Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 PELLA—The runs that eluded the Central College softball team in a first-game stumble Wednesday came quickly in the nightcap in an American Rivers doubleheader split with Nebraska Wesleyan University.
           
After stranding 10 runners in a frustrating 4-3 setback, the No. 21-ranked Dutch (23-5 overall, 4-2 conference) put up four first-inning runs en route to a 10-2, six-inning runaway in the second game.
           
On-base percentage monster Haley Bach (sophomore, Council Bluffs, Lewis Central HS) reached safely seven times in eight plate appearances for the day, getting hit by a pitch in addition to producing three hits to go with three walks. The only time she was retired was on a line shot that was nabbed in left field. Bach, who has also sparkled defensively at second base, is hitting a steamy .482 with a .604 on-base percentage. The season on-base percentage record is .600, set by all-American Jenny Semler in 1993.
           
Bach has scored 40 runs in 28 games. Coach George Wares said Wednesday's games should have pushed that number higher.
           
"It seems like we had so many times where Haley and (center fielder) Emma Johnson (senior, Davenport, Assumption Catholic HS) get on base, but we just couldn't get as many runs as we needed to," he said. "They're both doing exactly what they have to in setting the table."
           
Nebraska Wesleyan (19-15 overall, 4-8 conference) landed the first blow, with back-to-back run-scoring doubles in the top of the first inning, followed by a home run in the third inning.
 
           
Central scratched out three runs to tie it in the fifth inning as third baseman Franie Burnett (junior, Ankeny, Centennial HS) had an RBI triple and first baseman Megan Stuhr (junior, Sigourney) shortened up to punch a two-strike pitch to right field, bringing home another run.
           
But the tie lasted only one pitch into the sixth inning as Nebraska Wesleyan belted its second homer for the decisive tally. Central left a pair of runners on base in the seventh.
           
Sydni Huisman (senior, Treynor) gave up four runs on five hits in five innings with two walks and three strikeouts in dropping to 12-3. Central was outhit 7-6.
           
It was the team's first action since April 11 after a weekend twinbill was postponed.
           
"Obviously Nebraska Wesleyan has been playing better and give them all the credit," Wares said. "I do think our time off hurt us, especially from an offensive standpoint. We just did not have many good at-bats in either game, other than a few exceptions. But when you leave that many runners on, it makes it kind of tough."
           
Central broke it open early in game two, adding three runs in the fourth inning and ending it with three in the sixth. Bach and left fielder Emma Jensen (sophomore, Earlham) each had two hits. Bach and Johnson scored twice.
           
Freshman Emma Beck (Holland, Grundy Center HS) yielded two runs on five hits in five innings with a walk and six strikeouts. Morgan Schaben (senior, Portsmouth, Harlan HS), who pitched two innings of scoreless, two-hit relief in the opener, threw a shutout sixth inning in the second game.
           
"Morgan came in and pitched well," Wares said. "She was probably our most consistent pitcher, of the three of them, as far as giving us what we need from her."
           
That performance gave the Dutch a much-needed lift as they remain in contention for the conference crown and an NCAA Division III playoff berth, but with a difficult path ahead.
           
"We're not going to kid anybody, this is a loss that makes it more difficult but it doesn't mean we can't get there," Wares said. "We've had this situation before."
           
After the weather foiled attempts to play a conference doubleheader with the University of Dubuque last Saturday and Sunday, the teams will try again Sunday at 1 p.m. at the A.N. Kuyper Athletics Complex softball field. Dubuque is 9-19 overall and 2-4 in conference play going into a home twinbill with Buena Vista University Saturday, but Wares warns that those two Spartan conference wins were over Nebraska Wesleyan April 8.
           
"It's no different than 38 other years," said the veteran coach. "This league is really, really good."
           
Wares is confident his squad will be ready.
           
"We had a pretty long discussion with the players afterwards," he said. "When you're 23-5, it's a good time to have those discussions. It's not always that hard to get to this level but it's really hard to get to that next level and that's what we've got to figure out."