PELLA, Iowa (Duhawks.com) – The 2015 regular season came to an end on Saturday for the Loras Baseball team with losses to Central College. Two extra-inning affairs were in store as the Dutch took game one in 10 innings 1-0 and game two 5-4 in eight innings. Junior
Alex Steines tossed his best game in a Duhawk uniform in the 1-0 loss, throwing 9 1/3 innings while striking out 11 and allowing four hits.
Despite setting a new career-high in strikeouts, Steines was denied his search for his third win of the season. Steines' 11 strikeouts comes in just behind Central's Dakotah Wolken and Simpson's Brock Borgeson for best mark in the Iowa Conference this season.
Loras' offense was absent much of the ballgame, recording their first hit in the top of the ninth thanks to a single from freshman
Dan Weis. The Joliet Catholic product finished the game 1-for-2, earning his second collegiate hit in the process.
After a leadoff double by Central's Noah Stochl in the 10th, Tyler Frideres advanced the runner to third on a sacrifice bunt. A walk to Jake Hirst and the ensuing defensive indifference put runners at second and third with one out.
With a 2-0 count to Central's leadoff man Kirby Coppess, Steines was called for a balk, scoring the runner from third and giving the Dutch the 1-0 win.
Game two started off the same way as game one with neither team able to score a run until the fifth inning.
Junior
Patrick Walsh toed the rubber for Loras, pitching four shutout innings, striking out one batter and only allowing two Central batters to reach base.
The Dutch finally cracked the scoreless tie in the fifth, plating one run on a RBI double from Stochl down the right field line. Central tacked on two more runs in the sixth thanks to two defensive miscues from the Duhawks.
Down 3-0 heading into the seventh inning, the Duhawk offense finally found their stride. Sophomore
Thomas Johnson started off the inning in style, rounding the bases for a lead-off triple. Head Coach
Carl Tebon went to his bench and called on freshman
Michael Muto to pinch-hit. Muto took the 1-2 pitch and singled to center field for his first career collegiate hit.
As the inning continued, the Duhawks loaded the bases for sophomore
Cole Reeg. On a hot shot to third, Reeg reached base on an error, allowing Muto to score and bring the Duhawks to within one. Weis then continued his solid day at the plate, providing the game tying single to right field.
Loras took their first lead of the game in the seventh due to a balk from Central starter Matt Schissel, scoring senior
Chad Crabill from third.
The lead was short lived, as Central came right back to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh and force extra innings for the second time of the day.
After a 1-2-3 eighth inning by Loras, the Dutch opened the home half with Mason Ellis reaching on an error by freshman
Ryan Koester. With Ellis on second, a sacrifice bunt by Stochl was fielded by sophomore
Zach Forkenbrock, who in an attempt to get Ellis at third, committed a throwing error which allowed Ellis to score and give the Dutch the win.
Key Stat – Game 1 Loras was held hitless through 9 2/3 innings before
Dan Weis singled to left field to break-up the no-hitter
Key Stat – Game 2Loras left six men on base in game two … Junior
Patrick Walsh lined out to the shortstop with the bases loaded in sixth inning
Game Changer – Game 1A balk in the bottom of the tenth scored the game-winning run from third for Central
Game Changer – Game 2After
Patrick Walsh's outing was complete, the Duhawk defense committed four errors, resulting in three unearned runs to score ... The fourth and final error proved to be the most costly, as it scored the winning run to give Central the series sweep
Notable 