Megan Swingen April 7, 2009

Swingen boosts Central in key split

PELLA—Pitcher Megan Swingen (senior, Woden, Woden-Crystal Lake HS) gave the Central College softball team a boost after a draining extra-inning loss and the Dutch split a key Iowa Conference doubleheader with Wartburg College Tuesday as two nationally ranked teams squared off.

Defending league champ Wartburg (25-3 overall, 6-2 conference), ranked No. 25, hung on for a 3-2 nine-inning victory in the opener before No. 14 Central (21-3 overall, 4-2 conference) came back for a 4-1 win.

Swingen (8-1) scattered four hits over six innings in the nightcap, striking out two and walking one. Wartburg’s only tally came on an Amy Daniels home run in the fourth inning. After Swingen walked the lead-off hitter in the seventh inning, Kiley Lythberg (sophomore, Mount Prospect, Ill.) retired the next three hitters to record her second save.

“It was so important for Megan to pitch the way she did,” coach George Wares said. “That was a huge effort by her. We’ve had some exciting wins but that was the first time we had to come back in a doubleheader after a tough loss.”

Central prevailed despite a one-hitter by Wartburg’s Lexy Determan (11-1), who was hurt by five walks. The lone Dutch hit was an RBI double in the second inning by designated player Rachel Everingham (freshman, Georgetown, Ill., Ridge Farm HS). Catcher Kyrie Hale (freshman, Lee’s Summit, Mo.) drove in a run with a sacrifice fly. The Dutch got some insurance in the sixth as two walks, two stolen bases and another Hale sacrifice that was misplayed in center field produced two more runs.

Lythberg and Wartburg all-American Angela Hartwig waged an intense duel in the opener, each throwing seven shutout innings. But Wartburg got a lead-off triple from Ashley Rogers in the eighth and scored when Central had a defensive mix-up on a bunt.

Left fielder Hannah Weindruch (senior, Bettendorf, Pleasant Valley HS) kept the Dutch in it with a lead-off triple in the bottom of the eighth, scoring the tying run on a bunt by Everingham.

“What a response by Hannah,” Wares said.

A two-run homer by Wartburg’s Beth Schaufenbuel put the Knights back on top in the ninth. But as they have all season, the Dutch came roaring back. Right fielder Laura Braun (junior, Newton) singled and scored two outs later on an RBI double by third baseman Afton Nelson (junior, Bettendorf, Pleasant Valley HS). However Central stranded the potential tying run at second base.

Lythberg went nine innings but suffered her first loss, dropping to 9-1. She gave up three runs on nine hits with two walks and five strikeouts. Hartwig (13-2) yielded five hits with seven strikeouts and no walks.

“Hartwig is very good,” Wares said. “It was a very veteran senior pitcher (Hartwig) against a much-improved sophomore. It was a great performance by Kiley but she just ran out of gas.”

The split leaves Central a game behind in the loss column in the conference standings.

“This is such a tough, tough league,” Wares said. “And this stretch we’re in now is so intense. We obviously wanted a sweep but after losing the first game the way we did, I’m so happy to get a split.”

The demanding stretch isn’t over. The Dutch must next endure a four-game, two-day conference road swing this weekend. They’re at Indianola Friday for a 4 p.m. doubleheader with Simpson College that was originally scheduled for last Saturday. Then they make the quick turnaround to head to the Univ. of Dubuque for a league twinbill Saturday at 2 p.m. Simpson, 21-9 overall and 2-2 in the conference, swept a doubleheader at Central last year 7-0 and 11-6 but the Dutch later eliminated Simpson from the conference tournament 9-4.