STORM LAKE — The Central College softball team's offense reached historic levels Tuesday night in an American Rivers Conference sweep of Buena Vista University.
Central scored more than 20 runs in a game for the fourth time ever in a 22-16 victory in game one and then throttled the Beavers 13-0 in the nightcap.
The Dutch appeared set for a quick win in the opener, taking a 7-0 lead into the bottom of the fourth. The Beavers strung together some hits and took advantage of four Dutch pitchers issuing 11 total walks to score a whopping 15 runs in the bottom half of the inning.
Central found itself on the brink of losing via run rule before a seven-run inning of its own, highlighted by a three-run by
Rylee Dunkin (junior, Hamilton, Twin Cedars HS). The Dutch retook the lead with four more runs in the sixth and seventh innings.
The offensive surge rolled right into game two with a 13-0 win that ended after five innings via the run rule.
Peyton Levine (freshman, Oswego, Ill., Yorkville HS) was the winning pitcher in both games. She faced just 11 batters to record the final 10 outs of the first game after taking over in the fifth inning. She allowed just two hits over 4.0 scoreless innings in game two as the starter.
Offensively, a laundry list of gaudy numbers for Central in the doubleheader included five hits and seven RBI for third baseman
Hanah Higgins (senior, Macomb, Ill.). Shortstop
Sarah Stufflebeam (junior, shortstop, Macomb, Ill.) scored six runs and drove in six more. Right fielder
Emma Anderson (sophomore, right fielder, Forest City) had four of Central's 11 stolen bases in the first game.
Freshman
Jackie Sledden (freshman, Yorkille, Ill.) started both games in the designated player slot and had three hits and two RBI in the second game. Even pinch hitter
Sydney Hoskins (sophomore, Albia) got in on the action with a bases clearing double on her second plate appearance of the season.
Central hosts Cornell College for a 2 p.m. doubleheader Thursday.
