Katie Tenboer May 1, 2009

Dutch D delivers tourney wins

 PELLA—For the second straight day, the No. 2 Central College softball team dug a 3-0 first-inning hole, but this time ran its way out of it to eliminate No. 7 Wartburg College 5-3 in the Iowa Conference tournament Friday.

Earlier Friday the top-seeded Dutch (36-5) ousted the sixth-seeded Univ. of Dubuque (12-26) 4-0 in the double-elimination tournament to set up a rematch with fourth-seeded Luther College (32-8) Saturday at noon at the A.N. Kuyper Athletics Complex field.

Third-seeded Coe College (33-10) awaits the Luther-Central winner in a 2 p.m. contest. A Coe victory gives the Kohawks the tourney title and an automatic berth in the NCAA Division III tournament. A Coe loss forces a deciding game at 4 p.m.

Thursday Luther plated three first-inning runs and made them stand up for a 5-2 decision over Central. But Friday the Dutch got single tallies in the first and third inning, then took the lead with a two-run fourth.

“Obviously (the three-run innings) are a concern,” coach George Wares said. “But the upside is that even yesterday we battled back.”

Central pitchers Megan Swingen (senior, Woden, Woden-Crystal Lake HS) and Kiley Lythberg (sophomore, Mount Prospect, Ill.) were tagged for 11 hits but the Dutch defense was the difference. Central not only played errorless ball but turned double plays in the fifth and sixth innings.

“The defense made some tremendous plays,” Wares said. “You don’t see two double plays in college softball very often. And (first baseman) Katie Tenboer (sophomore, Morrison, Ill.) bailed us out a couple of times. She made some nice plays at first.”

Meanwhile Wartburg suffered a painful blow when all-American pitcher Angela Hartwig was forced to leave in the first inning because of an injury.

“That obviously made a big difference,” Wares said.

Meanwhile Central designated player Rachael Everingham  (freshman, Georgetown, Ill., Ridge Farm HS), second baseman Angela Davis (freshman, West Des Moines, Valley HS) and center fielder Alysha Overturf (senior, Bettendorf, Pleasant Valley HS) each delivered a pair of key hits.

An error following Everingham’s two-out first-inning infield single brought Davis home from second base. Then Davis doubled to lead off the third inning and Everingham lined a two-out RBI hit to left field.

Overturf doubled and later scored on a squeeze bunt by right fielder Laura Braun (junior, Newton) in the fourth inning. And Braun scored one batter later on a bunt single by Davis to give Central a 4-3 lead. The Dutch added an insurance tally in the sixth when Overturf singled, stole second, then scampered home on an errant pickoff attempt.

Swingen (16-1) threw 4.2 innings for the win, allowing three runs on nine hits and two walks with two strikeouts. Lythberg picked up her fourth save, giving up two hits in the last 2.1 innings with no walks or strikeouts.

Against Dubuque, Central used three bunt singles and its usual daredevil baserunning to oust the Spartans.

The Dutch stole six bases, including one by shortstop Kelsey Wright (freshman, Gilbertville, Don Bosco HS), a school record 20th in a row. Overturf and Braun each had bunt hits and scored.
            
Lythberg threw four innings of shutout ball. Lythberg (16-3) allowed four hits, walking one and striking out three. Allyse Vander Plaats (junior, Apple Valley, Calif., Naperville North HS) threw the final three innings. She allowed one hit with one walk and two strikeouts in recording her first save.

This is the first time since the conference tournament was reinstated in 2006 that the Dutch have advanced to Saturday’s play, but they would need to reel off three straight wins to take the crown. Already ranked No. 1 in the Midwest Region after winning the regular-season league crown and posting a 36-5 mark, Central likely doesn’t need to worry about making the 59-team NCAA field. However, another couple of wins might lock up a top first-round seed, if the Dutch haven’t already done so.

“I’m never completely comfortable,” Wares said of Central’s position. “But we’ve still got a legitimate shot to get a No. 1 seed.”

While not an enthusiastic supporter of playing a conference tournament five days prior to the start of NCAA tourney action, Wares said this year’s event does have an upside for a young team like Central.

“After this weekend, we can really say to our players that they have been through a regional-type atmosphere,” he said. “The crowds have been good and the games have been very intense. That will be a big plus heading into next week.”