PELLA—With temperatures in the 30s, hitting was a challenge and pitcher Joel Pulliam four-hit shutout and fueling a Central College baseball sweep in the Iowa Conference-opening doubleheader for both clubs.

Pulliam blanked the Duhawks 2-0 and Central pulled out an 8-5 victory in the nightcap. Central is 11-3 overall and off to its fastest start since 1974.

Pulliam (2-0) allowed two baserunners in each of the first four innings but was the beneficiary of two double plays and catcher Josh Stanton threw out two would-be basestealers. Pulliam walked five and struck out seven.

"Joel's had an outstanding year so far," coach Adam Stevens said. "He was really on his game today, although he walked a few too many guys. But he worked out of a couple of jams early and we found a way to get a couple runs."

Central got the game's only tallies in the second inning as freshman left fielder Adam Ariola doubled home a run, stole third and scored on a force play. The Dutch outhit Loras 5-4.

Central struck early in the nightcap, taking advantage of three Loras errors in a three-run first inning as Stanton and second baseman Ryan Allison each hit run-scoring doubles. Loras (5-8 overall, 0-2 conference) had seven errors in the game.

Both squads scored twice in the second and Loras tied the game 5-5 with three runs in the top of the third. But the Dutch moved back on top with two runs in the bottom of the third.  Center fielder Allen Mann had an RBI single.

Ryan Dusil relieved starting pitcher Dirk Lindaman, ending the Loras third-inning uprising. Dusil (1-1) got his first collegiate win with 2.1 innings of shutout ball, giving up one hit and walking two while striking out one. Bret Bell was also sharp, not allowing a baserunner in two shutout innings while fanning one to notch his third save.

"The key was to just throw strikes," Stevens said. "You throw strikes today, it's tough to hit, and Bret did that in the sixth and seventh."

Central added an insurance tally in the seventh thanks to some aggressive baserunning. Shortstop Mike Furlong and third baseman Anthony Miller each singled and Furlong scored on an error when they pulled off a double steal. Central had six steals on the day including two each by Furlong and Miller.

The teams wrap up the series Sunday at 1 p.m. with a nine-inning game at the A.N. Kuyper Athletics Complex field, making up a contest that was postponed on Friday because of snow. A video webstream of the game can be accessed through the Central athletics website at www.central.edu/athletics.