INDIANOLA — In a pair of low-scoring games, the Central College baseball team took a 2-1 win over Simpson College Saturday afternoon to close out the weekend series.
Simpson (15-18, 8-10 American Rivers Conference) won the first game Saturday 5-3 after winning the series opener against Central (12-19, 6-10 conference) 7-0 on Friday.
Game two's starting pitcher Max Steinlage (sophomore, Cedar Falls) struck out 10 Storm batters in six innings. He allowed just one run on two hits and two walks in his second win of the season.
"Max really set the tone," coach Adam Carey said. "He did a really good job of attacking. He really got rolling and I was happy with how he competed."
Bryce Haessig (sophomore, Huxley, Ballard HS) tossed three scoreless frames to earn his second save of the season, striking out three with two walks. Haessig was making his second appearance of the day after pitching a scoreless eighth inning in game one.
"Bryce is Mr. Consistent for us," Care said. "That's exactly what you want out of a bullpen guy. He's going to put the ball in the zone and let his defense work behind him."
Steinlage drove in one of Central's two runs in game two on a bases loaded groundout in the first inning. Second baseman Logan McCoy (senior, Galva, Alta-Aurelia HS) scored that first run and then had an RBI single in the fourth to score what proved to be the winning run.
Mark Kenney (sophomore, Fennimore, Wis.) took the loss on the mound in game one after allowing 11 hits and one walk while striking out six. Only three of his five allowed runs were charged as earned.
First baseman Declan O'Hare (fifth year, Los Angeles, Calif., John Marshall HS) had a pair of hits and scored two of Central's runs in the opener. Shortstop Dylan Williams (sophomore, Bountiful, Utah, Woods Cross HS) had an RBI double in the third. Colton DeRocher (senior, Sioux City, East HS) also notched an RBI single in the eighth.
The Dutch offense tallied just five runs on 15 hits in the series.
"We have to find a way to remain who we are in the box regardless of who we are facing on the mound," Carey said. "We must do a better job of dictating how the at-bat is going to go. I feel like we're letting the non-controllable things affect us. We need to control what we can control."
Central returns home to face Luther College in a 1 p.m. doubleheader Tuesday
