PELLA — Three home runs, including two in the seventh inning, pushed the Central College baseball team to a 6-5 victory over Luther College Tuesday, securing the series win.
The Dutch (13-20, 7-11 American Rivers Conference) fell 14-4 to the Norse in the nightcap. Central won the first game of the series last Tuesday 8-3 in Decorah.
A two-run blast from first baseman Declan O'Hare (fifth year, Los Angeles, Calif., John Marshall HS) in the second inning got the Dutch offense started and tied the game at 2-2.
After four scoreless frames, Colton DeRocher's (senior, Sioux City, East HS) solo shot tied the game at 4-4. Two batters later, designated hitter Caleb Douglass (junior, Windsor, Colo.) added a two-run home run to put Central in front for good 6-4.
"Caleb has been putting good swings on balls all year," coach Adam Carey said. "Lately we are starting to see those balls fall and it's even better to see them fall on the other side of the fence."
DeRocher, shortstop Dylan Williams (sophomore, Bountiful, Utah, Woods Cross HS), catcher Dom DeLaPaz (junior, Davenport, West HS) and third baseman Brayden Sawyer (sophomore, Grundy Center) had two his apiece in the victory.
"It was good to see our guys get back to the process we want to see them have in the batter's box," Carey said.
Boston DeVault (freshman, Greenfield, Nodaway Valley HS) was the pitcher of record in the opener, striking out two in 1.0 innings. Chance Dreyer (sophomore, Davenport, West HS) was the starting pitcher, scattering four runs on eight hits and two walks while striking out four.
"Chance battled hard, he did not want to come out," Carey said. "It was a really gritty start from him and it was fun to watch him compete the way he did."
Parker Jones (senior, Verona, Wis., Verona Area HS) closed the door with a two-inning save, striking out three while working around a trio of walks.
After notching 12 hits in the opener, the Dutch bats mustered just four hits. Defensively, the Dutch committed three errors
"We took the first two games of the series and it felt like the focus wasn't there in the third game like it needed to be," Carey said. "That's something that we have to do better as a coaching staff and its something our players need to do a better job of but it starts with us."
Two of Central's four hits in the second game were solo shots, coming off the bats of left fielder Colton Jones (senior, Knoxville) and Dreyer, who was playing at third in game two.
Four different pitchers appeared for Central in game two after Sawyer lasted just 1.1 innings as the starter. allowing seven runs on nine hits and two walks. Bo Gerbracht (freshman, Wellsburg, AGWSR HS) was the most effective reliever, striking out four in 2.2 innings, allowing a pair of earned runs.
The Duch are slated to open a three-game series at home against Wartburg College Friday at 3 p.m.
