TUCSON, ARIZONA—A complete game pitching performance by Sydni Huisman (5th-year, Treynor) highlighted a second day of action in the Tucson Invitational Games for the No. 22-rated Central College softball team Tuesday.
           
Huisman was a 7-2 winner over the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse but the Dutch were blanked by Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (Calif.) in the second game. Huisman (2-2) scattered five hits and surrendered two unearned runs over seven innings. She struck out three and walked one.
           
"That was by far the best Sydni has pitched this year," coach George Wares said. "It was a real clean game. We had one inning where we made three errors, but fortunately they only scored one there and we came right back. She was efficient; she only threw 76 pitches and got some swings and misses. Clearly a good step towards what we think we're going to get from her as we move forward."
           
And Wares saw things he liked in his other hurlers' efforts despite the loss to Claremont. Emma Beck (sophomore, Holland, Grundy Center HS) gave up three runs on six hits over 4.1 innings, walking two and fanning one in dropping to 2-3. Morgan Schaben (5th-year, Portsmouth, Harlan HS), after carrying a heavy load in two games Monday, allowed two hits, including a home run, over 2.2 innings with one strikeout.
           
"All of our pitchers were improved," Wares said. "Schaben's been pretty consistent and gave us two-plus innings today, but Beck was better. She had a little better control and it was just a better outing for her against a team that does not strike out. They're really good contact hitters and put the ball in play."
           
Central's recent offensive progress continued against Wis.-La Crosse (5-9) with seven runs on seven hits. Center fielder Emma Johnson (5th-year, Davenport, Assumption Catholic HS) and third baseman Franie Burnett (senior, Ankeny, Centennial HS) each had two hits and scored twice. Catcher Rylee Dunkin (freshman, Hamilton, Twin Cedars HS) drove in two runs. Johnson and pinch-runner Anya Kistenmacher (junior, Holstein, Ridge View HS) both stole two bases.
           
"When our running game got going, they struggled with it," Wares said. "You've got to get it going, but once we do, the players are very confident in running the bases."
           
Central was held to just four hits by Claremont (6-4).
           
"They pitched us as well as anybody has all year," Wares said. "They pitched smart, moved the ball around and changed speeds well. And I don't know if their infield is always this good but they played exceptionally well against us. They made some really tough plays. We didn't lose, they beat us."
           
The Tucson schedule isn't quite as jammed for the Dutch this year as in some recent trips because Central already got six games in Georgia at the NFCA Division III Leadoff Classic Feb. 29-March 3. The Dutch get a day off Wednesday before returning to action and Wares said the recent slate has been challenging.
           
"This is as good of a 10-game stretch as we've played in a while," he said. "Regardless of what their records are now, they're all going to have solid records at the end of the year."
              
Thursday Central takes on the University of Hartford (Conn.), which is transitioning to Division III, at 1:30 p.m. (PDT) and the University of St. Catherine (Minn.) at 3:30 p.m. Hartford took a 3-1 record into Tuesday's action. St. Catherine upped its record to 5-6 with a win early Tuesday.
           
"Hartford swings the bat really well," Wares said. "They've won some slugfests. And anytime you play a team from Minnesota, you know they play good softball. They know about us and we know a little about them."