LINCOLN, NEBRASKA — A three-run first inning was all the Central College baseball team needed to beat Nebraska Wesleyan University 5-2 Saturday afternoon.
Central (17-21, 12-12 American Rivers Conference) finishes .500 in league competition for the first time since 2017. Nebraska Wesleyan finishes its season 13-27 (8-16 conference).
A Max Steinlage (senior, center field, Cedar Falls) groundout was followed by a two-run home run by Bryer Wiley (sophomore, second base, Urbana, Center Point-Urbana HS) in the first inning to put the Dutch in front early. Steinlage added a solo home run in the fifth inning.
Central got an insurance run in the form of a ninth inning sacrifice fly by left fielder Stephen Stufflebeam (junior, Macomb, Ill.) that scored first baseman Jackson Torbit (sophomore, St. Louis, Mo, Webster Groves HS) from his leadoff triple.
Brayden Sawyer (senior, Grundy Center) was the starting and winning pitcher after scattering eight hits over 6.0 innings and limiting Nebraska Wesleyan to two earned runs. Wiley had two scoreless innings of relief and Steinlage picked up his second save of the season in a scoreless ninth inning.
Central will start the American Rivers Conference tournament on Thursday against a to be determined opponent.
