got to win as many innings as we can and as many games as we can," Wares said.