PELLA, Iowa-- Wartburg split its final regular-season twinbill with Central Saturday. The Knights won the opener, 9-8, but fell 13-9 in the finale.
In the first game, the Orange and Black jumped to an early 2-0 lead in the first on an RBI double from sophomore Ryan Kemp (Keokuk) and he scored as the next batter, senior Clay Emmrich (Plainfield, Ill.), hit a single to left field.
Wartburg plated seven runs in the next frame on four hits, which included three doubles from senior Ryan Powers (Wheatland), junior DJ Utley (Cedar Rapids) and freshman Ryan Thumann (DeWitt).
The Dutch chipped away at the margin throughout the game as they scored a run in the second, two in the third, two in the fourth and one in the fifth to make the score 9-6. Central started a rally in its last at-bats in the seventh as it scored on a sacrifice fly and a single. One of the Dutch's baserunners was thrown out at third trying to advance on the basepaths, to give the Knights the win.
Kemp finished a perfect 2-2 at the plate and Powers went 2-4.
In the finale, the Orange and Black took the early 1-0 lead in the first as Utley drove in senior Craig Kerper (Dyersville) on his double to left centerfield.
The Dutch scored six runs in the second, which included a two-run homer, to take the 6-1 lead.
Utley drove in Kerper for Wartburg's second run in the third and the Knights added five in the fourth, thanks to a two-run double from Powers and Utley helped his own cause with a three-run homer to take the 7-6 lead.
Central knotted the score in the bottom of the frame but the Orange and Black scored the go-ahead run in the top of the fifth. The Dutch compiled a four-run fifth inning to take the 11-8 lead.
Central scored its final two runs in the sixth. Wartburg plated one in the seventh and looked to compile a ninth-inning rally as it had runners on second and third with two outs. Kerper drew a walk, but unfortunately, the next batter lined out to centerfield to give the win to the Dutch.
Utley finished a triple shy of the cycle as he went 3-5.
The Knights have solidified the No. 2 seed in the Iowa Conference Tournament next weekend.
