Kelly Harris April 19, 2008

Central softball squad outslugs Dubuque

PELLA—Left fielder Hannah Weindruch (junior, Bettendorf, Pleasant Valley HS) had two hits and four RBIs in one inning as the Central College softball team erupted for an 11-run frame, sweeping the University of Dubuque 7-3 and 14-1 Saturday.

The first 10 batters of the third inning of the five-inning nightcap reached base as the Dutch (18-13 overall, 5-7 Iowa Conference) sent 16 batters to the plate and the first eight scored. Weindruch singled and doubled while pinch-hitter Brittany Becker (freshman, Gilbertville, Don Bosco HS) lined a three-run double to left-center field. Weindruch had four hits on the day.

Catcher Kelly Harris (senior, LeClaire, Pleasant Valley HS) tied the school season home run mark with her eighth, a two-run shot to right field to highlight a five-run second inning in the opener. She also had a single and a double and walked twice. Harris tied the season homer record set by Tina Shimak in 2004. Harris is second on the career home run list with 14 and is second on the school career RBI chart with 108. She stole her 14th base of the season and upped her batting mark to a team-high .438. Harris also picked off a baserunner, her fifth of the year and a record 47th of her career. Center fielder Alysha Overturf (junior, Bettendorf, Pleasant Valley HS) had three hits and drove in two runs.

Central pounded out 24 hits in the two games.Amy Zellmer

Lacey Ritscher (senior, Keystone, Benton HS) pitched three innings of two-hit relief and picked up the win in the opener, evening her record at 1-1 in her final home appearance in a Dutch uniform. Megan Swingen (junior, Woden, Woden-Crystal Lake HS) gave up a pair of unearned runs on three hits and a walk in three innings and Amy Zellmer (senior, North Mankato, Minn., Loyola HS) followed with one inning of relief, allowing one run.

Kiley Lythberg (freshman, Mount Prospect, Ill.) got the win in the nightcap. Lythberg (8-7) allowed a run in the first and gave up four hits overall, walking one and striking out two. Katie Tenboer (freshman, Morrison, Ill.) finished the game by striking out the side in the fifth.

Dubuque dipped to 11-17 overall and 0-12 in league play.Lacey Ritscher

The wins pushed coach George Wares’ career record to 798-269-3. Now in his 24th season, Wares is bidding to become just the second coach in NCAA Division III history to reach the 800-win mark.

Meanwhile Central seeks to nail down a spot in the six-team conference tournament. The Dutch start the final week of conference season play at Storm Lake Tuesday, taking on Buena Vista University in a 3 p.m. doubleheader. The Beavers are 8-20 overall and 2-8 in conference action heading into a league twinbill at Simpson College Sunday afternoon.