Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 TUCSON, ARIZ.—Pitchers Sydni Huisman (5th-year, Treynor) and Morgan Schaben (5th-year, Portsmouth, Harlan HS) combined on a two-hit shutout as the No. 22 Central College softball team rolled past the University of Hartford (Conn.) 8-0 in six innings and the University of St. Catherine (Minn.) 9-1 in five innings Thursday at the Tucson (Ariz.) Invitational games.
           
Huisman (3-2) allowed just three baserunners in 5.1 innings against Hartford (5-3), giving up two hits and a walk while fanning two. Schaben walked a batter but got the final two outs.
           
"Hartford is going to have a good record so that's a good strength-of-schedule game for us," coach George Wares said. "They're better than we made them look today. They've been hitting the ball real well in Arizona and that tells you how well Sydni pitched. She was even sharper than yesterday."
           
Right fielder Emma Jensen (junior, Earlham), who has shared starting duties with Mariah Parton (sophomore, Ankeny), bolstered her bid for playing time by belting her first collegiate home run, a two-run shot in the fourth inning.
           
"We're happy with both of them," Wares said. "They have both played well defensively, but it was good for (Jensen). Besides the home run she had a good, productive day."
           
Catcher Rylee Dunkin (freshman, Hamilton, Twin Cedars HS) had two of Central's seven hits.
           
Emma Beck (sophomore, Holland, Grundy Center HS) limited St. Catherine (6-8) to one run on four hits over 4.1 innings, walking one and striking out five. Schaben again recorded the final two outs.
           
"Emma again showed improvement," Wares said. "Still a few too many pitches but she's definitely making progress."
           
Central had eight hits as Wares substituted liberally. The Dutch had five stolen bases against St. Catherine and nine for the day. They have 41 steals through the first 13 games.
           
"We are really good on the bases," Wares said. "We have a lot of speed in our lineup and the majority of them know how to run the bases and make good decisions."
             
Central completes its week in Tucson Friday, tackling Dickinson College (Pa.) at 1:30 p.m. (PDT) and Salve Regina University (R.I.) at 5:30 p.m. Dickinson took a 0-8 record into a Thursday contest with Sewanee (Tenn.) while Salve Regina enters Friday at 2-5. An additional challenge could come from the weather as scattered thunderstorms are expected.