Making a second trip to Cedar Rapids in three days, the Central College baseball team brought its bats Monday, outslugging Coe College 13-7 after mustering just two runs against the Kohawks in a doubleheader Saturday.
Right fielder Jarred Lackey knocked in five runs as the Dutch (18-12 overall, 8-7 Iowa Conference) cranked out 15 hits after getting shut out in Saturday's nightcap, 3-0. Central was a 2-0 winner in the first game of the series Saturday.
"We didn't even talk about hitting before the game," coach Adam Stevens said. "But what we've needed lately is a big two-out, RBI hit. That's one of the most important stats in baseball. And in the first inning, Jarred got a three-run, two-out double. I felt like that got us going today. We had a good approach at the plate all day. The guys have been working hard and it paid off today."
Coe came back with two runs in the bottom of the first but the Dutch erupted for a six-run third inning to take command as Lackey delivered a two-run single. First baseman Seth Carson and second baseman Adam Ariola each had run-scoring singles as well. Ariola had another RBI hit in a two-run fourth inning while shortstop Mike Furlong had an RBI double in a two-run seventh.
Ariola, Furlong, Lackey, Carson, center fielder Sam Stetzel, left fielder Caleb Rangel and third baseman Anthony Miller each had two hits. The Dutch also took advantage of four errors by Coe (20-10 overall, 12-6 conference).
Dirk Lindaman improved to 4-1, allowing five runs on nine hits with three walks and no strikeouts in 5.1 innings.
"Dirk competed well," Stevens said. "Coe's a good offensive team and they're tough to hold down. Dirk did a good job of keeping us in the game."
D.J. Glasgow surrendered two unearned runs on two hits with a walk and a strikeout over the final 3.2 innings for his second save.
"D.J. came in and got a save the old-fashioned way, by throwing the final three innings," Stevens said . "He threw great and competed well. I was really happy for him."
Central treks to Storm Lake to tackle Buena Vista (18-11 overall, 9-6 conference) in a nine-inning game at 3:30 p.m. before returning home for three games Friday and Saturday with Cornell College.
"We've got a big week ahead of us," Stevens said. "Hopefully we can use this momentum and get back after it against a good team on Wednesday."