PELLA — After the University of Dubuque escaped with a narrow 3-2 win in the opener, the Central College baseball team was swept with a 15-5 loss in game two.
Central fell to 1-4 in American Rivers Conference games and 7-9 overall. Dubuque improved to 12-3 (2-2 conference).
After trailing most of the opener, Central knotted the score at 2-2 in the eighth inning after Colton DeRocher (junior, right fielder, Sioux City, East HS) reached on an error and Caleb Douglass (sophomore, catcher, Windsor, Colo.) scored. Dubuque added a tally to retake the lead in the ninth. Central two runners in scoring positions but could not send it to extra innings.
Sam Staley (senior, Cedar Rapids, Jefferson HS) took the loss in game after working three innings of relief, walking four but allowing just one hit and one run. Zach DeMarlie (freshman, Milan, Ill., Rock Island HS) had a strong start on the mound for Central. In six innings of work, he scattered seven hits while walking two and striking out four. He allowed just a pair of earned runs.
"Zach was great," coach Casey Klunder said."He commanded his pitches and mixed them well. He attacked the strike zone. He's getting better as we go along."
Chase Martin (sophomore, left fielder, Port St. Lucie, Fla., John Carroll HS) RBI groundout in the fourth inning was Central's only other scoring play in the opener.
"We just spread our offense out too much," Klunder said. "Dubuque had more extra-base hits than we did which helped them a lot. It was an uncharacteristic game for our offense."
Central tallied nine hits in game two, led by two from DeRocher. Chance Dreyer (freshman, designated hitter, Davenport, Assumption HS) had a triple and DeRocher, Garrett Finley (senior, first base, DeWitt, Central DeWitt HS) and Martin all had doubles. Declan O'Hare (senior, third baseman, Los Angeles, Calif., John Marshall HS) had two RBI.
"We not only had more hits, but we had some better outs," Klunder said. "We hit a bunch of balls hard in the outfield that were caught. We just were unable to string them together. Sometimes it bounces your way and sometimes it doesn't."
The Dutch spotted the Spartans a 5-0 lead in the first inning of game two after four of the five batters were walked and then Dubuque hit a grand slam. Max Steinlage (freshman, Cedar Falls) took the loss as a starter, giving up five runs in 0.1 innings. Mark Kenney (freshman, Fennimore, Wis.) came on in relief for 2.2 innings and allowed eight runs on eight hits with two walks and two strikeouts.
"Our freshmen were in a tough spot against a veteran Dubuque lineup," Klunder said. "They all executed some pitches but we just have to do it more consistently."
Landon Thiele (senior, Moline, Ill.) tossed three shutout innings in relief, scattering four hits while walking and striking out one batter each. Brendan Short (senior, Normal, Ill.) was the final pitcher of the day for Central, allowing two runs in the seventh inning.
Central has a three-game weekend series at home against Simpson College. The first game is slated for a 3 p.m. first pitch on Friday.
"We're excited about this weekend," Klunder said. "Simpson's a rival and we played three very good games against them last year and it should be a fun series again."
