Caleb Rangel March 13, 2009

Dutch split doubleheader in Florida

FORT MYERS, FLA.—On its first day of action in sunny Florida the Central College baseball team got hot offensively and scored double-digit runs in both games, throttling Southern Vermont 17-2 in the opener but falling to the Univ. of Scranton (Pa.) 12-11 in Friday’s nightcap.  

Sophomore pitcher D.J. Glasgow (Burlington) coasted through five innings on the mound, giving up one run and earning the victory in game one. Junior Doug Eisenman (Grundy Center) gave up one run in an inning of relief and sophomore Jarred Lackey (Somerton, Ariz., Cibola HS) also pitched an inning.

Central (1-3 overall) jumped out to a 5-0 lead over Southern Vermont (1-10 overall) in the bottom of the first inning and managed to plate at least one run in every inning. The Mountaineers finally got on the board with a run in the third, but the Dutch answered with five more of their own to increase their lead to 11-1 after three. Central added two runs in each of its last three at bats before the game was ended by 10-run rule in the seventh. The 15-run gap ties Central’s second largest victory margin.

“Not only did we come out and swing the bats well, we did all the other things well too,” said head coach Adam Stevens. “It was nice to get the first win of the season and I was really happy with the effort.”

Catcher Blake Smith (junior, Polk City, North Polk HS) led the offensive attack with three hits, including a home run. Lackey also homered for the Dutch and scored four runs. Outfielder Ben Tressel (junior, Dubuque, Hempstead HS), shortstop Mike Furlong (freshman, Davenport, Assumption HS), outfielder Caleb Rangel (sophomore, Rock Island, Ill., Alleman HS) and third baseman Anthony Miller (sophomore, Davenport, Assumption HS) each had two hits as the Dutch finished with 16 hits in the game.

Central continued to pound the ball at the plate against Scranton (1-2 overall) in game two, racking up 17 hits, but made some critical mistakes and didn’t get the big hit when it was needed. The Dutch issued eight walks, committed four errors and stranded the bases loaded six times.

Freshman pitcher Corey Eisenman (Bloomingdale, Ill., Driscoll Catholic HS) got the loss, pitching 4.1 innings before giving way to freshman Joel Pulliam (Des Moines, Lincoln HS), junior Trevor Talbot (Sioux City, East HS) and senior Adam Squires (Center Point, Center Point Urbana HS).

Rangel had four more hits in the second game, while Tressel and Furlong continued to stay hot with three hits apiece. Lackey roped a pair of doubles and Miller had two more hits as well.

“I really liked the way we competed throughout the game,” Stevens said. “We continued to hit well, but we learned that we can’t afford all those mistakes and missed opportunities against good teams.”

Central will be in action again tomorrow morning against the Coast Guard Academy (Conn.) (4-3) at 10 a.m. Eastern time. In the afternoon the Dutch will pick up in the fifth inning of their suspended game against Bethel (Minn.) that was started at the Metrodome on Feb. 28, with Central leading 4-2.