PELLA, Iowa – Central College scored an unearned run in the bottom of the 8^th inning to break open a tie game as the Dutch defeated Nebraska Wesleyan 8-7 in Iowa Conference baseball action on Tuesday afternoon (April 17).
 
The Dutch entered the game last in the IIAC and improve to 2-8 in the league with the win.  NWU falls to 7-19 and 3-12 in league play with their third straight loss.
 
NWU opened the game with a 1-0 lead on a solo home run by Derek Kolbush.  Central scored two runs in the bottom of the inning to quickly regain the advantage.
 
In the 4^th inning the Prairie Wolves tied up the game when Joel Maxwell was hit by a pitch, stole a base and scored on a single from Owen Gubbels.  Central scored a run of their own in the bottom of the 4^th to take a 3-2 lead.
 
NWU once again tied the game in the 5^th inning as Kolbush drove in Justus Stocks on a RBI single.  The Prairie Wolves would score in five straight innings including two unearned runs in the 6^th.  Central also kept scoring adding four runs in the 7^th inning to take a one run lead.
 
Trailing by one run headed to the 8^th, Maxwell led off the inning with a hit.  Pinch runner Brook Johnson moved to third base on a sacrifice and error from Gubbels.  Johnson then tied the game on a sac fly from Justus Stocks, his second sac fly of the game.
 
With one out in the bottom of the 8^th inning, Central got the eventual game-winning run on base by an error.  After a walk, two straight singles gave the Dutch the lead.  NWU was retired in order in the 9^th inning as the game ended.
 
Derek Kolbush and Matt Orozco both had two hits to lead the NWU offense as the Prairie Wolves finished with nine total hits.  Riley Ward started on the mound and threw six innings allowing only one earned run on six hits.  He struck out four and walked one.  Brody Murphy and Jesse Maguire each threw one inning as Maguire was saddled with the loss pitching the 8^th inning.
 
NWU will play former conference rival Doane University on Wednesday in one single game at Crete.