KANSAS CITY, KAN. — Making its earliest season debut in program history Sunday, the Central College baseball team started the season with an 8-4 loss against Augustana University (Ill.) before taking a 16-6 win over Grinnell College
Leading 9-6 going into the bottom of the seventh, Central (1-1) tagged Grinnell (0-2) for seven runs and ended the game by run rule early. Third baseman Brayden Sawyer (senior, Grundy Center) had a monster game at the plate, going 4-for-5 with three doubles and five RBI. Right fielder Jaden Kramer (senior, Cedar Falls) also had three hits and three RBI.
Turner Williams (junior, Newton) was the winning pitcher, throwing three scoreless innings of relief with three strikeouts. Bryer Wiley (sophomore, Urbana, Center Point-Urbana HS) recorded the save after striking out all three batters he faced in the top of the seventh.
Cameron Moreno (sophomore, Moline, Ill.) suffered the pitching loss in the opener against Augustana (2-0), allowing five earned runs in a big fifth inning for the Vikings. Bryce Haessig (senior, Huxley, Ballard HS) had four strikeouts while facing 11 batters in 2.2 innings of relief work.
Wiley and Sawer each had two hits in the opener. Center fielder Max Steinlage (senior, Cedar Falls) drove in two runs, including a solo shot in the first inning. He had a second home run against Grinnell.
The Dutch have a three-game weekend series against Hardin-Simmons University (Texas) starting at 6 p.m. on Friday in Abilene, Texas.
