PELLA — The Central College baseball team notched seven hits but was undone by eight runners left on base in 7-1 loss to Wartburg College Saturday afternoon.
The Knights (19-13, 9-9 American Rivers Conference) are leading the Dutch (13-21, 7-12 conference) in the seventh inning of the second game that was suspended due to weather. The game will be completed on Monday at 2 p.m. with the final game of the three-game series to follow.
Wartburg only outhit Central by a slim 8-7 in the opener but were able to convert those base runners into runs more often than the Dutch.
"There's going to be days when the ball bounces your way and there's going to be days that it doesn't and that's baseball," coach Adam Carey said. "Somebody needs to make the decision to be the guy when there's a runner in scoring position."
Right fielder Colton DeRocher (senior, Sioux City, East HS) and catcher Caleb Douglass (junior, Windsor, Colo.) both had two hits, including an RBI single by DeRocher in the third inning.
Mark Kenney (sophomore, Fennimore, Wis.) took the loss on the mound in game one, striking out five in 5.0 innings but allowing five runs on seven hits and two walks.
"Mark competed really hard," Carey said. "They stacked those runs on in the middle to late innings and that was the difference."
Central has two hits thus far in the second game, including another single from DeRocher and third baseman Brayden Sawyer (sophomore, Grundy Center). Max Steinlage was the starting pitcher, giving up two earned runs while striking out 11 in 6.0 innings.
"Max kept going after hitters," Carey said. "He came back atter they'd get a hit and utilize his swing-and-miss stuff. I was happy with the way he competed. He got deep into a lot of counts, but he found a way to finish at-bats."
Central has a chance to pick up two wins Monday and stay alive in the chase for a spot in the American Rivers Conference postseason tournament
"They have a four-run headstart and it's a nine-out game," Carey said. "I told the guys that we can go win it one frame at a time."
