Angela Davis March 30, 2009

Davis steals five, it's Dutch in a breeze

MOUNT VERNON—A nine-day layoff did nothing to slow Central College’s offense as second baseman Angela Davis (freshman, West Des Moines, Valley HS) swiped a record-tying five games and the Dutch endured a stormy night to get a 2-0 start in Iowa Conference play with a 9-0,  9-2 sweep of Cornell College Monday.  

Both were five-inning games—the first because of No. 15 Central having at least an eight-run lead after the fifth inning and the second because of lightning sighted at the end of the fifth. The teams had to battle fierce winds throughout both games before the storms arrived.

Central stole a school-record 11 bases in the second game, topping the previous standard of nine set against St. Mary’s (Minn.) in a 1997 NCAA Division III tourney game. Davis, who has seven thefts for the year, tied the single-game mark of five set by Mindi Remsburg in 1993.

The Dutch had 16 steals on the night. Third baseman Afton Nelson (junior, Bettendorf, Pleasant Valley HS) pilfered three in the first game.

While offense was plentiful, coach George Wares cited the Central defense, noting a circus catch by right fielder Laura Braun (junior, Newton) as well as key plays from Davis.

But perhaps the night’s most significant grab was by first baseman Bethany Koskamp (sophomore, Cedar Rapids, Kennedy HS). She smothered a sinking bloop hit with a diving attempt, then got a force play to end a fifth-inning bases-loaded threat. Seconds later, lightning was spotted and the game was called but because five innings were completed, it was an official game. Otherwise Central’s second-game fireworks would have gone for naught.

Wares was also impressed with Cornell, despite the scores.

“They beat (No. 5) Washington (Mo.),” he said. “I gave Cornell a lot of credit as we prepared for these games and I give them a lot of credit afterwards. They’re definitely improved.”

Getting the first two league wins was crucial, Wares said.

“It’s a big relief,” he said. “Especially looking at the week we’ve got, these are two we needed to get.”

Center fielder Alysha Overturf (senior, Bettendorf, Pleasant Valley HS) had four hits on the night. Designated player Rachael Everingham (freshman, Georgetown, Ill., Ridge Farm HS) had three hits. Tenboer launched a home run into the teeth of the wind in right-center field.

Kiley Lythberg (sophomore, Mount Prospect, Ill.) and Katie Tenboer (sophomore, Morrison, Ill.) combined on a shutout in the opener. Lythberg (7-0) threw four innings, yielding four hits and no walks while striking out three. Tenboer retired the Rams in order in the fifth.

Megan Swingen (senior, Woden, Woden-Crystal Lake HS) gave up nine hits but limited Cornell to two runs in five innings, walking two and striking out one in improving to 6-1.

After 18 games the Dutch are slated to make their home season debut Wednesday, taking on preseason conference co-favorite Luther College in a 3 p.m. doubleheader at the A.N. Kuyper Athletics Complex field. The Norse burst out of the gates at 13-1 and are ranked 25th in the NFCA Division III coaches’ poll. Central and Luther met four times last season, with the Norse holding a 3-1 advantage and eliminating the Dutch from the league tournament.

It’s the next leg of a challenging week. Friday Central tackles Washington-St. Louis (Mo.) in a 3 p.m. non-conference twinbill before traveling to Indianola Saturday to face Simpson College, which is 21-7.