GREENVILLE, ILLINOIS — Overcoming defensive woes in the season-opening doubleheader, the Central College baseball team salvaged a split at Greenville University (Ill.) on Saturday.

Central (1-1) dropped the first game against the Panthers 8-7 (2-4) before winning the nightcap 15-9. The Dutch scored 22 runs on 19 hits but committed eight errors that allowed 10 unearned runs to score.

"We played pretty sloppy defensively all day but we made up for it in the batter's box," coach Adam Carey said after his first career win. "We found a way to battle through it."

Catcher Dom DeLaPaz (junior, Davenport, West HS) and right fielder Colton DeRocher  (senior, Sioux City, East HS) led the offensive attack. DeLaPaz was 4-for-7 on the day with a two-run home run in his first at-bat. DeRocher was 5-for-10 while driving in four runs. He also had a home run in game two.

"It was awesome to see those days have the days they did," Carey said.  "The way they each did it was totally different. Dom sent the first game pitch he's seen in two years off the scoreboard, that fits who Dom is. Colton really came into his own at the end of game one and exploded in game two."

In the opener, Central trailed 7-2 through seven innings before a five-run spurt in the top of the eighth leveled the game. Coming into the game in relief of starter Declan O'Hare (fifth year, Los Angeles, Calif., John Marshall HS), Bryce Haessig (sophomore, Huxley, Ballard HS) suffered the loss after giving up three earned runs in four innings.

"Bryce gave us a shot in game one," Carey said. "He competed really hard and filled up the strike zone."

That five-run inning included a three-run double by centerfielder Max Steinlage (sophomore, Cedar Falls), two singles, two walks and two fielding errors.

"That eighth inning was fun," Carey said. "It was cool to see the guys ground themselves and get back to the plan. They worked together to give us a chance at the end of the game."

Andrew Doyle (senior, Bettendorf, Pleasant Valley HS) had a strong 5.1 innings of relief in game two, striking out two and giving up two earned runs to get the win.

"He came into a tough spot and battled from the second he got on the mound," Carey said. "He spun it well and got some good swings and misses. He stepped up and it was awesome to see a senior do that."

Central wraps up its opening weekend with a single game at noon Sunday in O'Fallon, Illinois against Illinois Wesleyan University.