March 11, 2005
Release courtesy of Larry Happel, Central College sports information director

PELLA, IOWA . . . First baseman Anne Legg (senior, Ames) cracked three hits including a two-run homer as the Central College softball team gave coach George Wares his 700th career victory Friday evening, an 8-2 win over Mt. St. Joseph (Ohio).

Wares, in his 21st season, upped his career record to 700-224-3. He’s just the third coach in NCAA Division III history to reach the milestone and the second in two days. Muskingum (Ohio) coach Donna Newberry recorded her 700th win Thursday in her 31st year and has a 700-347-1 career mark. The late Dr. June Walker of the College of New Jersey is the all-time wins leader with a 721-154 record over 22 years.

Wares has guided the Dutch to 19 consecutive NCAA Division III tournament berths and four national championships (1988, 1991, 1993, 2003).

Legg, who missed much of the preseason because of injury, had struggled much of the week, but showed signs of regaining the hitting stroke that has made her one of the team’s top hitters her previous three seasons. She singled in the first inning, then lined a two-run homer over the right-center field fence in the second inning, walked in the fifth and doubled and scored in the seventh.

“That home run looked like the Anne Legg of old,” Wares said. “And even the hit after that, she drove hard.”

Designated player Tina Shimak (sophomore, Cedar Rapids, Kennedy HS) and second baseman Kristin Wares (junior, Pella) each had two-run singles for the Dutch, who had 10 hits in closing their week at the Sun West Classic with an 8-4 mark. Central defeated Wittenberg (Ohio) 12-4 earlier Friday. Pitcher Corrie Schmidt (senior, Ankeny) upped her record to 4-2, allowing one earned run on nine hits with one walk and five strikeouts. However, the Dutch had another adventurous day on defense, committing four errors.

“We have the potential to have a very explosive offense, but I’m still not at all comfortable with where we are defensively.

“To do some of the things we’ve done is uncharacteristic, but it really shouldn’t be that surprising. We’ve got a freshman catcher, a shortstop who’s never played shortstop before and a third baseman who’s never played third base before, not to mention the injuries we’ve been going through. So we’ll have to stay patient.”

Wares said notching win number 700 is meaningful.

“It means quite a bit just because it makes me think of all the different players and assistants who have been a part of it,” he said. “It’s pretty clear you can’t do it by yourself. There have been a lot of great people who made it happen. And having a daughter on the team (Kristin Wares), makes this one more meaningful.

“Looking at the schedules we’ve played each year makes it more significant as well. This has come against some very solid competition. And it’s been nice for the last few of these (milestones) to have a pitcher who is very special win the game. For 500 and 600, (former Division III player of the year) Libby Hysell was the pitcher, and today, I was glad to have Corrie Schmidt be a part of it. She’s certainly a very special pitcher.”

Central returns to the Midwest and competes in the Washington-St. Louis Invitational next Friday through Sunday.

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